Friends

Ten years ago, a group of visionary AAJA leaders saw a need for a program that would diversify the media by reaching out to talented young journalists as early as high school. They created J Camp.

None of them could have predicted the seismic changes that our profession has undergone since the first J Camp in San Francisco. But they foresaw that the program would bear fruit years in the future, helping a new generation of journalists along the path to success.

This year, J Camp celebrates its tenth anniversary stronger than ever. Over the past decade, we’ve given more than 400 students a chance to work one-on-one with leading professionals. We’ve introduced them to many of the biggest stars in our field, in the hope that those role models will inspire them. Now, as our alumni reach college and beyond, we are proud to say that many are pursuing journalism careers.

As the media has taken new directions, our program has evolved to reflect those changes. But we will always stress the enduring values that are the cornerstone of a free press.

J Camp was created to infuse our future newsrooms with more diversity – and we’re not just talking about race. A fair, balanced representation of our world in all areas, from religion to political background, is essential if we’re going to be both accurate and successful in the decades to come. We’re confident that graduates of J Camp will be leading the way.

None of this could be possible without the staff at the Asian American Journalists Association and the leadership of AAJA president Sharon Chan and the AAJA board. We’re grateful to our faculty and speakers for donating their time and sharing their wisdom.

We would also like to thank our major funder, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, as well as Loyola Marymount University, which has donated facilities and support. We’re also thankful for the support of Canon, which is lending us cameras to encourage aspiring photojournalists. Personal thanks to Neal Justin, one of the founders of J Camp, for his help recruiting our star speakers.

We’re grateful to our go-to person at the AAJA National Office, Nao Vang, and to AAJA executive director Kathy Chow. We also appreciate the support of our bosses at Congressional Quarterly and Bloomberg as we make sure that the future of journalism remains in good hands.

Angie Lau and Clea Benson
J Camp Directors