Schedule of Events | Agenda

Bridging Divides – Connecting Communities

DAY 1 | Tuesday, Aug 27 (Subject to change)

8:00 AM Doors Open for Registration (Grand Nave Foyer) & Expo Set-up (Camellia Ballroom)

9:30 AM Ethnic Media Partner Expo Open (Camellia Ballroom)

11:30 AM – 12:45 PM OPENING LUNCH – BRIDGING DIVIDES – CONNECTING COMMUNITIES:
WELCOME by Regina Brown Wilson, Executive Director, California Black Media
KEYNOTE: 2024 Elections – Ethnic Media’s role in covering issues at stake by California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond
PRESENTING: Communications Champions Awards: recognizing key figures in communications who have invested in ethnic media (Magnolia Ballroom)
Mistress of Ceremonies: Darla Givens

1:15 – 2:15 PM PLENARY 1: Stop the Hate Panel — Three founders of Stop the Hate Initiative talk about the value of ethnic media collaboration with CBOs and strategies for sustaining the initiative (Gardenia Ballroom)
Speakers:
Jose Luis Benavides (Moderator), Professor of Journalism, Cal State Northridge
Khydeeja Alam, Commissioner, Commission on Asian Pacific Island American Affairs (CCAPIAA)
Eliana Kaimowitz, Director, Office of Equity, CA Dept. of Social Services
Manjusha Kulkarni, Founder, Stop AAPI Hate
Karthick Radakrishnan, Professor of Public Policy, UC Riverside, Founder & Director, AAPI Data
Andrew Wong, Managing Director of Advocacy at Chinese for Affirmative Action & Co-Founder of Stop the Hate

2:30 – 3:30 PM PLENARY 2: Ethnic Media Panel — Reporters spotlight stories that give voice and visibility to targets of hate and document emerging rapid response networks (Gardenia Ballroom)
Speakers:
Julian Do (Moderator), Ethnic Media Services
Manuel Ortiz Escamez, Co-Founder, Peninsula 360
Leslie Layton, Managing Editor, Chico Sol
Mina Fedor, Founder, AAPI Youth Rising
Justin Ma, Senior, Lick-Wilmerding High School, San Francisco
Danielle Paranteau-Decker, Contra Costa Pulse
Jorge Rios, Station Manager, Radio Indigena
Choi Brian Inseong, Editor, Korea Daily
SweSwe Aye, Editor, Myanmar Gazette

3:30 – 3:45 PM Afternoon Break in Grand Nave Foyer

3:45 – 4:30 PM PLENARY 3: Fireside Chat by Stop The Hate Spread the Love — An intimate conversation about the impact of Stop the Hate initiatives (Gardenia Ballroom)
Speakers:

4:30 – 5:45 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Session 1: The Growing Threat of Racialized Disinformation
How to spot deep fakes and combat disinformation targeting ethnic audiences
Sponsored by Common Cause (Bataglieri)
Speakers:
Anthony Advincula (Moderator)
Ama Anane, Good Influence
Jonathan Mehta Stein, Executive Director, CA Common Cause

Session 2: ProJourn 
A pro bono program of the Lawyers Committee for a Free Press: steering clear of lawsuits and accessing public records (Falor)
Speakers:
Peter Schurmann (Moderator), Ethnic Media Services
Brittney Barsotti, California News Publishers Association

5:30 – 7:00 PM EXPO & LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION – Networking reception honoring legislative leaders for outstanding contributions to journalism and the community (Magnolia & Camellia Ballrooms)

DAY 2 | Wednesday, Aug 28 (Subject to change)

7:30 – 9:00 AM BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE – Accessing Philanthropic and Media Enrichment Resources
Hear from and network with representatives of foundations and media enrichment programs about programs supporting ethnic media reporters. (Magnolia Ballroom)
Speakers:
Paulette Brown Hinds (Moderator), Ph.D., Founder, Voice Media Ventures
Priscilla Enriquez, CEO, The James B. McClatchy Foundation
David Littlefield, Public Affairs Manager, The California Wellness Foundation
Jenna Lane, Communications Officer, Blue Shield Foundation of California
Michelle Levander, Director, USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism
Christa Scharfenberg, Project Director, UC Berkeley Journalism Fellowships
Jenny Montoya Tansey, Sr. Program Officer, Just Democracy, Skyline Foundation/Press Forward

9:00 – 9:45 AM PLENARY 4: How Ethnic Media Can Help Agencies Meet AB 2019 Small Business Goals
A networking opportunity with communication specialists from state agencies who want to expand their diversity reach (Magnolia Ballroom)
Speakers:
Martha Diaz Askenazy (Moderator), Publisher, San Fernando Valley Sun
Eric Johnson, Information Officer, CA Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)
Connie Nakano, Assistant Director, Office of Communications, CA Department of Aging
Angela Snell, Chief Procurement Diversity Officer/Deputy Director, Dept. of Governmental Services (DGS)

9:45 AM Ethnic Media Partner Expo Open (Camellia Ballroom)

9:45 – 10:00 AM MORNING BREAK – SECOND FLOOR

10:00 – 11:45 AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Session 3: EdVoice – A Policy Advocacy Nonprofit on Public Education
From Classroom to Capitol: Harnessing the Power of the Media to Influence Education Policy for Black and Latino Students (Bataglieri)

Session 4: Breaking Cultural Taboos
Reporters share stories and challenges of covering taboos in their communities
Sponsored by Blue Shield of California Foundation & USC Center for Health Journalism (Tofanelli)
Speakers:
Jaya Padmanaphan, (Moderator), Editor, The USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism
Genoa Barrow, The Sacramento Observer
Jia H. Jung, AsAm News
Victor Patton, Central Valley Journalism Collaborative and Merced Focus
Jian Zhao, World Journal

Session 5: Google News Initiative Tools for Reporting
Leverage Google Search, Trends and Pinpoint to help with reporting, audience understanding, and analyzing large document sets. (Compagno) 10:45 – 11:45 AM (Repeat)

Session 6: Department of General Services
The California Department of General Services will provide a brief overview on “Doing business with the State” and provide 1-on-1 assistance with the small business registration and certification process. (Falor)

12:00 – 1:00 PM PLENARY 5: California State Treasurer Fiona Ma Fireside Chat with Lisa Collins, Founder and Publisher of L.A. Focus
Lisa Collins in conversation with Fiona Ma on fiscal policies, state initiatives, and leadership and programs of the state treasurer’s office. Box lunch served. (Magnolia Ballroom)
Speakers:

1:15 – 2:45 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Session 7: Department of General Services
The California Department of General Services will provide a brief overview on “Doing business with the State” and provide 1-on-1 assistance with the small business registration and certification process. (Falor)

Session 8: Using Google’s News Consumer Insights
Learn more about Google’s News Consumer Insights tool and how it can help you connect to your site and audience goals. (Compagno) 2:00 – 2:45 PM (Repeat)

1:15 – 2:30 PM – Session 9: Climate Change
The critical role ethnic media play as informers and engagers of community on the challenges of climate change adaptation and resilience.
Sponsored by UCLA Lens, Bezos Earth Fund (Tofanelli)
Speakers:
Jon Christensen, (Moderator)
Chynell Freeman, Resilient Community Associate Planner, California Strategic Growth Council
Yvette Lopez Ledesma, Senior Director, Community Led Conservation at the Wilderness Society
Manuel Ortiz Escamez, Peninsula 360
Sissy Trinh, Executive Director, Southeast Asian Community Alliance

1:15 – 2:45 PM Session 10: Going Beyond the Impression and Getting Results
In-depth session on measuring and achieving impactful engagement with Ron Turner of Radio KJLH (Bataglieri)

2:45 – 3:00 PM AFTERNOON BREAK – SECOND FLOOR

3:00 – 4:00 PM PLENARY 6: What Ethnic Media Voters Need to Know about Propositions
Detailed analysis and discussion on current propositions and their implications. (Magnolia Ballroom)

4:15 – 5:15 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Session 11: How Can AI Help?
Practitioners in the field explain practical ways to use AI with limited resources (Tofanelli)
Speakers:
Peter Schurmann (Moderator), Ethnic Media Services
Dave Gehring, CEO and Co-Founder, Media Distributed Lab, Co-founder of Relay Media

Session 12: Stories Nonprofit Organizations Need Ethnic Media to Tell
Non-profit leaders – all recipients of the James Irvine Foundation’s 2024 leadership awards – share stories and issues they want to promote to ethnic media audiences and ethnic media reporters share advice on how nonprofits can work more effectively with the sector. (Bataglieri)
Speakers:
Yurina Melara (Moderator), Author, “The Power of Ethnic Media: a How to Guide”
Brian Poth | Nick Vargas, Co-founders, The Source (Fresno)
Hector Camacho, Sr. Vice President, Reach University
Frankie Guzman, Sr. Director, National Center for Youth Law

5:00 – 6:00 PM EXPO & PRE-AWARDS RECEPTION – Saluting Our Non-Profit Partners (Camellia & Gardenia Ballrooms)

6:00 – 7:30 PM ETHNIC MEDIA AWARDS
Masters of Ceremony: Pamela Anchang & Emil Guillermo (Magnolia Ballroom)