Native American Journalists Association
University of Oklahoma, Gaylord College, 395 W. Lindsey St., Norman, OK, 73019-4201 | Phone: (405) 325-9008 | Fax: (405) 325-6945


                                                   NAJA 2012 Media Awards 
                                                    2012 UNITY Convention 
                                                UNITY 2012 August 1-4, 2012 
                                             Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada
                                    https://s3.goeshow.com/unity/convention/2012/



Contest Rules:  

1. Contest entries will only be accepted from now to March 15, 2012, by 5:00pm.   
 
2. Contestant must be a current NAJA member at time of entry and also at the time of the Media
Awards Banquet on August 3, 2012. 
 
 3. Submitted entries must have been published, broadcasted, or posted between Jan. 1, 2011 and
Dec. 31, 2011.  
 
4. If an editor or producer is entering the work of an employee, the employee must be a current
NAJA member or the work will not be considered.  
 
5. Cost is $20 per entry and $10 for students. 
Individuals may turn in three separate entries in any one category as desired. Entries in multiple
categories are encouraged:  
 
6.  Each entry must have its own entry form & payment must accompany each entry.  
Each entry (clip, DVD, CD, USB Memory Stick etc.) should have last name of contestant and  
contest legibly displayed.  
 
7.  Each Entrant must include proof of Native American or First People of Canada Ancestry. (i.e.
Copy of CDIB, Enrollment Card, OR a letter from their tribe stating enrollment). Excluding the
Associate Category. 
 
8.  Because of status within NAJA, Associate members can only enter the Associate category.  
 
9.  General Excellence awards are for Native American-owned media outlets that are at least 50
percent Native American- owned, managed or controlled.  
 
10. All categories will be recognized at the 2012 NAJA Media Awards Banquet, but only those
categories with a minimum of three entries from three separate persons or organizations will be
judged.        .  
 
11. Only fully completed entry forms with full payment will be judged.  
 
12. Judges’ decisions are final and entries will not be returned.  

 

Categories for NAJA 2012 Media Awards
 
 Best Radio - single news story no longer than ten minutes; feature story no longer than 15
minutes on CD, or Flash Drive. Divisions are commercial and non-commercial 
 
 Best TV - single story no longer than ten minutes on CD/DVD or Flash Drive. Divisions are
commercial and non-commercial 
 
Divisions for newspaper entries are:
   Division 1 – circulation of 20,000 or more copies 
   Division 2 - circulation of 15,000 to 19,999 copies 
   Division 3 - circulation of 10,000 to 14,999 copies 
   Division 4 - circulation of 5,000 to 9,999 copies 
   Division 5 - circulation of less than 5,000 copies 
 
 Best Layout - three different and complete issues per entry within your respective division
category. 
 
 Best Photo - submit only three 8 x 10 prints within your respective division category 
 
 Best Online Newspaper - 8.5 x 11 copy of home page and URL address within your respective
division category  
 
 General Excellence – Print, Radio, & TV: three different and complete issues per entry within
your respective division category.  
 
 College and High School - print, two entries; broadcast, no longer than ten minutes; three
different issues for General Excellence  
 
 
 Richard LaCourse Award sponsored by Gannett Foundation- Excellence in investigative
reporting in print or broadcast; if broadcast, place on CD/DVD or Flash Drive. The winner
will receive a $5,000.00 award.  No division categories for this entry. 
 

 WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL BY June 1, 2012.  
 
                                
 
NAJA 2012 Media Awards Entry Form
 
Title of
Entry____________________________________________________________
 
Category of Entry:____________________________________
 
Name of Journalist: ___________________________________ 
 
Job Title of Journalist:___________________________ 
 
Organization: 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
Mailing Address: 
 
_____________________________________________________________  
 
Work Telephone Number: ____________________ 
 
Work Fax Number: _________________________  
 
Email
address:_________________________________________________________  
 
  
Are you entering for an employee?  
(Employee must be NAJA member)  
Yes      No  
 
Your Name:___________________________________________________
 
Your Position/Title:_____________________________________________
 
Name of Employee/Journalist:____________________________________ 
 
Employee/Journalist Position/Title:_________________________________  
 
 
WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL BY June 1, 2012.  
Winners who are unable to attend the banquet, may send someone to accept
their award for them. 
 
CATEGORIES (Indicate division and check box of category you are
entering and sub- category, if applicable):
 
 DIVISION           
 BESTCOLUMN                                                      ◊Commercial
 Daily/Weekly                                                        ◊Non-commercial                                   
 Monthly/Bimonthly                                          BEST RADIO STORY               
                                                                                 News  Feature  
 DIVISION 
 BEST EDITORIAL 
 Daily/Weekly                                     
 Monthly/Bimonthly 
 
 DIVISION                                                                ◊Commercial
 BEST SPORTS STORY                                      ◊Non-commercial                                          
 Daily/Weekly                                                       BEST TELEVISION 
 Monthly/Bimonthly                                          STORY  News  Feature 
 
 
 DIVISION 
 BESTFEATURE STORY             
 Daily/Weekly                                           
 Monthly/Bimonthly 
  
 DIVISION 
 BEST 
ENVIRONMENTAL 
STORY  
 Daily/Weekly                    
 Monthly/Bimonthly 
  
 DIVISION 
 BEST NEWS STORY                 
 Daily/Weekly                                    
 Monthly/Bimonthly 
  
 DIVISION 
 BEST PHOTO  
 News                     
 Feature  
 Sports 
  
 
 
 DIVISION 
 BEST LAYOUT 
 Daily/Weekly                                     
 Monthly/Bimonthly  
 
 DIVISION 
 BEST ONLINE 
NEWSPAPER    
  
 DIVISION 
 GENERAL 
EXCELLENCE     
 Daily/Weekly 
 Monthly/Bimonthly   
 
 DIVISION 
 ASSOCIATE  
 News Story  (Print)  
 News Story (Radio)                     
 News Story (TV)  
 Beat  
 Coverage of Native 
Americans (Print)  
 Photo  
 
 COLLEGE STUDENT             
 News Story (Print)  
 Feature Story (Print)  
 Sports Story                  
 Editorial  
 Photo  
 Radio Story (News)  
 Television Story (News)  
 
 HIGHSCHOOL 
STUDENT  
 News Story  
 Feature Story              
 Photo  
 General Excellence  
 
 RICHARD LACOURSE AWARD 
sponsored by Gannett Foundation
(Excellence in investigative reporting in broadcast or print)
No division categories for this entry.
 
PAYMENT OPTIONS:  
Please check one of the following payment options:      Check           Money Order      
             
 
 
 
  MAIL TO:       NAJA 2012 Media Awards,  
                        395 West Lindsey Street,   
                        Norman, OK 73019-4201   
 
 
 
 FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PROVIDING PAYMENT VIA INVOICE, PURCHASE ORDER, ETC. 
PLEASE CONTACT NAJA, AT 405/325-9008 OR VIA EMAIL AT  jharjo@ou.edu  
 
 
 
 
Payment must be received in the NAJA office by 5 p.m., MARCH 15,
2012 in order to be eligible for contest.  
 
  
 
For more information please go to our Web site at www.naja.com, call (405) 325-9008, or email
jharjo@ou.edu 
 
 
 
NAJA 2012 Media Awards
2012 UNITY Convention
UNITY 2012 August 1-4, 2012
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada
http://s3goeshow.com/unity/convention/2012/
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Official Credit Card Payment Form 
 
 
PLEASE CIRCLE ONE:  
 Visa                  Mastercard  
  
Name (As it appears on card) : 
 
____________________________________________________  
 
Card Number: ______________________________
 
Expiration Date:_____________CVV2 (3-4 Digits):___________ 
 
Billing Address:
_____________________________________________________________
 
Billing City:
_____________________________________________________________
 
Billing State:_______________________________
 
Billing Zip:_________________________  
 
Amount to Charge:_______________  
 
 
I, ____________________________, agree to pay the above amount according to the 
 
card issuer agreement.  
 
______________________________  _____________________________  
Signature                                                                    Date  
 
Submit Payment form to: 
NAJA- 2012 Media Awards 
395 West Lindsey Street 
Norman, OK 73019-4201 
 
Fax (405) 325-6945 OR  
Use online store at http://www.naja.com    

 

NAJA recently asked its membership the following on the Facebook Group page: As a NAJA member, what is your all time favorite memory of attending a NAJA Convention? 

Marei Spaola I like how the awards are 'similar' to how the Oscars would do their awards but on a budget. Good times.

Onica N Makwakwa I like the part at the banquet where gifts are collected on a blanket. I'm not sure why but since my home is in South Africa, somehow this part always makes me feel homesick while at the same time I still feel so at home. Maybe it heals my homesickness, there that's it! NAJA is homely!

Doug Mitchell There are many... from being humbled by The NAJA Lifetime Achievement Award in '09 in ABQ to Patty T and the NAJA tv students in San Diego working in "the kitchen."

Nancy Kelsey My fave: my first student project in Green Bay in 2003. As a college sophomore, I got to meet some of the most talented Native journalists in the country. Very inspiring and a true testament to the power and impact of the student projects. It's 2011 and this is still my career of choice :) (Nancy is also on our Board of Directors)

John Christian Hopkins visiting New Echota, Ga. as part of 1994 Unity in Atlanta

Abbey Thompson UNITY convention in D.C. easily...

Lee Longhorn The G-rated version is being around talented journalist and feeling inspired to keep telling stories.

Vi Waln ‎1999 UNITY convention in Seattle WA was a great gathering

Louis Montclair Washington DC. It was the greatest! I remember this because our group got to question President Bush first, and Mark Trahant asked the tribal sovereignty question and the President sounded like an ass trying to answer (didn't make any sense). Then later that night, I heard that the clip of the tribal sovereignty question was a viral video on ALL national news networks, even made #1 on Countdown with Ketih Olbermann.

Susan Arkeketa too many to list as favorite, jut add there were some classic moments.

Ishmael Agnimitra Elias ‎2007 in Denver. Worked on the student project, learned tons, and made bonds stronger.

So what would YOU say was a great memory of a NAJA convention? We want to hear from you! Go to our Facebook Group page and tell us! And don't forget to "Like" us on the Fanpage! You can follow us on Twitter too @NaJournalists.


Gu waa dzi, Greetings everyone,

As we venture into 2012 and the UNITY conference, NAJA is dedicated to our mission: to empower our Native journalists, enrich journalism and promote Native cultures. We ask that all our members, new members and interested parties submit panel session ideas. This conference is all our responsibility that we have those sessions that meet our needs.
As Native journalists we are dedicated to our journalism work as well keeping our own tribal stories alive and educating others about our people. I look forward to the future with great motivation from NAJA’s past leaders.
I would also like to invite you all to keep in contact with me via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and/or my blog. NAJA can only get better with your contributions.

Thank you,
Rhonda LeValdo, Acoma Pueblo, President, Native American Journalists Association

facebook: www.facebook.com/rhondalevaldo
twitter: www.twitter.com/rhondalevaldo
blog: http://skycity1.wordpress.com/

The following is the Form990 of Fiscal year 2009-2010.

Form 990 for 2010

The following is the Form990 Return Summary

Return summary

 

The following information is the summary of the bank statements as of 10/31/11.

"All our board members are fully committed to raising funds that are needed for NAJA along with our Executive Director.  While we didn't make our budget for last year, we know that it was because our usual funders have reduced the amounts given and many of our members could not make our conference due to the economy we are in.  All our finances were completed with 990's submitted every year and we realize that an audit needs to be done.  

Again our board understands the position we are in, we are working together to remedy the situation.  We also look forward to working with our alliance partners as we plan for UNITY 2012."

 -- Rhonda LeValdo, NAJA President

NAJA CURRENT FINANCIAL REPORT ENDING 10/31/11

Bank Statements as of 10/31/11

BancFirst            Checking                     Beginning balance 10/1/11           $19,999.66

                                                               Ending Balance 10/31/11             $19,999.62

BancFirst           Sweep Account             Beginning balance 10/1/11           $31,173.02           

                                                               Ending Balance 10/31/11             $1,945.94           

Bank2                 Checking                      Beginning Balance 10/1/11            $7,125.78

                                                               Ending Balance 10/31/11               $6,303.58

Bank2                 Money Market                Beginning Balance 10/1/11            $44,778.46

                                                               Ending Balance 10/31/11               $44,803.18

 Bank Statement as of 10/21/11

 Bank of Oklahoma     Money Market          Beginning Balance 9/22/11            $10,018.93

                                                                Ending Balance 10/21/11               $12,521.25

Minneapolis Foundation (Protected funds)    Balance as of 10/31/11                  $85,234.19