AABJ in great financial and professional standing as 2026 NABJ Convention nears

The monthly Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ) meeting took place on Saturday, July 11, 2026. Chapter President Condace Pressley, AABJ Broadcast VP Lisa Cox, AABJ Digital VP Denise Hendricks, AABJ Treasurer Ernie Suggs, and W. Imara Canady, the AABJ Secretary, all addressed members and guests inside WSB-TV headquarters. 

The meeting space was packed as the AABJ leadership updated members on the health of the chapter. The overall consensus from all of them, as well as National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) President Errin Haines and NABJ Director of Operations Angela Y. Robinson is that the chapter is in good financial and professional standing on the eve of being the host chapter for this year’s NABJ Convention.

The NABJ Convention, which will take place inside the Atlanta Marriott  Marquis, will take place from August 12-16. It is the first time the convention will have taken place in Atlanta since 2005. 

“It’s not everyday that the President of NABJ gets to host the convention,” Haines said. During her brief address to the membership, Haines, an Atlanta native and former AABJ member, said being able to celebrate and encourage the NABJ membership is what she’s looking for from this convention in Atlanta.

This year’s convention theme is, “Our Revolution: Truth, Power, and Black Journalism.” 

“This is going to be a record-breaking convention,” said Pressley, who added that Regions Bank and Kaiser Permanente are some of this year’s sponsors. 

Several AABJ founding members and former members of the chapter’s leadership were also in attendance on Saturday. This year’s convention has the capability of breaking attendance records because of the location and the growing need for Black journalists to gather in safe and welcoming spaces.

The 2025 convention in Cleveland was well-attended, but did not surpass the attendance of the 2024 convention in Chicago.  Atlanta has an opportunity

“This organization is critically important to the community,” Canady said. Part of his update was that the Atlanta chapter membership is now between 190-200 strong. 

During the meeting, the new convention t-shirts, designed in collaboration with popular local clothing brand Atlanta Influences Everything, were displayed. Members and attendees had the opportunity to purchase the shirts, black with the words“Black Journalists Influence Everything” or “Journalists Influence Everything” in white lettering, for a discounted rate. The shirts will also be sold at the convention on-site store. 

There will be one more chapter meeting on Saturday, August 1, before the convention begins.

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