The MU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists was set on attending this week’s conference in Los Angeles despite the winterstorm hindering its trip.
Members of the group on the trip could not be reached, but Lisa White, president of the Legion of Black Collegians, which serves as the umbrella group for NABJ, said the organization’s members refused to let the snowstorm get in the way of the trip.
“They put so much work and so much effort into the trip that they were determined to get there no matter what,” White said.
NABJ members drove to St. Louis on Tuesday, only to have their flight pushed back to the following day, forcing them to take up residence in a hotel. At around midnight Thursday morning, the group’s flight landed in California.
Each year, the group visits a city with a booming journalism or advertising industry for its annual Media Tour. In the past, these trips have been to Chicago, New York and Atlanta, among others. During the trips, members network with professionals in their interest field and enhance their knowledge.
On Thursday, some members of the group visited American Rebel, a public relations firm situated in the heart of Hollywood. The website boasts the firm is a common stop for celebrities, editors and stylists and was featured on MTV’s “Hired.” Other stops for members of the group included the Los Angeles Times and KABC/790 AM.
They also visited Focus Features, the studio responsible for such films as “The Kids Are All Right” and “Lost in Translation.”
Since September, NABJ has worked hard to salvage any funds to help offset the cost of the trip for the 30 members attending. The group has hosted bake sales, a car wash and a date auction. It has cleaned Faurot Field and worked as waiters and waitresses at Fuddruckers, all while having the end goal of Los Angeles in mind.
The members will venture back to Columbia on Sunday.