We write to you as the new acting co-presidents of the Los Angeles Chapter of AAJA. We are grateful for a chance to serve and look forward to working with the board of directors and with all of you in the wider membership.

We start by offering our deepest thanks to Richard Chang for his service as president in the first four months of the year. He’s stepping down because of an increasing personal and professional workload, though Richard will continue to lend his skills and voice to our diverse board.

Many of you may know us as former L.A. chapter presidents. In returning, we hope to keep the momentum going for great events and activities to come. As we transition, we can offer you a busy and engaging period for the chapter.

Our next event, in fact, is just ahead, as we present “Crafting the Story,” a writing workshop led by Steve Padilla of the Los Angeles Times, this coming Thursday, May 9. Steve, who spoke to a rapt AAJA-LA audience a year ago on the art of self-editing, will be back with a program focused on storytelling structure. We’ll gather at 7 p.m. at the Steve Allen Theater in Loz Feliz. You can find details and RSVP here. We hope you can join us.

By now, of course, you’ve already heard quite a bit about “Vision. Visibility. Voice.” — our second annual V3 Digital Media Conference — scheduled for June 14 and 15. We’ll again pair an evening reception and awards program at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena with an all-day conference at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo. With less than six weeks to go, our project leaders are working energetically to put the finishing touches on the programming. If you haven’t registered yet, or want to read the latest, please go to V3con.com.

We promise to be in touch soon. You’ll be hearing from us and the board regularly, especially as we get closer to V3con, followed by the annual AAJA conference in New York August 21-24 and then, of course, our annual Trivia Bowl fundraiser in October and, wrapping up the year, our holiday party in December.

We’re excited to connect with all of you!

Anh B. Do
Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times
Twitter: @newsterrier

Henry Fuhrmann
Assistant Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times
Twitter: @hfuhrmann

Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 9, and RSVP here. 

LA Times Asst. National Editor Steve Padilla talking shop at KPCCs Crawford Family Forum last year.

Steve, a 25-year veteran at The Times, has served as a writing coach and lectures frequently on writing.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Talk begins at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

This event is presented by AAJA-LA and the Los Angeles Press Club. Members of those organizations are admitted free with advanced RSVP. Non-members receive discounted admission with advanced RSVP.

RSVP using our Eventbrite, here.

See you on May 9!

David Ono, ABC anchor and AAJA-LA Vice President of Broadcast, talks to an attendee at the chapter’s Far Bar mixer on Jan. 23

AAJA-LA members opened 2013 with drinks, great food and even some prizes at the chapter’s first mixer of the year.

About 60 people filled the private room of Far Bar, an AAJA favorite nestled in Little Tokyo, on Jan. 23. Attendees included veteran AAJA-LA members, NAHJ members and some new faces — the 21+ mixer was the first for some student members, and for newcomers to AAJA-LA.

ABC anchor and AAJA-LA Vice President of Broadcast David Ono welcomed members to the festivities, as he joked about his memories at Far Bar.

Attendees could also pre-register at early-bird rates for the second annual V3Con,  AAJA-LA’s digital media conference, on June 15.

Toward the end of the night, the prizes came out. Every attendee received a raffle ticket to win door prizes, which included beauty products and tickets to East West Players. Cheers echoed through the room as new AAJA-LA secretary Naomi Hayase announced the winning numbers.

The mixer ended at 9 p.m., but many stayed past that time, finished up their drinks and Far Bar’s food, mingling and networking.

Early bird registration rates are as follows:

• AAJA-Los Angeles members: $30
• Partner rate (for JANM, Pacific Asia Museum and other partners): $35
• Students: $35
• General Admission: $40

The Los Angeles chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA-LA) runs V3con. V3con (V3 = vision, visibility, voice) will highlight and expand multi-platform Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communications by gathering thought-provoking AAPI online journalists, creative social media communicators, seasoned bloggers and those interested in engaging on digital platforms. In this unique, one-day conference setting, all are invited to share their experiences, knowledge, endeavors, and visions with others during interactive panels and workshops.

Apply to be a panelist at V3Con.

We’re looking for speakers to be a part of 2013 V3Con (Vision. Visibility. Voice.) to be a part of an ever-growing conference that teaches skills and evokes discussion around Asian American and Pacific Islanders in digital and social media, journalism, blogging and communications.

This year, V3con Digital Media Conference will take place on Saturday, June 15, 2013 at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles (presented by the Asian American Journalists Association, Los Angeles Chapter).

If you want to speak or present, please click here to fill out this year’s call for speakers.

Although we cannot provide honoraria for our speakers, selected panelists will receive complimentary registration to the conference, which also includes an invitation to the Opening Awards Reception tentatively scheduled for Friday, June 14, 2013.

Panelists must provide their own transportation/lodging accommodations and be available to present/speak at any time slot between 8am and 6pm on 6/15.

For more information on V3con, visit our website at http://www.v3con.com.