Last week, journalists from around the country descended on New Orleans for the largest annual convening of African-American journalists in the country, at the 37th annual National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention.  

Thousands of journalists and media professionals spanning various media platforms assembled to discuss the current state of media as well as the media’s role in shaping communities and influencing culture.

GLAAD, in partnership with the NABJ LGBT Taskforce, hosted a panel which included CNN and ESPN Columnist LZ Granderson, Ebony.com Editorial Director and 2012 GLAAD Outstanding Magazine Article Award nominee Kierna Mayo, LGBT advocate and blogger Kenyon Farrow, and Black Enterprise writer and recipient of GLAAD’s 2012 Outstanding Magazine Article Award Carolyn Brown, to discuss ways in which LGBT journalists can be advocates for inclusive stories in their newsroom while maintaining their journalistic integrity.  The panel was hosted by Body.com Editor Kellee Terrell.

With violence against trans women of color, unemployment and housing discrimination on the rise, it is now more important than ever for all LGBT and allied journalists to shine light on the everyday hardships that LGBT people--particularly LGBT people of color-- face in their communities.

The conversation also addressed ways in which the Black community at large can work together to address homophobia and transphobia both in ethnic and community-based media and in our communities.