Journalists laud 106 pioneers of diversity
Asian American Journalists Association national President Sharon Chan, left, presents a certificate to former Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter Tomi Knaefler. Knaefler was hired at the Star-Bulletin in 1947, covered the civil rights movement and wrote a book, "Our House Divided," about Japanese-American families who were separated by World War II.
Farrington High School graduate Jan Yanehiro, left, former CBS anchor Connie Chung and Lloyd Lacuesta of Kauai, were among the pioneering journalists honored at the AAJA national convention. Yanehiro and Lacuesta were among 19 with Hawaii ties recognized by AAJA.
LOS ANGELES » Pioneering journalists from Hawaii were recognized by the Asian American Journalists Association for their efforts to diversify newsrooms across the country.
Annie Nakao, who was born and raised in Hawaii, received the organization’s top Lifetime Achievement Award, and at least 19 journalists with Hawaii ties were added to an inaugural list of 106 Asian-American journalism pioneers at the AAJA national convention last week.
Nakao began her career in 1975 and worked at Coast Magazine, the San Francisco Examiner, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, San Jose Mercury News and the San Francisco Chronicle until she retired in 2005. She won awards for her reporting on race, culture and community; wrote a column for the San Francisco Chronicle on diversity; and advocated in her newsroom for the hiring and promotion of people of color.
The journalists all began their careers between 1925 and 1975. Chris Chow, one of the first Asian-American male broadcasters, researched the list and says others will be added on.
PIONEERS IN DIVERSITYThe Asian-American journalists with Hawaii ties recognized by AAJA, followed by the year they were hired and places they worked: » Ah Jook Leung Ku, 1935, Associated Press, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Don't miss out on what's happening!Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
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"This is an initial list," Chow said. "Fifty years was a nice, round number, and we could meet our deadline. There are many more pioneers."
Chow said Hawaii has more pioneers per capita because of its large Asian-American population and that media owners recognized early that diversity is a good business practice.
"Hawaii was more open to multiculturalism," he said. "There was recognition that this is an important market and you’d better well serve them (Asian-Americans) if you want to make any money."
Honolulu Star-Advertiser Assistant City Editor Craig Gima was named co-member of the year for his activism in raising awareness about the plight of Asian-American journalists Roxana Saberi, who was imprisoned in Iran last year, and Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were captured and held for four months in North Korea. All three were freed after widespread publicity and public calls for their release.
Ling, who was the keynote speaker at the AAJA convention gala banquet Saturday, said she was grateful to everyone who helped keep pressure on the North Korean government to win her freedom. Ling and Saberi, who also spoke at the convention, said knowing that they were not forgotten helped keep their spirits up. Ling also said her interrogators told her specifically that the Asian American Journalists Association had publicly called for her release.
