The Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists (TBABJ) hosts an annual awards ceremony designed to honor the best journalism on issues related to people of color in the Tampa Bay area. Well, it’s time to gather up the nominations for those Griot Drum Awards, and TBABJ is looking for entries in the website category. St. Pete Times media critic, and long time TBABJ member and booster Eric Deggans contacted us, to ask if we had anything that qualifies:
The local association of black journalists chapter has begun accepting entries or the 2008 Griot Drum Awards, and one area where we have always been lacking is in multimedia. I’m hoping you guys might be able to scare up some entries from your web site.
Go to www.TBABJ.com for the rules, deadlines and categories. please take a little time to check them out and see if anything you’ve done may qualify….
Yipes…
I’d love to learn more about all of our local communities, but I have been unsuccessful in finding people to share their knowledge with us here. I’ve asked a many people of various backgrounds to contribute to Sticks of Fire, but very few take me up on it.
And it makes sense. It’s easy to start your own site. Why would you write on Sticks of Fire, when you can write on your own? This is the part about blogging that is difficult. It’s very nature makes it exclusive.
So, in that sense, we are very bland.
In addition to a significant lack of color here in the Sticks (or maybe because of it), and a personal lack of knowledge about it, I have very little to say about minorities within our communities, other than my lame attempts to highlight a couple of great people doing great things in our neighborhoods.
It’s embarrassing, really. I’m afraid we do not have anything that might be considered outstanding journalism on issues related to people of color (and for you jokesters – I’m not saying that we employ outstanding journalism on ANY subject).
However, I do know that there are interesting people doing incredible things on the internet. And I’m certain that some of you are familiar with plenty of websites created by or run by your neighbors, who may qualify for entry into the Griot Drum Awards.
To that end, I want you to tell me about those diverse, independent websites in the Tampa Bay area. Doesn’t matter what the subject is, what you think of the site, or how you learned of them. I simply want to know more about them.
If we find any blog, website, or online information gateway that we feel is deserving, Sticks of Fire will pay the entry fee and nominate them for a Griot Drum Award. Deadline for entry is mid-March, so leave website information in the comments right away. In addition, I encourage any of you bloggers to get this word out, and send your readers of all colors here – I really want to hear from more people with diverse backgrounds.
Rachel*
2 years ago
Actually, it’s not that embarrassing at all, Tommy. Maybe you just really don’t care about color. That would make you decidedly not racist in a way a lot of people can’t handle.
(Or, sure, maybe you’re reaaalllyy comfortable in White World, but both are possibilities, right?)
Oilcanboyd
2 years ago
Well, I’m black and sort of write a blog on my myspace page. I doubt it meets any criteria for some sort of journalism award as it is pretty much a diary of me being a drunk idiot in a new town. http://blog.myspace.com/catman45
tommy
2 years ago
Hello Rachel*
You are right – I don’t worry about color in my friends and folks I meet, but I’d really like to have diverse viewpoints on Sticks.
Hey Oil Can!
A diary of you being a drunk idiot in a new town is merely interesting to some, but true journalism to others… Thanks for checking in. Welcome to Tampa.
Steven Tamayo
2 years ago
i white and i troll message boards
Derek
2 years ago
Tommy, I’m a minority business owner here in Tampa and I’ve got the RSS feed for ‘Sticks of Fire’ on my browser. As a matter of fact, I read it almost daily, but definitely weekly.
I’m a business owner and a blogger and quite frankly would love to have some of your opinions on my blog.
I don’t think that you have any color bias to say the least but if this is the catalyst we need to get you and your opinions to my blog, well I’m game.
So, my blog is: http://bastionhbs.typepad.com and my website is: http://bastionhbs.com
In either case, I would be honored to have you as a visitor. By the way, I really enjoyed and your post about the incident on I4. So much so that I commented on it.
Hope to see you on the blog.
Derek
2 years ago
Sorry, just had to leave one more message. I checked out Oil Can’s blog since Tommy is trying to initiate some discussion here on ‘Sticks’. It’s pretty good. Got some good laughs in certain parts too. Nice blog Oil Can!
Oilcanboyd
2 years ago
Thanks Derek!
Your blog is very informative. I actually work in the insurance industry underwriting executive liability. I Don’t know much about property insurance though.
Derek
2 years ago
Thanks Oil Can! Welcome to Tampa! If there’s anything we can do to help you as a new resident or business professional, let us know.
dcdave
2 years ago
I’m no minority, but knowing you Tommy, you shouldn’t be embarrassed. Lucky for everyone, only a few people hang out in White World.