Amherst Area Residents Win Multi-cultural Media Awards

Source: National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications

The National Association for Multi-ethnicity In Communications (NAMIC) New England Chapter held its inaugural annual “Best” awards competition to highlight excellence, inclusion, and creativity in communications. Winners were announced on March 27 in four professional categories: professional writing; creative arts/ graphic/ advertising; video/ broadcast/ podcast; and diversity/ equity/ inclusion campaign. UMass professors and Amherst Indy contributors Demetria Rogeaux Shabazz and Amilcar Shabazz were award winners. Also receiving recognition were Rev. Dr. Jacquelyn Smith Crooks and Dr. Carlie Tartakov.

Demetria Shabazz, along with colleagues Janine Fondon (curator) and Lucie Lewis, were awarded special recognition in the Category, Creative Arts/ Graphics/ Advertising for their 2020 exhibit at the Springfield Museums entitled “Voices of Resilience: The Intersection of Women on The Move.”

Demetria Rogeaux Shabazz and Amilcar Shabazz were awarded second place in the video broadcast/podcast category for their Amherst Media co-production, “Difficult Dialogues: Reparations.”

Jacquelyn Smith Crooks and Carlie Tartakov received honorable mention for their “Black in the Valley” segment, produced for the “WHMP Radio — Bill Newman Show.”

Demetria Rogeaux Shabazz is a lecturer in Media Production and Communications at Bay Path University and a lecturer in Afro-American Studies at UMass Amherst. She is past president of the Board of Directors at Amherst Media.

Amilcar Shabazz is a professor of Afro-American Studies at UMass Amherst.

Jacquelyn Smith Crooks is Associate Minister at the Alden Baptist Church in Springfield and a spiritual life coach.

Carlie Tartakov is a retired professor of mutli-cultural education at Iowa State University.

“I am so excited about launching this effort to recognize the power of diversity and inclusion in relation to communications in our area,” said Kamilah A’Vant, NAMIC New England President. “In this era of change and awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion, we must begin to evaluate our communications, outreach, and creative efforts by a wide range of communicators, a multitude of storytellers, and perspectives by graphic artists, video/ broadcasters and social media technologists. I am so proud of our honorees and all those who submitted entries, especially given the lack of diversity in many of our communication industries.”

The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications  is the nation’s premier organization focusing on multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry. Founded in 1980 as a non-profit trade association, today it comprises 2,800 professionals belonging to a network of 16 chapters nationwide. Through initiatives that focus on education, advocacy, and empowerment, NAMIC champions equity and inclusion in the workforce, with special attention given to ensuring that the leadership cadres of our nation’s communications industry giants reflect the multi-ethnic richness of the populations they serve. Charter, Comcast | NBCUniversal and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. are NAMIC’s Platinum Annual Corporate Sponsors. 

For more information, please visit www.namic.com