Features

Free Dorothy on Friday on Twitter, Facebook

Free Dorothy banner

UPDATE: Please download this new Free Dorothy banner, which Wendy Wahman designed and updated to reflect the news that Dorothy was deported from Syria to Iran.

You can help raise awareness by swapping this image with your Facebook and Twitter profile pic every Friday — marking another week since Dorothy disappeared.

Please tell your friends and family to do the same. The wider this message spreads, the sooner we’ll find her.

 

You can also send friends a direct link to this image: http://www.aajaseattle.org/FreeDorothy_Iran.jpg

Be sure to Like the Free Dorothy Parvaz Facebook page and to follow her on Twitter @FreeDorothy.

If you’d like to sign a petition calling on the UN to work for Dorothy’s release, check out the Human Rights Petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/find-and-free-dorothy-parvaz-missing-journalist

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Kristen Young, a friend of Dorothy and former colleague at The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, is spearheading press and public diplomacy efforts in the US to free Dorothy. She wrote the press release below.

By Kristen Young

Dorothy Parvaz – a citizen of the U.S., Canada and Iran and a former editorial writer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer – has been detained since Friday, April 29, when she boarded a plane from Doha, Qatar, to Damascus, Syria, on a reporting assignment for her current employer, Al Jazeera English.

She hasn’t been heard from since.

The Syrian government said Dorothy was sent to Iran on May 1 under the control of the Iranian authorities, but we’ve had no word from Iran as to whether that is true. We are unsure of who has her. We continue to hope she is being treated with dignity and respect, especially considering that she is a citizen of Iran.  Most of all, her family and loved ones need to know she is safe.  We believe that Syria maliciously sent Dorothy to Iran and, in so doing, violated international law.

“We miss her, we haven’t heard from her since April 29, we have no idea where she’s being held and who has her, and we want her home,” Dorothy’s fiancé Todd Barker said. “She’s a journalist who was just trying to do her job.”

Hundreds of articles, radio and TV segments, and blog posts have focused attention on her detainment. The U.S. State Department is working on freeing Dorothy, but we’d like for her case to remain a focus of diplomatic engagement by the U.S., Canadian and Iranian governments.  On May 2 – the day after Syrian authorities claimed Parvaz was sent to Iran — the Iranian foreign minister said at a news conference that Iran wanted the Syrians to look into the matter. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi also indicated that he did not know about Syria detaining Parvaz, or about Syria deporting her.

“I hope that it is not true, but if that is the case, then we demand the government of Syria to look into this,” Salehi said in response to a question on what Iran would undertake to secure Parvaz’s release. We hope that Salehi now focuses his attention on Syria’s claims that Parvaz was sent to Tehran.

Supporters worldwide have visited and “liked” the Free Dorothy Parvaz Facebook page, which already has more than 12,000 members. Thousands of Twitter messages have demanded her freedom at #FreeDorothy.

Harvard University’s Nieman FoundationandWolfson College Cambridge, where Dorothy held journalism fellowships, released statements lauding her reporting skills, affirming the rights of journalists and calling for her release.  Venerable news organizations and bloggers from around the world are spotlighting Dorothy’s detention. Al Jazeera English, The Seattle Times, The Globe and Mail, Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Press Institute, Reporters Without Borders and many other international organizations first demanded her release from Syrian custody – now, they are pushing for Iran to find her and free her.

Could you encourage other news sources and relevant institutions to do the same? Can you ask your political representatives to join U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Representatives Jay Inslee, Jim McDermott and Rick Larsen (D-WA) in supporting the effort to free Dorothy?  Please scroll to the bottom of this message to see relevant embassy and governmental contact information for supporters in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

Your participation is crucial.  Her family and loved ones cannot rest until she is known to be safe – and home.

Dorothy is a global citizen.  She grew up in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Canada.  She studied at the University of British Columbia and earned her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Arizona before joining the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.  She was awarded fellowships at Harvard and Cambridge before being hired by Al Jazeera English online.

Dorothy has dedicated her life to telling stories. She views journalism as a force for good.

Please write to me at k@kristenmyoung.com or call me at 206-795-7771 if you have any questions. Thank you for any action that you contemplate taking. Please keep her in your thoughts.

With deep gratitude,

Kristen

 

U.S. Supporters:

Please email and call the White House (visit www.whitehouse.gov/contact;202-456-1111) and Sec. of State Hillary Clinton (http://bit.ly/kQO31Z; 202-647-6575)to politely press for Dorothy’s release.

 

Canadian supporters:

Please contact the Embassy of Canada to Iran in Tehran
Dennis Horak
Chargé d’Affaires

Tel.: 98 (21) 8152-0000
Fax: 98 (21) 8873-3200
Email:teran@international.gc.ca

 

Canadians can call the Iranian embassy in Ottawa at 613-235-4726 and leave a polite message for Mr. Kambiz Sheikh-Hassani, Chargé d’Affaires, respectfully asking that Dorothy, an U.S., Canadian and Iranian citizen, be found and released.
245 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2K2
TEL (613) 235-4726
FAX (613) 232-5712
e-mail: iranemb@salamiran.org
web: www.salamiran.org

 

#FreeDorothy Call the #Iran embassy in Ottawa: 613-235-4726 PLS RT #Canada

 

@PMHarper Call Iranian ambassador, demand release of journalist Dorothy Parvaz #freedorothy.

@AndrewSaxton1 Your constituent Fred Parvaz wants Iran to free his daughter. What is ur govt doing? #freedorothy

 

Irish, English, Scottish supporters:

Please contact the Iranian Embassy in London consulate@iran-embassy.org.uk or info@iran-embassy.org.ukEmbassy and the Consulate switchboard: 020 7225 3000

 

 

Free Dorothy on Friday on Facebook, Twitter

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On Friday, May 6, it will be one week since the Syrian government detained former Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter and AAJA Seattle member Dorothy Parvaz.

Download your “Free Dorothy” Facebook profile pic here, swap it out with your personal profile pic, and show solidarity on Friday with her family and friends. If you feel so moved, swap it out with your Twitter pic too!

If the link above is broken, go to http://aajaseattle.org/FreeDorothy.jpg

Many thanks to designer Wendy Wahman for producing this quickly, and to Kristen Young who posted it initially Thursday as her Facebook profile picture!

Be sure to “Like” the Free Dorothy page on Facebook.

Ever since Al Jazeera first reported that 39-year-old Parvaz was missing after being sent to cover news there, the number of people calling for her release has multiplied day by day. Because she worked at both The Seattle Times and The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and hails from Vancouver, naturally the journalists in the Pacific Northwest began flooding the Syrian embassy’s inbox earlier in the week. The Seattle media have been following her story closely.

Her story quickly circled the globe. A few:

– New Zealand

– Washington, D.C. (NPR, Washington Post)

– Toronto and Vancouver, Canada

– London

– India

We don’t know how long it’s going to take to bring Dorothy back home, but her supporters are determined to keep up the pressure on our Congressional representatives, the U.S. State Department and the Syrian government. This is not an issue that will be allowed to fade into the background.

If you’d like to join our campaign, send an email to aajaseattle@gmail.com. Several groups are coalescing around this campaign and will be developing strategies to keep Dorothy’s case in the spotlight.

Dorothy’s friends, colleagues call on Syria to free her

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From coast to coast, friends and colleagues of Al Jazeera reporter D. Parvaz are calling on Syria to return her home safely. Dorothy, or “D,” as she was known to her many friends in the Seattle area, has been missing in Syria since last Friday afternoon, according to Al Jazeera, which has demanded her immediate return.

Today is World Press Freedom Day. It’s time for governments everywhere to release journalists and respect Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Be sure to send a tweet today with #FreeDorothy.

Here’s a copy of a letter AAJA National President Doris Truong and I sent this morning. Feel free to adapt it to your needs and email your own to as1@syrembassy.net. The more people they hear from the better!

—

Ambassador Imad Moustapha

Embassy of Syria

2215 Wyoming Ave N.W.

Washington D.C. 20008 USA

                                                                                                                      May 3, 2011

Dear Sir:

We have learned that one of our friends and colleagues, Dorothy Parvaz, has been missing in Syria since Friday afternoon. Al Jazeera reports that it sent her there to cover news and lost contact with the 39-year-old after she arrived in Damascus on a Qatar Airways flight.

By now, the Syrian government is well aware that Dorothy’s family, friends and colleagues are concerned for her safety. We are alarmed by the government’s silence on her status, especially at a time when so many journalists in the Middle East are being killed or attacked.

The disappearance of a journalist should be troubling to all who long for peace. We rely on journalists as honest brokers of information and perspectives. They keep us aware of what is happening on the ground. They are our wise eyes.

Dorothy wrote for The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, was a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and received fellowships to study at Harvard University and Cambridge University in England.

Today is World Press Freedom Day. The Syrian government has an opportunity to do the right thing. The Director-General of UNESCO put out a statement worth repeating:

“Silencing the media or attempting to intimidate them is an unacceptable assault on the right of citizens to be informed. I call on all countries in the world to respect the right to free expression, as laid down in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the right to freedom of information.”

On behalf of the 1,500 members of the Asian American Journalists Association, we respectfully call on your government to release Dorothy Parvaz and allow her to return safely to her family and colleagues. If she is not in custody, we respectfully ask that you cooperate with the U.S. State Department’s request to locate her. We will remain vigilant in monitoring your government’s actions and reporting on her status.

Sincerely,

Doris Truong

National President, Asian American Journalists Association

aajadoris@yahoo.com

Sanjay Bhatt

Seattle chapter president, Asian American Journalists Association

aajaseattle@gmail.com

Dorothy Parvaz, former Seattle P-I writer, missing in Syria

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One of our own, Dorothy Parvaz, a former Seattle Post-Intelligencer writer and AAJA Seattle member who joined Al Jazeera in 2010, is missing in Syria.

Some suspect she has been detained by Syrian authorities. This could be a fast-changing situation, so please tweet updates using hashtag #FreeDorothy.

Al Jazeera has demanded her return safely. She left Qatar on Friday for Syria to help cover events taking place there. Al Jazeera reports there has been no contact with the 39-year-old since she disembarked from a Qatar Airways flight in Damascus.

An Al Jazeera spokesman said: “We are concerned for Dorothy’s safety and wellbeing. We are requesting full cooperation from the Syrian authorities to determine how she was processed at the airport and what her current location is. We want her returned to us immediately.”

Read more from Al Jazeera here: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/05/20115211460620208.html

Some of you know Dorothy well, while others may only have read her byline. I pray she is safe and will come back to her colleagues as soon as possible.

I’m in touch with the Committee to Protect Journalists and monitoring this to see how AAJA Seattle might offer constructive support. We will continue to post updates as we receive more information.

On Twitter, some AAJA members already have begun to call on the Syrian government to release Dorothy. Hashtag is #FreeDorothy.

Former colleague Larry Johnson advises:
“She’s been missing since Friday. Everyone should contact the Syrian embassy in Washington, D.C. Calls are best, emails help. We need to do this now!” he wrote to P-I Help Google group.

Marsha Milroy provided contact info:

http://www.syrianembassy.us/

The Embassy Main Line (202) 232-6316 And their press office: as1@syrembassy.net; 202-232-6313 x139

I will be crafting a letter on behalf of AAJA Seattle to the Syrian embassy.

In unity,

Sanjay Bhatt
President, AAJA Seattle
Reporter, The Seattle Times

SPJ offers travel writing seminar on Monday

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THE BASICS OF TRAVEL WRITING

MONDAY, May 2, 7 p.m., Seattle Times auditorium

Learn what it takes these days to make a go of travel writing, get tips on producing compelling travel stories and find out what editors are really looking for – and how to pitch them.

Free for members of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Asian American Journalists Association.  $10 for non-members.

Free parking and pizza included.

This program is part of the SPJ’s Spring continuing education series. For all the classes go to http://www.spjwash.org

The Seattle Times is located at 1120 John St., Seattle, in the South Lake Union area. WA 98109. Free parking is available in the visitors lot across John St. from the main entrance.

Please RSVP to Hilary Reeves at hilary.j.reeves.com

Speakers for this seminar:

Paul Frichtl, editor, Alaska Airlines Magazine

Cathy McDonald: freelance writer, author of The Seattle Times’ popular Walkabout column and editor/researcher for Rick Steves

Joe Myxter, travel editor, MSNBC.com

Chris Solomon, who writes for New York Times travel section, Outside, Ski Magazine and other publications

Moderator: Kristin Jackson, a travel writer and editor at The Seattle Times

One week left! NJC DEADLINE is May 1st.

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By Owen Lei

Time’s almost up!  The deadline is May 1, 2011.  (Postmarked by that date is fine)

Don’t put it off!! Last year we awarded four students with more than $2500 in scholarships and stipends. Â

Three scholarships are available:

Northwest Journalists of Color Scholarship:  Awards up to $2,500 in scholarship money to students who intend to pursue careers in journalism.  Other eligibility:  Either you’re a WA resident heading to college, or a college student in WA.  That’s it.

Founders’ Scholarship: Covers a student registration fee for the 2011 AAJA National Convention, which is Aug. 10-13 in Detroit.  A small stipend for travel and accommodations also is available.  Eligibility:  You are, or will become, a student member of AAJA. For more information about the convention, click here.

AAJA Seattle/911 Media Arts Student Scholarship:  We’re awarding two scholarships to AAJA Seattle student members for up to $400 in class costs, lab and rental fees at the 911 Media Arts Center in Seattle’s University District.

Click here to download a copy of the application. For more information contact scholarship chair Owen Lei at olei@king5.com.

Again the deadline in May 1!  Here’s where you send your applications!
AAJA Seattle Scholarships
c/o Owen Lei, KING-TV
333 Dexter Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109

May 2 deadline for Stanford Chen internship grants

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Summer internships are a great way to practice journalism and learn the ins and outs of newsrooms today. Problem is, many internships these days don’t pay — or they don’t pay enough for interns to cover their basic living expenses.

AAJA awards Stanford Chen internship grants to help defray those expenses. The grant provides $1,750 to a college student who is an intern at small- to medium-size media.

This year’s application deadline is May 2. Download an application at aaja.org.

Stanford Chen was a California-born city boy who was introduced to journalism by working on his high school newspaper at Oakland Tech. After graduating with a journalism degree from Indiana University, Stan’s professional career began at The Bellingham, Wash., Herald. From there he moved to the Daily Journal of Commerce, a business publication in Portland, Ore., as its editor before landing at The Oregonian, Oregon’s largest metropolitan daily. Stan could do anything journalistically, and he frequently was ahead of trends: At The Herald he wrote an environmental column, long before the environment became front-page news; he also was the paper’s sports editor, copy editor and photographer. At The Oregonian, he started as a part-time copy editor, soon was hired full time, doing night page makeup, then became deputy editor of the Forum editorial section before returning to his real love, reporting. He remained a reporter even after he was stricken with cancer. He died in 1999 at the age of 51.  (Source: AAJA)

Learn more about Stanford Chen at AAJA.org.

JOBS: Multimedia Editor, The Oregonian

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Calling all photographers, videographers and multimedia producers! There’s a rare job opening at The Oregonian in Portland and what a job!

Thanks to the Mediastorm blog for posting the job.

Here’s the posting:

The Oregonian is looking for a multimedia editor to join their team of award-winning journalists.

This editor’s responsibilities will be newsroom-wide. The new Visuals team member will:

* Edit multimedia projects quickly, accurately and to the highest journalistic standards.
* Add variety and strength to our daily multimedia production — increasing the tools for reporters and photographers and broadening the expectations for viewers.
* Continue the ongoing training of reporters, photographers and editors in video technique, technical problem solving and story-telling skills.
* Serve as an advocate for multimedia projects as editorial proposals are presented.

The chosen candidate will assist with helping to focus and better implement our newsroom-wide multimedia strategy. That will include editing and coordinating everything from clip video to highly produced multimedia projects. A special emphasis will include the continuing evolution of our photo department from a focus on the still image to one that embraces multimedia daily.

Applicants must have proficiency with Final Cut Pro and DSLR cameras. Working experience in Photoshop, Motion, Soundtrack and Aperture is also a requirement. And it’s preferred to have experience with HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Flash. In addition, this person should have a grasp of all social media best practices.

Interested parties should apply electronically by sending their material to:

Randy Cox,
Director of Visual Journalism
rcox@oregonian.com

Renew your membership with AAJA in 2011

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The Year of the Rabbit is underway. And that means time to renew your membership! Our 2011 membership drive is on and runs through the end of March.

If you’re wondering whether you are current on your membership, just look in the far right-bottom corner for a list of chapter members in good standing. The list is current as of Feb. 11, 2011.

To renew your membership or join us for the first time, please visit aaja.org/membership.

We had a memorable Lunar New Year Banquet at the Tea House in Renton. More than 65 people attended our annual fundraiser, including members of the Seattle Glee Club — courtesy of AAJA member Athima Chansanchai (thank you).

And our karaoke contest featured several brave souls, including Candace Heckman’s daughter Evelyn singing “Yellow Submarine,” David Boardman with “All the Way,” Karen Gaudette Brewer and Athima with “Son of a Preacher,” and Sanjay Bhatt with “Brown Eyed Girl.” Of course, Evelyn stole the show, winning the karaoke contest. Way to go, Evelyn!

Our Silent Auction, in addition to dinner ticket sales, raised more than $2,000 in funds for the chapter’s programs and operations. Many thanks to all the donors. Our youngest donor was Peter Sessum’s daughter, Anna, who blogs on cooking and donated a home-cooked dinner.

Check back here later in the week for photos, courtesy of student member Ava Van, who runs her own photography business. Thank you, Ava!

We’ve got some cool plans for 2011. Your membership is a vote of confidence in AAJA’s mission to sustain diversity from newsrooms to boardrooms in the media industry. Your chapter is what you make of it, so if you have ideas for programs or events, please e-mail us at aajaseattle@gmail.com.

Check out AAJA Seattle’s Silent Auction

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Check out what items are available at AAJA Seattle’s 2011 Silent Auction!

If you’re interested in any items, send an email to aajaseattle@gmail.com with “Silent Auction” in the subject line and include ALL of the following information: Your name, cell phone number, and the item you’re interested in. We will get in touch with you.

GET YOUR DISCOUNT! 

Buy your tickets today for AAJA Seattle chapter’s Lunar New Year Banquet & Silent Auction at Tea Palace in Renton. Visit BrownPaperTickets.com.

The advance ticket option expires at 11:59 p.m. tonight!

Tickets are $25 for AAJA and SPJ members and $30 for non-members. Come support the journalism community, connect with old friends and make new ones.

DOOR PRICES WILL BE $35.

Last year’s Lunar New Year Banquet was a blast! Check out the video here.

If you would like to volunteer your time or an item for the Silent Auction, please get in touch with Caroline Li by sending an e-mail to editor@earthwalkersmag.com.

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