Membership Criteria
In accordance to Article IV of HABJ’s By Laws, membership in HABJ, Inc. is open to the following:
- Lifetime members include HABJ founders, past HABJ presidents, HABJ Hall of Fame inductees and lifetime achievement recipients, and those who have paid for lifetime membership according to our operating procedures.
- Working journalists, associate communicators and full-time college journalism or communications students.
- Working journalists shall include those journalists whose full or part-time job is to produce, gather, disseminate or distribute news, e.g., reporters, producers, editors, photographers and news technicians.
- Membership shall also include public relations specialists, journalists or communications professors and free-lance journalists who spend at least 50 percent of their working time producing, gathering, disseminating or distributing news.
- Student membership shall be open to those who are enrolled full time in a journalism or communications course of study at an accredited college or university.
Why Join HABJ?
Houston Association of Black Journalists offers innovative training, career advancement opportunities, advocacy initiatives for Black journalists, and supports the development of visionary content creators. Black media provides historical context to present-day challenges.
Your career, your community, your craft.
Black media provides historical context to present-day challenges — and HABJ makes sure Houston's storytellers never stand alone.
HABJ offers innovative training, career advancement opportunities, and advocacy for Black journalists, while supporting the development of visionary content creators across print, broadcast, digital, education, and corporate communications.
Membership benefits
- Job openings across the Houston media market, before they circulate
- Invitations to members-only events and mixers
- Current industry news and advocacy alerts
- Networking opportunities with Houston's newsroom leaders
Join Us
- Enrolled full-time in journalism or communications
- Mentorship & newsroom networking
- Student board representation
- Scholarship program eligibility
- Working journalists, PR pros, professors & freelancers
- Members-only events & industry updates
- Job openings
- Network with industry leaders
- Every professional benefit, for life
- Recognition with founders & Hall of Fame
Frequently asked questions.
Do I need to be an NABJ member too?
HABJ is an affiliate chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. National membership is encouraged, but local HABJ membership stands on its own.
I work in corporate communications — do I qualify?
Yes. Membership is open to members in every facet of print, broadcast and online media, education, and corporate communications.