I believe @jinkding is highly qualified for AAJA VP of Finance – not just as someone who manages grant money as a full-time job, but also as a global connector – and I’ll tell you why in this thread: #JinfortheWin
I’ve been working in the field since the beginning of this pandemic. As journalists, we have to be extremely vigilant – we cannot spread this virus throughout our communities. We’ve been maintaining distance with boom poles, thoroughly disinfecting all of our gear and more.
But if you recall, back in March, the CDC and U.S. government officials were telling us not to wear masks. “They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus,” the Surgeon General tweeted.
The Seattle Times heeded this advice. Staffers were provided with hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, but no masks.
In late March, @jinkding and I hosted a Zoom happy hour for our AAJA Women & Non-Binary Voices affinity group. After weeks of social distancing, it was so great to see familiar faces and share updates and struggles.
As one of the only women on the call who was working in the field, I shared how different and difficult it was – and how much anxiety I felt interviewing elders and essential workers, not knowing if I might be an asymptomatic carrier.
We talked about how to sanitize and the logistics of interviewing outside. Someone asked if we were wearing masks. I said no. Almost everyone on the call was shocked.
After the call, @jinkding didn’t just leave it there. She connected me with a supplier in China who could quickly ship us surgical and KN95 masks. They weren’t manufactured to hospital-grade standards, but they could block droplets and protect both journalists and sources.
When my boss @gawlowski and I had questions, @jinkding worked with us to translate and verify the manufacturer’s pharmaceutical certifications. A week later, The Seattle Times had enough masks to protect journalists and staff working at our printing press.
This effort also got masks to journalists at The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Denver Post, The Salt Lake Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Gannett, McClatchy, The Associated Press and more – all places that hadn't been able to access masks without @jinkding’s help.
This is the kind of leadership @aaja needs to move forward. Especially in times of crisis, we need to come together. I know I can count on @jinkding to go out of her way to help our #AAJAFamily behind the scenes, away from the spotlight.
Thanks, @jinkding, for connecting countless journalists with the PPE we need to keep ourselves and our sources safe. (Photo by @ErikaJSchultz) 
