Connecting and Learning: Highlights from the AJPA Conference in Nashville

Although coming to Nashville marked my first solo trip, I never really felt like I was on my own for the three days that the Observer’s team met for the annual AJPA conference in downtown Nashville. 

I met Leslie Kirby and her family at Nashville International Airport, and she drove me to the hotel after a hearty lunch of hot chicken — painfully spicy, but worth the hype. We were an hour or two early for the 3 p.m. start of the conference, so I checked into the hotel and relaxed for a bit before changing into business casual.  

Finally, it was the moment I’d been waiting for: meeting my boss! I recognized Barbara at one of the tables right away by her signature glasses and huge smile. I got checked in for the conference, a little jittery with excitement. “Hi, Barbara,” I said, grinning. 

“ZOE!!!!!!!” she exclaimed. “It’s so nice to meet you in person!” 

We’d been working together for a year and a half, since October 2022, so this meeting had been long awaited. I met more friendly faces: Emma Canter and Carrie Mills. It was surreal to match faces to names I’d only seen written in emails.  

The conference was very informative and interactive at the same time. We kicked off Day 1 by playing First Amendment trivia with Ken Paulson, the director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University. It was a team effort, so the JFed Nashville table — Barbara, Emma, Carrie, Leslie and I — had to compete against several other tables for the grand prize: an original newspaper from the 1800s. 

Thanks to Leslie’s expertise in all things U.S. Constitution, we ended up taking first place after a three-way tie!  

Next, we heard from a panel of education experts who discussed antisemitism and student protests on college campuses. At one point, we split into small groups to discuss “hot topics,” and I chose coverage of Oct. 7 in the news, as this subject matter is something I want to report on accurately and to the best of my ability. The others at the table were mid-career PR agents, editors, etc., so I was pleasantly surprised that they cared what I, an intern, had to say. They listened intently as I described my experience covering national protests: pro-Palestine and pro-Israel.  

By this point, I was well aware that I was the youngest person in the room and the least qualified. I was the sole intern in a room of full-time reporters, editors, PR agents and executives, as I discovered by scanning the list of attendees. 

Instead of the imposter syndrome that would normally take over — I was just two weeks out of college — I knew I had something to offer that no one else in that room could: the student perspective. Here we were talking about college campuses, and I had the inside scoop.  

I shared how demonstrations had been largely peaceful, and how students at my school hadn’t set up encampments on our campus, but rather joined forces with George Washington University on their campus. I talked about my college newspaper’s guidelines for protest coverage: ethics and objectivity.  

The collaborative sessions allowed me to learn from others from different Jewish publications who were doing almost the exact same work as I was. They got it. One of the many highlights of the trip was meeting two young reporters from the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle. Just like us, they had a staff of two and we became fast friends with them. 

Another session detailed how to spruce up content, especially yearly recurring stories such as holidays. I was joined by Sasha Heller, the web editor for the Atlanta Jewish Times. He'd worked in journalism for 14 years. Sasha immediately opened a copy of his magazine to a Passover spread, explaining that he had gathered short snippets from community members about how they celebrate the holiday rather than rewriting previous years’ Passover stories. That keeps content fresh. We agreed that it's important to approach stories using a unique angle: what's special or different about this year's event? Pride parades in 2024 might look different in the wake of Oct. 7, for instance. 

It was refreshing to be able to compare our Jewish community coverage across publications. Atlanta may be 250 miles from Nashville, and magazines differ from newspapers, but we really are very similar. It helped to be able to consult someone who's been in the industry for so long and it was nice to have that one-on-one conversation. 

Winner, winner, chicken dinner 

On the day we'd all been waiting for, it was raining cats and dogs. That didn't stop us from donning our cowboy boots and cocktail dresses. 

Accepting my Simon Rockower Award at the banquet June 3 felt like a movie. Barbara had gotten an email notifying her that the Observer had won three Rockowers, and listed the three recipients: Barbara, Carrie and me. We had earned first place, second place and honorable mention, but we didn’t know which of us had won which. 

Because I had been listed third in that email, I assumed I was the honorable mention. Imagine the surprise when I received a first-place award! I was surrounded by friends and coworkers who erupted in applause upon hearing my name. Even more impressive, Barbara took home two Rockowers for her reporting.  

We spent the night beaming with pride and posing for photos with other members of JFed. Everyone congratulated us profusely. I couldn’t be prouder of the small, but mighty team that makes the Observer possible. 

Those three days alone made me so grateful for the reporting work I’ve done here for the past year and a half, none of which would have been possible without Barbara’s edits and guidance. From tapas with the team to being decked out in cowboy cocktail attire at the banquet to walking back to the hotel with our new Kansas City buddies that night, I thoroughly felt right at home. I have since (reluctantly) flown back to the East Coast, but I will long remember my first solo trip. Thank you, Jewish Nashville, for showing me such kindness and Southern hospitality!