AMP makes inroad at national journalism convention

(AMP 10/07/2010) – Kristin Szremski, the director of media and communications for the American Muslims for Palestine, attended the national annual convention for the Society of Professional Journalists, where she was able to spread awareness about Palestine with some of the country’s top journalists.

(AMP 10/07/2010) – Kristin Szremski, the director of media and communications for the American Muslims for Palestine, attended the national annual convention for the Society of Professional Journalists, where she was able to spread awareness about Palestine with some of the country’s top journalists.

Reporters, editors, documentary makers and independent journalists from around the country attended the event for the nation’s largest journalism association. While there, Ms. Szremski met with outgoing SPJ President Kevin Smith, who discussed the association’s first international chapter that was established in Doha, Qatar, earlier this year. That chapter’s director of students is a Palestinian, Mr. Smith said.

“I was so pleased by the number of people who stopped by AMP’s booth to thank me for being present,” Ms. Szremski said. “They thanked me for giving them the opportunity to find new experts on the Middle East and for providing an alternative narrative, specifically the Palestinian side of the story.”

Many journalists acknowledged that Middle East coverage in the U.S. is slanted and one-sided, Ms. Szremski added.

While at the convention, Ms. Szremski was filmed discussing AMP’s mission for a Michigan college. Most importantly, the convention gave AMP the chance to make inroads with hundreds of journalists over the course of a few days.