AAJA Convention Promotional Video from WorldWise Productions on Vimeo.

The 21st Annual AAJA National Convention will be held at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa in Los Angeles, California from Aug. 4 to 7, 2010.

It has been 17 years since AAJA has returned home for a national convention. AAJA was founded in Los Angeles in 1981 by six intrepid journalists who saw the need to provide support and encourage other Asian Americans to enter the profession. Since then, Los Angeles has been a leader of online innovation and is home to groundbreaking companies such as MySpace and Hulu.

To the rest of the world, Los Angeles may appear to be all about the glitz and star power of Hollywood and the gorgeous weather. And, yes, an average working day in Los Angeles can easily involve celebrity sightings. But, Los Angeles is so much more.

Los Angeles is an incredibly fun city to explore, with dozens of world-class museums set against a backdrop of nearly year-round beautiful weather. The city is home to some of the most delicious food – both cheap and top-tier. The city is also full of Asian American treasures, with several vibrant Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Filipino and Vietnamese hubs within 30 minutes of downtown. That’s not counting all the other ethnic hubs that Southern California boasts.

The Los Angeles media landscape has had its share of industry troubles, but that hasn’t stifled the innovation. Los Angeles’ media organizations have continued to break ground in gathering news and distributing it in new and different ways, whether in print, on TV or online.

AAJA’s 21st National Convention in Los Angeles also coincides with two very important anniversaries. In 2010, we’ll be celebrating the 10th anniversary of J Camp, our annual journalism workshop for multicultural high school students. AAJA will also be celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Executive Leadership Program, founded by Los Angeles member and former AAJA president Dinah Eng, to help train Asian American and Pacific Islander journalists to enter the ranks of newsroom leaders and executives.

So while you’re here enjoying our sandy beaches, cool mountains and sunny weather, don’t forget to check out all Los Angeles has to offer – an inspiring look back to our past and vision for the future through innovative multimedia training, relevant workshops and valuable networking opportunities.

AAJA Convention Promotional Video from WorldWise Productions on Vimeo.