By Danielle ReId
Allya Davidson
For over a decade, Allya Davidson has been making waves in the industry. Dismantling racial and gender barriers. She is the first Black executive producer of CBC’s The Fifth Estate. Allya is one of seven mid-career journalists selected for the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Fellowship for Black Journalists. In July, we flew to Chicago for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention. It was hectic. But In between sessions, we briefly stole away to a vacant boardroom in the Hilton hotel. We spoke about why she applied for the fellowship, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s powerful opening ceremony speech, and the infamous Q&A session with former US President Donald Trump.
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Danielle Reid 0:01
For over a decade, Allya Davidson has been making waves in the industry, dismantling both racial and gender barriers. She’s the first Black executive producer of CBC, The Fifth Estate. Alia is one of seven mid career journalists selected for the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Fellowship for Black Journalists in July, we flew to Chicago for the National Association of Black Journalists Convention, and it was hectic, but in between sessions, we briefly stole away to a vacant boardroom in the Hilton Hotel. We spoke about why she applied for the fellowship, reactions to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s powerful opening ceremony speech and the infamous Q and A session with former US President Donald Trump.
Allya Davidson 0:52
I’ve known both Nana aba and Pacinthe for a long time, just as colleagues, as journalists, so and I gave, actually a talk about Mary Ann Shadd Cary with Nana aba back in the fall for the Toronto History Museum society. So I follow the Centre quite closely. Followed the work, and Nana aba told me she was putting this together. It’s like, wow, that sounds amazing. And I presumed it would be for students only. So then, when it was launched and it included mid career journalists, I really, really hesitated in applying. Actually, I was kind of like, well, I don’t know if that really means me, because I don’t do on the ground journalism in the same way that I used to. I was previously a field producer and director. For many years, I’ve produced well over 20 documentaries, but now I’m an executive producer. I lead a team. It’s quite different. So that said, I am working on a book. I have a literary agent who really liked to talk I gave at TMU in the spring about Al Hamilton and contrast newspaper, which was a black radical newspaper in Toronto in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I’m writing a book about that. I would like to do some work and just think broadly about reporting in black communities, and specifically, you know, whose story is it to tell? Because this story, you know, has it’s to be, you know, the literary novel tradition. So there’s an element of, you know, it’s interesting to read like a novel, but it is about someone’s life. It’s about a person’s life as well. So already learned a ton about that, and there are ton of book talks here. Like I’ve always wanted to come to NABJ. So me wanting to come was, you know, a given, whether I would get the fellowship. I was not really sure. So that’s why I applied. What
Danielle Reid 2:16
are some of your first impressions of the conference so far? Yes, I’m
Allya Davidson 2:21
sure you’re referring to the opening ceremony, right? That’s what you mean. No, you’re talking about Trump. I mean, that happened. Yes, I will say at the opening ceremony I was, I was very gagged over mayor’s welcome. His remarks were excellent, really, really good. And I felt a nice foil too, earlier in the day, you know, journalistically, I was really curious about the morning session. That’s why I ended up going. I was on the fence for a long time because, you know, I had actually another panel at the same time that was really specific to what I’m here to do. It was about investigating black communities. I had thoughts about how the morning might go. And, you know, I wasn’t surprised with how it went that said, you know, he is a candidate, and this is a journalistic organization that made the decision to invite him. I’m not going to get into whether I agree or not with that call. I’m not on the board, I’m not on leadership, and I don’t speak publicly about my political views, but it was kind of a brought a bit of a circus to the beginning of the day for someone. You know, I’m a first time attendee. I don’t know how NABJ usually starts, but my impression was it’s not normally this sort of lightning bolt that kind of disrupts the rest of the day. So I found, you know, today much more just useful, and I’m just oriented, because I’m able to go to the sessions, and everyone is just mentally, I think, in a better space where, you know, our this conference became the news in a big way. Yesterday, I was getting a lot of texts, a lot of DMS from people seeing the reporting about remarks that former President Trump made at NABJ. And so I think that was unusual for everybody to, you know, we’re here to have fellowship and to network and do all these things, and then started to be pulled into the news cycle, I think, was a big distraction.
Danielle Reid 4:06
And then you also mentioned, before you came here watching nanava at NABJ in like past years, what’s it like being there now with your colleagues
Allya Davidson 4:16
and your friends? How’s that been? It’s fun. It’s, I’ll say, very overwhelming as well, like I am a naturally pretty shy and introverted person. So these sorts of conferences are always a bit of a, you know, an exercise in mental fortitude, but in a fun way, like everyone’s smiling, everyone’s very open and friendly. And I think that’s a really big difference with any BJs as compared to other conferences. Not to say that folks aren’t friendly at other conferences I’ve been to But again, there’s that sort of family feeling. We’re all black. We all have that in common.
READ:
Allya: I’ve known Vicky, Nana aba and Pacinthe for a long time, just as colleagues, as journalists, so and I gave, actually a talk about Mary Ann shadd Cary with Nana aba back in the fall for the Toronto History Museum society. So I follow the center quite closely. Followed the work, and Nana aba told me she was putting this together. It’s like, wow, that sounds amazing. And I presumed it would be for students only. So then, when it was launched and it included mid career journalists, I really, really hesitated in applying. Actually, I was kind of like, well, I don’t know if that really means me, because I don’t do on the ground journalism in the same way that I used to. I was previously a field producer and director. For many years, I’ve produced well over 20 documentaries, but now I’m an executive producer. I lead a team. It’s quite different. So that said, I am working on a book. I have a literary agent who really liked to talk I gave at Tmu in the spring about Al Hamilton and contrast newspaper, which was a black radical newspaper in Toronto in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I’m writing a book about that. I would like to do some work and just think broadly about reporting in black communities, and specifically, you know, whose story is it to tell? Because this story, you know, has it’s to be, you know, the literary novel tradition. So there’s an element of, you know, it’s interesting to read like a novel, but it is about someone’s life. It’s about a person’s life as well. So already learned a ton about that, and there are ton of book talks here. Like I’ve always wanted to come to NABJ. So me wanting to come was, you know, a given, whether I would get the fellowship. I was not really sure. So that’s why I applied.
Danielle: What are some of your first impressions of the conference so far?
Allya: Yes, I’m sure you’re referring to the opening ceremony, right? That’s what you mean. No, you’re talking about Trump. I mean, that happened. Yes, I will say at the opening ceremony I was, I was very gagged over mayor’s welcome. His remarks were excellent, really, really good. And I felt a nice foil too, earlier in the day. This lightning bolt that kind of disrupts the rest of the day. So I found, you know, today much more just useful, and I’m just oriented, because I’m able to go to the sessions, and everyone is just mentally, I think, in a better space where, you know, our this conference became the news in a big way. Yesterday, I was getting a lot of texts, a lot of DMS from people seeing the reporting about remarks that former President Trump made at NABJ. And so I think that was unusual for everybody to, you know, we’re here to have fellowship and to network and do all these things, and then started to be pulled into the news cycle, I think, was a big distraction.
Danielle: You also mentioned, before you came here, watching Pacinthe, Vicky and Nana aba at NABJ in like past years, what’s it like being there now with your colleagues and your friends? How’s that been?
Allya: It’s fun. It’s, I’ll say, very overwhelming as well, like I am a naturally pretty shy and introverted person. So these sorts of conferences are always a bit of a, you know, an exercise in mental fortitude, but in a fun way, like everyone’s smiling, everyone’s very open and friendly. And I think that’s a really big difference with any BJs as compared to other conferences. Not to say that folks aren’t friendly at other conferences I’ve been to But again, there’s that sort of family feeling. We’re all black. We all have that in common.
