Mizzou NABJ Media Tour builds community and connections in Atlanta
![Row 1 [L-R] Sophia Jackson, [third from left]Lexi Lloyd, Imani Nunn, Brianna Legette; Back row [L-R]: [Third from left] BJ Dumas, Ashley Jordan, Samantha Jackson, Bradyn Johnson, Teranza Meux, Jayden Suddeth, Kaleb Anderson](https://journalism.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/nabj26022301-1024x576.jpg)
Front row [L-R]: Sophia Jackson, [third from left] Lexi Lloyd, Imani Nunn, Brianna Legette; Back row [L-R]: [Third from left] BJ Dumas, Ashley Jordan, Samantha Jackson, Bradyn Johnson, Teranza Meux, Jayden Suddeth, Kaleb Anderson
The Mizzou chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists strengthened community bonds while exploring various industry offices in Atlanta during its annual Media Tour on Jan. 22-26.
Because their members have a variety of focus areas within the J-School, NABJ highlighted professional offices in both journalism and strategic communication. The 22 members on the trip toured The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 11Alive, Midtown Alliance, Travolino Keller and the Atlanta Hawks.
Junior Bradyn Johnson and sophomore BJ Dumas, the respective president and mentorship chair of NABJ, helped plan the event. With planning starting in June of 2025, they landed on Atlanta as the destination after previously visiting Chicago, Houston and Washington D.C.
“We learned from each other [on the trip], and it was a super cool experience,” Johnson said. “So many people got to go to get these connections, [which] can lead to job opportunities and internships.”
![Front row [L-R]: Ashley Jordan, Lexi Lloyd, Serenity Jackson, Brianna Legette; Back row [L-R] BJ Dumas, Bradyn Johnson](https://journalism.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/nabj26022302.jpg)
One of the main reasons NABJ does the Media Tour is to provide members with exposure to the different focus areas and career options available in journalism and strategic communication. On their first Media Tour trips with NABJ, both Johnson and Dumas changed their area of emphasis after exploring the variety of career opportunities.
“[Media Tour] definitely puts it into perspective for you,” Dumas said. “You go into these places, and you’re seeing what they do in real time… You never know what you’re going to like until you [get exposed to different places].”
NABJ also met with the Clark Atlanta University NABJ chapter, strengthening their bonds with other national chapters of the organization.
“That was so much fun [to visit a different NABJ chapter] because we got to see the differences and similarities of the two chapters, and build off of each other [by providing] feedback,” Johnson said.
Outside of the professional development and exploration, members grew closer together and strengthened their NABJ bonds.
“One of the things I wanted to [provide], specifically for the general body, is that they have the same experience I had as a freshman, where they can come back to Columbia and know that they have a family behind them,” Johnson said.
Updated: February 26, 2026