By Janelle Sears
Eva D. Coleman’s eligibility to seek reelection as Vice President of Print came before the organization’s Board of Directors during the 2026 convention in Atlanta after a group of former NABJ presidents challenged her candidacy.
The NABJ Elections Committee had voted to uphold Coleman’s candidacy during a special meeting Aug. 2, prior to the convention.
The committee was responding to a letter a group of former NABJ presidents sent to President Errin Haines earlier this summer questioning Coleman’s eligibility.
The NABJ board reviewed that decision on Tuesday.
“The question before the board today is whether the board wishes to exercise the authority branded to, under NABJ’s governing documents, to supersede that elections committed decision,” Sia Nyokor, the organization’s parliamentarian, said.
The bulk of the questioning focused on chapter 4, section 3 of the constitution, which states that board members classified as NABJ professional members must have a “principal livelihood derived from journalism”; however Nyokor noted that there is no specific definition of the requirement.
Will Sutton approached the board for review of this matter during Tuesday’s board meeting. Sutton was a part of the coalition of former presidents who signed a letter to Haines in July. The group contested Coleman’s certification as a professional member based on her current positions as communications and web director of Aubrey Independent School District and lifestyle and culture editor at I Messenger Media LLC.
“This is about endured integrity of the National Association of Black Journalists,” Sutton said to the board.
Elections Committee Chair Glenn Rice chronicled the process of gathering the documents to review Coleman’s requirements of candidacy but noted that Coleman denied the committee a portion of the requested documents. The board members followed up with questions on how the decision was made.
“I have submitted paperwork, I have submitted documents, and I feel that you cannot make up things to fit the narrative that you want,” Coleman said.
However, Coleman stated multiple times during her response and questioning that the move felt personal.
The topic of Coleman’s primary employment, total work hours, benefits and income extended the board meeting around two hours longer than their original end time of 5 p.m. as they entered executive session to come to a final vote.
“Executive session was necessary to discuss sensitive issues like people’s financial matters,” Haines said. “The constitution doesn’t require people to disclose what their income is.”
This is not the only time this election cycle that a candidate’s certification as a professional member has been called into question. Region II Director candidate Konah Williams was removed from the ballot under similar circumstances.
“There is an inconsistency of the certification,” Sutton said. “We believe that the candidates were treated differently. We should have the same processes for all kingdoms, whether it’s this election or any other.”
The final vote was 6-5, with two abstentions. Nine votes were needed to override the Elections Committee’s decision, meaning Coleman will remain on the ballot unopposed.
Coleman expressed her gratitude to her fellow board members that acknowledged her professional background with their vote; but emphasized that if members want change there is a process to follow.
“If anybody wants to see any changes in how we, as an organization, operate and govern ourselves, follow the process to get it done,” Coleman said following the vote.
Former President Vanessa Williams recalled that a previous version of the constitution clarified that a professional members’ primary income had to come from journalism but was amended in the 2000s.
Williams was one of the five former presidents who signed the letter to Haines earlier this summer.
“It would be in order for us to go and propose the constitutional amendment to go back to that very specific language,” Williams said, “to make sure that journalists serve in those executive positions on the board.”
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