Asian-American journalists to meet

The group will mark its 25th anniversary at the Sheraton Waikiki

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, senior medical correspondent at CNN and a practicing neurosurgeon, will be the keynote speaker at the Asian American Journalists Association's convention in Honolulu next month, the organization announced.

The convention will be held June 21-24 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, and Gupta will deliver his address during the June 23 scholarship and awards banquet.

"In addition to being one of the highest-profile Asian-American journalists today, Dr. Gupta covered the health and medical angles of some of the biggest stories of this new century," said Esther Wu, AAJA national president.

Gupta joined CNN in 2001. He files reports, is on hand for breaking medical news and hosts a half-hour show.

AAJA is celebrating its 25th anniversary at this year's convention. The group has more than 2,000 members.

Also at the convention, a public town hall meeting will be held to discuss the history and future of native Hawaiian sovereignty movements and the so-called Akaka Bill.

The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Kauai and Maui rooms at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Scheduled speakers are Jon Osorio, chairman of the University of Hawaii-Manoa Center for Hawaiian Studies; Toni Lee, president of the Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Clyde Namuo, administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Sandra Puanani Burgess of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; and Poka Laenui, executive director of Hale Na'au Pono.

For more information on the convention, go to www.aaja.org.