National Association of Black Journalists founding member Sandra Dawson Long Weaver was emotional as she sat on stage and retold a story from the most recent NABJ Convention in Cleveland. ESPN television personality Stephen A. Smith had seen her following a taping of “First Take” and ran over to hug her. Weaver said he held on tight while thanking her for giving him an opportunity to be a sports writer at the Philadelphia Inquirer some 30 years ago. Weaver hired Smith because she believed he had something special in him that would help him succeed in journalism; she was right.

“I still get emotional thinking about that,” she said.

Weaver and fellow founder Allison Davis received their flowers on the stage inside the Tara Theater on Friday night following a screening of the NABJ documenta

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