The early-bird registration deadline for UNITY 2012 is March 16. As you weigh the costs and benefits of going, don’t forget this one: You can be of tremendous help to someone else and to these organizations just by being there.

2012 will have the biggest journalism convention in four years. Here’s your rundown on the year’s key conventions, links to the right websites and some leads on saving money and a few opportunities for students.

Sotomayor is to be inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ hall of fame this Friday. Assistant dean for career services and continuing education at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Sotomayor has been a newsman and a champion of diversity on many fronts.

I stopped by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists offices in Washington, D.C., last week to see how things are going. The 2011 convention and a big transition come next month.