NAHJ 25th Anniversary Retrospective

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
The Mission ................................................................................3
The Beginning ............................................................................4
The Organizers ...........................................................................5
The Presidents ............................................................................9
Our Progress...............................................................................27
Timeline .....................................................................................27
Profiles .......................................................................................49
Lifetime Members.......................................................................57
Be a 25th Anniversary Angel ......................................................59
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 1

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SUBJECT
CREDITS:
Writers: Sam Diaz, The Washington Post
Veronica Garcia, Los Angeles Times
Frank Gómez, Founder
Peter Ortiz, Freelance writer, New York City
Frances Robles, The Miami Herald
Fernando Quintero, The Rocky Mountain News
Editor: Joanna Hernandez, New York Times Regional Media Group
Assistant Editors: Lisa Goodnight, National Association of Hispanic Journalists

Iván Román, National Association of Hispanic Journalists
Cover: Robert Holst, New York Times Regional Media Group
Layout: Paul Fisher, Fisher Design
2 N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F H I S P A N I C J O U R N A L I S T S
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THE MISSION/LA MISION
The Mission La Misión

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists La Asociación Nacional de Periodistas Hispanos
(NAHJ) is dedicated to the recognition and (NAHJ) se dedica al reconocimiento y al desarrollo
professional advancement of Hispanics in the news profesional de los hispanos en la prensa. Fundada
industry. Established in April 1984, NAHJ en abril del 1984, la NAHJ constituye una voz a
created a national voice and unified vision for all nivel nacional y una visión unida para todos los
Hispanic journalists. periodistas hispanos.
The goals of the association are: Las metas de la NAHJ son:
1 To organize and provide mutual support for 1 Organizar y proveer una red de apoyo mutuo a
Hispanics involved in the gathering or los periodistas hispanos dedicados a la
dissemination of news. recopilación y a la diseminación de noticias.
2 To encourage and support the study and 2 Fomentar y apoyar entre los hispanos el estudio
practice of journalism and communications by y el desempeño del periodismo y de la
Hispanics. comunicación.
3 To foster and promote fair treatment of 3 Impulsar y promover el trato justo de los
Hispanics by the media. hispanos en los medios de información.
4 To further the employment and career 4 Promover el empleo y el desarrollo profesional

development of Hispanics in the media. de los hispanos en los medios de difusión.
5 To foster a greater understanding of Hispanic 5 Fomentar un entendimiento mayor de la

media professionals’ special cultural identity, identidad cultural, los intereses y las
interests, and concerns. preocupaciones de los profesionales hispanos
que trabajan en los medios.

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NAHJ
IN THE BEGINNING....
Nothing was easy about putting together a national organization to represent the interests of Latino
journalists - and the cultures of people from more than 20 nations.
In the beginning, everything was up for debate: The use of the word Hispanic over Latino; how to classify
“real” journalists and where they would fall among the various categories of membership; even where to
locate the headquarters.
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists was born of the California Chicano News Media
Association. Many held that being a strong promoter of the idea of a national organization, it was a natural
for NAHJ’s location to be at CCNMA’s offices at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Others
argued for Chicago, largely for its accessibility to both coasts and growing number of Latino journalists.
The argument that made the most sense was to have the national headquarters in the nation’s capital,
where we would seek to influence federal policy makers, trade associations and major media. There we
would also join with other national Hispanic organizations to help shape attitudes and policies to advance
the community’s agenda.
And still, there were many uncomfortable with the notion of another group that would be drawing from
the same dwindling pool of funds and grants.
Difficult discussions were met face on, like when questions arose whether a Puerto Rican from New York
could represent Puerto Ricans from the island. Ultimately, islanders were added to the committees.
In any case, overcoming these and many other differences required patience, diplomacy, resilience,
perseverance and commitment. but they were overcome. And NAHJ became a reality because of those
qualities in the founders.
— Frank Gómez
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The Organizers: In their own words

Quotes from the 15 Latino journalists who put their names on the line, signing the National
Association of Hispanic Journalists' Articles of Incorporation.
Some organizers and founding members gathered for a picture in 1982. Bottom row, from left, Teresa Abate Rodriguez, Guillermo Martinez,
Elisabeth Perez-Luna, Maria Elena Salinas and Juan Gonzalez. Top row, Frank Newton, Charlie Ericksen, Manuel Galvan, Jesús Dávila, Henry Mendoza,
Gerald Garcia, Victor Vazquez, Julio Moran, Phil Sisneros and Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez.

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THE ORGANIZERS
JAY RODRIGUEZ EDITH SAYRE AUSLANDER

He was then the VP of Corporate Information for NBC. She was an assistant professor of journalism at the
University of Arizona.
“I headed a panel discussion at the San Diego meeting.
...We held our meetings at various cities around the country “After the 1982 conference, it became clear that we
to seek information from interested journalists on what kind needed a national organization. With the help of Gerald
of organization would serve their interests, and also to see Sass and the Gannett Foundation, 15 of us met with
if there was need for the organization. There was Hispanics in key U.S. locations to determine the support for
unanimous approval that it would serve the Latino a national organization. The reaction was overwhelmingly
community for many reasons.” positive. “
MARIA ELENA SALINAS CHARLIE ERICKSEN

Back then, she was a reporter, anchor and public affairs Along with his wife Sebastiana Mendoza, and their son,
host for KMEX-TV in Los Angeles and board member of Hector, he co-founded Hispanic Link bilingual news service.
CCNMA.
“When the Gannett Foundation’s Jerry Sass suggested ...
“The 1982 meeting in San Diego was the second time that Hispanic journalists organize nationally-and then
Hispanic journalists from across the country got together for offered foundation funding to help-it was a prayer
a conference. It has always been considered the first answered.”
because it included those who worked in mainstream
media. It was impressive to see that so many Latino
journalists responded to both the conference and the HENRY MENDOZA
creation of NAHJ. The rest is history, and history in the He was a reporter at the Los Angeles Times and recent past
making.” president of the CCNMA.
“The Gannett Foundation’s Jerry Sass urged us to ask for a

GUILLERMO MARTINEZ grant to explore interest in a national group for Latino
He was a columnist and on the editorial board of The journalists. My role led to my election as chair of the
Miami Herald in 1982. committee leading this effort, an experience that remains
my proudest professional achievement. Only after two more
“There was a lot of skepticism about starting a national years of meetings throughout the country, a lot of work by
organization. There were people who thought a) it wasn’t a committee that was representative of our Latino cultures
needed; or b), if it was needed, it wasn’t possible. It wasn’t and all phases of media and communications, plus much
easy, but we overcame. We needed a national journalists debate and soul searching, were Articles of Incorporation
association to make the media in this country understand signed.”
that Hispanics were just as important as blacks, as women,
as any other group in the newsroom.”
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THE ORGANIZERS
PAULA MAES FRANK GOMEZ

She was the Public Affairs Director for KOB-TV, the NBC He was the Deputy Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for
affiliate in Albuquerque, N.M. Public Affairs, invited at the request of Charlie Ericksen.
“We talked about getting New Mexico involved because of “I’ve always believed that the media shapes perception,
the large Hispanic population. CCNMA was feeling a lot of perceptions shape attitudes and attitudes shape policies and
pressure to start a national group, but their purpose was to decisions. Given that we were so under represented in the
serve Southern California, the journalists in the Los Angeles media, the perceptions of Hispanics across the country were
area. They were really the only organized Hispanic media distorted. NAHJ has been a voice, a consistent voice. We
group in the country and they were very visible. That’s kind are in a position of influence today that we could only
of where the people wanting a national organization dream about.”
migrated to, maybe because I was in the Southwest. We
were devoted to the pursuit of minorities in the media. We
traveled to Chicago, Miami, Dallas, San Francisco-invitations JUAN GONZALEZ
were sent out to all of these journalists in those At the time, he was a reporter at the Philadelphia Daily
communities to meet with us over a two-day period. They News.
would come in and tell us what they thought the
organization should be, what needs needed to be met. Out “One of my biggest challenges in the meetings of that
of that came NAHJ.” initial organizing committee became helping to resolve the
ethnic rivalry between Chicano, Cuban and Puerto Rican
journalists that kept simmering below the surface, and
NORMA SOSA which sometimes erupted into open shouting matches...
She was a reporter and editor at the Chicago Sun Times. Despite such occasional conflicts, all of us on the organizing
committee became very close friends, and remain so to this
“When I was asked to consider sitting on the committee day. In retrospect, it was all part of both the pain and the
formed to organize the National Association of Hispanic ecstasy that comes with giving birth to anything
Journalists, it took no deliberating about whether such a worthwhile.”
group could do any good. I signed on without a second
thought. In the mid-1980s, there were few of us working in
newsrooms and there were very wide information and
experience gaps about minority populations in general and
about Hispanic Americans in particular among those who
controlled the mass media.”

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THE ORGANIZERS
JUAN M. GARCIA-PASSALACQUA GUSTAVO GODOY

He was an attorney for an educational foundation in Puerto He was vice president and news director of the Spanish
Rico. International Network. SIN later became Univisión.
“In 1982, I was visiting New York for official business. I “We said, ‘We’re a minority, we have to struggle together,
touched base with my good Puerto Rican friends, Juan we have to get a plan together.’ This is a land of
Gonzalez and Jesús Dávila.... They invited me to a meeting information and opportunity and our people have to be
of 15 Mexican-American, Cuban and Puerto Rican informed. If we pool our resources together, we’re going to
journalists that might need an attorney to write articles of be able to say, ‘Hey, we’re here,’ and not be second-
incorporation to organize an association of Hispanic guessed all the time.”
journalists. Frank del Olmo, then editorial writer for the Los
Angeles Times, had taken the red-eye to meet on the other
side of the country with us. Frank Gómez was chairing the JESUS DAVILA
meeting, and María Elena Salinas was the guiding spirit. I He was a reporter for El Diario/LaPrensa in New York.
gladly accepted, and was very impressed when the whole
group had a lot of cross-cultural, but essentially, Hispanic “One of my main concerns as a member of the committee,
fun.” and later as a member of the board, was ethics. I think I
would offend no one if I tell you that I was the person
mainly responsible for the adoption of the National
ROBERT ALANIZ Association of Hispanic Journalists’ code of ethics. It took
He was the manager of community affairs for KCBS-TV in some work, but we put together of good code of ethics.”
Los Angeles and president of the California Association for
Latinos in Broadcasting.
MAGGIE RIVAS-RODRIGUEZ
“We agreed in principle that if Hispanics were ever to get She was a reporter for the Boston Globe.
ahead in the newsrooms of America, we needed to create a
national voice that would gain respect and a permanent “One of the biggies for me was when those of us who had
audience with those that ran the news business in worked on that first conference made the commitment to
America.” go for a national organization. That was pretty bold. I sent
out a bunch of letters to the Hispanic journalists I knew in
Texas, announcing the venture. Got a note back from one
of the longtime San Antonio journalists saying that the
creation of a national group had been attempted four or
five times before; good luck! I’m glad his pessimism wasn’t
contagious!”
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The Presidents
CELEBRATING 2 5 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 9

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THE PRESIDENTS
Rafael Olmeda
2006 to present
NAHJ has a history of pushing for First Amendment issues, resources. There is a movement afoot to make the Web less
including calling for the passage of a federal shield law and friendly to smaller, individual content providers in favor of
encouraging more open government legislation. Last larger corporations and businesses that can pay a premium
October, for the first time, members of the board and staff to make their sites more accessible to the general public.
partnered with the non-profit group Free Press to discuss
two issues with congressional staffers. The Internet starts off as a level playing field for everyone
who puts up a site. Minority groups have an interest in
The first was media consolidation, which can be affected by maintaining network neutrality to ensure all groups have
government action in the form of relaxing FCC regulations. equal access to the Internet. Neither of these are partisan
We believe that putting more of the media in the hands of issues. In fact, the issue of network neutrality has united
fewer owners will have a negative effect on minority groups as disparate as Moveon.org and the Christian
ownership and coverage of minority communities, two areas Coalition.
that are important to our mission. We asked the
government to conduct a study on minority media We at NAHJ are interested in these issues because they have
ownership, and when we were turned down, Free Press an impact on the opportunities available to our people, the
conducted a study of its own. quality of the news programming we receive, and our
abilities as individuals and community groups to have equal
Free Press found that greater media concentration does, in access to the resources of the next generation of
fact, decrease opportunities for minority ownership. Other communication.
studies showed that higher rates of local ownership were
related to higher rates of minority ownership, and that local It’s important work that we must do to remain relevant in
ownership is related to stronger local coverage. the coming years.
The second issue we tackled was network neutrality, the

principle that Web sites are restricted only by their own
From left, NAHJ President Rafael Olmeda, left, greets Tina Griego and John Temple of the Rocky Mountain News, as well as Elizabeth Aguilera of
the Denver Post. Aguilera is director of Region 7.

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THE PRESIDENTS
Verónica Villafañe
2004 to 2006
When I took over the helm of the National Association of previously unattended Spanish-language membership.
Hispanic Journalists at the UNITY convention, I never These efforts resulted in an increase in members who work
imagined that my biggest challenge would be to lead a in Spanish-language media.
journalism organization in times of change, downsizing and
uncertainty in the media industry. In order to keep up with the changes in the industry, NAHJ
has had to evolve. Everyone’s talking digital. Well, we
Knight-Ridder, the second largest newspaper chain in the listened and included more multimedia programming
country, would become history, after a forced sale by opportunities, to better prepare our members for new on-
investors. The dismantling of the highly regarded company, a the-job duties as online journalism takes over newsrooms.
champion of diversity, has many journalists still in a state of
disbelief. Promoting diversity, advocating for better coverage of Latino
issues, elevating the importance of Spanish-language media
Layoffs and buy-outs in many of the media companies were within our organization and increasing opportunities for our
continuously announced during my term, including Spanish- more seasoned journalists have been at the core of my
language powerhouse Univisión, which positioned itself for a mission during my two-year term.
sale. Hundreds of jobs were eliminated.
When I was elected president, I had already been part of the
We aggressively advocated for retention of Latino journalists board of directors for three years. But leading was certainly
in the newsroom and pursued more hiring opportunities different. People look to you for guidance. And you want
through our Parity Project, with incredibly favorable results. to the best job possible. Needless to say, leading NAHJ was a
But I felt it was never enough. great learning experience.
As a journalist who started her career in Spanish-language

media, I was constantly disappointed at the lack of
programming in Spanish at the convention. That changed,
with an emphasis during my presidency to pay more
attention and provide much needed services to our
From left: Verónica Villafañe and Gov. Bill Richardson in Fort Lauderdale in 2006.

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THE PRESIDENTS
Juan Gonzalez
2002 to 2004
No profession or institution makes systemic change without Stopping the FCC’s plan to deregulate media ownership was
a firm kick in the butt. Thanks to the fantastic support of by far the biggest achievement because it affected our entire
NAHJ’s members, we shook up American journalism during profession. But fashioning through the Parity Project a
my term as president, accomplishing goals others thought whole new approach to diversity in news coverage and
impossible. hiring was certainly the most innovative endeavor.
John Quiñones, left, Nancy Quiñones, Juan Gonzalez and María Elena Salinas at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., during Noche de Triunfos in 2004.

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THE PRESIDENTS
Cecilia Alvear
2000 to 2002
NAHJ at 25. If this organization were a person, it would be ranking Latinos at PBS. Yet, many of those media companies
ready to take on the world. In many ways we have done are launching efforts to attract more Latino viewers or
that. We have broken barriers, opened doors, diversified readers. This is the time to expand the Parity Project and
newsrooms, improved the quality of American journalism, make diversity at the top a major priority.
raised our voice to defend journalistic principles. We have
earned our rightful place at the table. We have come a long And speaking of priorities, it is no coincidence that the
way, chicas y chicos. But we have not yet reached the top. motto of this convention is “NAHJ@25: Building Today,
However, I know we will succeed. Shaping Tomorrow” and that it meets in the heart of Silicon
Valley. The opening plenary will bring together new and old
As Al Martinez of the L.A. Times and other pioneering media players to analyze the digital divide and explore ways
Latino journalists leave the business, NAHJ must intensify its in which we can become the leaders, the content providers
pressure on media companies to promote Latinos to and the owners of online journalism properties. We may
leadership posts. As things stand now, there are no Latinos have been latecomers to the world of print and broadcast
on the mastheads of the New York Times, the Washington media but now we are right on time. It is up to us, the
Post or the Los Angeles Times. No Latino presidents or members and the leadership of the NAHJ, to get to the top
evening news anchors at the TV networks. No Latinos in the of this brave new world.
front offices of the media companies. No Latino ownership
of the two major Spanish-language networks. No high HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY NAHJ!
Cecilia Alvear, left, at a silent auction with Carolina Garcia, executive editor of The Monterey Herald.

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THE PRESIDENTS
Nancy Baca
1998 to 2000
Those were the years of growth for communications director

NAHJ within the national office and as Joseph Torres. Through his
an essential part of Unity '99. We took efforts, NAHJ was able to
our conventions from Miami to Seattle craft immediate responses
to Houston. to news affecting our
membership. Membership
The second Unity convention, held in reached 1,500.
Seattle in 1999, presented challenges
and rewards. The convention drew I ran for president after
more than 6,000 journalists of color serving on the board as a
demonstrating a sizeable force for region director and vice
change in the news business. The president for print. My
convention made headlines with a focus centered on
speech by presidential candidate Al recruiting young Latino
Gore. Candidate George W. Bush journalists. I continued that
changed his schedule to make an Nancy Baca, left, with Laura Bush in 2000. worked as president,
unannounced appearance at the attending numerous job
convention job fair. fairs and conventions.
Making the convention happen brought a new sense of At the 2000 convention, we again made headlines with a
teamwork among the four minority journalism keynote address by presidential candidate George W. Bush.
organizations. We found through differences of opinion and
approach regarding how we would handle Washington I was honored to serve the membership at a critical point in
state's approval of anti- affirmative action legislation. The the history of Latino journalists. During this time, our focus
dialogue and work to produce the convention made us turned from simply encouraging Latino students to choose
stronger. journalism as a career to nurturing the growing ranks of
Latino managers, editors, publishers and news directors.
I served as president of the Unity board for the year 2000. In Now, it is crucial to retain our membership and motivate
the national office we added support staff including them to stay in the business.
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THE PRESIDENTS
Dino Chiecchi
1996 to 1998
Every two years, NAHJ reinvents itself a NAHJ is heavily funded by corporate
bit. Shortly after becoming president, it donations. We acknowledged that to
became evident the organization’s maintain and expand our revenue level,
infrastructure needed attention. I knew and improve our services, we needed to
many of these efforts would not be expand our base of contributors to
apparent to the general membership, include consumer-product companies.
but keeping the lights on was crucial to
NAHJ’s existence. An important change was the use of
board members to help raise money.
We learned that Policies and Procedures We also began having the spring board
had not been updated since its creation meeting the week of the scholarship
in 1987. Executive board members, banquet, cutting back on travel for the
with the help of NAHJ’s attorney, spent board and staff.
a great deal of time bringing NAHJ up-
to-date in 1996. The P&P was so well None of these changes occurred
crafted, other journalism organizations without support from board members.
have used it as a model. And none of this could have happened
without competent executive directors.
We realized the reserves fund had missed much of the stock
market ride because of poor investments. We rectified that NAHJ’s future is secure with the systems put in place during
by taking bids from investment firms and investing more 1996-1998, and the tone set by the board and executive
wisely. director.

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THE PRESIDENTS
Gilbert Bailón
1994 to 1996
The mid-90s were marked by rapid That year the first student campus,
growth in NAHJ membership and the which became the role model for the
rising stature of Hispanic journalists industry, was conducted at the
nationally within the media industry. University of Texas at El Paso.
The formulating stages of the first Unity Convention sessions were held in El
conference were rocky at times, but Paso and Ciudad Juarez. At night at a
leaders stayed the course in those years charreada, a Mexican rodeo, replete
to lay the foundation for the historic with mariachis and great food, offered
convention in 1999. a new, authentic experience for many
attendees.
NAHJ created more programs and
outreach to students, academics and The Chicago convention demonstrated
Spanish-language journalists. That the growth and influence of Latino
converged at the 1995 national journalists in the Midwest. The increase,
convention in El Paso, entitled “Sin especially those who work in Spanish-
Fronteras: Window of Opportunity - language, has been phenomenal since
A bilingual, bicultural event.” then.
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THE PRESIDENTS
Diane Alverio
1992 to 1994
The pressures and uncertainty of the In the end, we voted to move the
first Unity convention, including the conference to Washington DC, a
controversial cancellation of the NAHJ decision some thought compromised
convention in Denver in 1993, marked our role as journalists while others said
the two memorable years I served as we had not acted quickly enough.
president of NAHJ. They were years of
growth and soul searching for both the Our attention next turned to the Unity
organization and me. '94 conference. While it provided an
exciting opportunity to capture the
Within months of taking office, I industry’s attention, it also posed a
learned that a law discriminating tremendous challenge for the four
against gay and lesbian residents had sponsoring organizations. While we
been passed in Colorado, the planned were all journalists of color, we learned
site of our 1993 convention. A national along the way, sometimes
boycott was in place and we were painstakingly, of the many cultural
called on to join. Board members who differences among us. We were able to
had idealistically run for office to do work through those, never losing sight
their part to increase the Latino of our joint mission.
presence in the media, suddenly found themselves in the
midst of a national political firestorm. Major media Among my proudest moments with NAHJ was my work
organizations kept calling to ask what we would do. creating “El Noticiero,” the student television training
program, and guiding a dedicated board and membership
The tough decision was based on the philosophical basis of through the unchartered territory of Unity '94 and the
NAHJ and its financial future. Should NAHJ take a position national spotlight during the turmoil over Denver.
on such an issue that journalists also had to cover on a
regular basis? How would the financial loss of canceling or The role NAHJ plays in this country is vital. Those of us past,
moving the conference impact the organization? Could we present and future Latino journalists and other activists must
sustain this loss in the tens of thousands? The annual always make sure NAHJ continues to have a voice in the
conferences are a major source of revenue for NAHJ. everchanging world of the media. Collectively, through
NAHJ, we help pave the road for Latinos in this country in
the future.

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THE PRESIDENTS
Don Flores
1990 to 1992
I had managerial experience and heads of the associations meeting with

hoped to bring some expertise to the Gerald Garcia, chair of the minority
association. Luckily the membership committee of the NAA. We said that the
thought the same and elected me various associations of journalists of color
president in 1990. would support it. It wasn’t a hard sell. We
just needed to work out logistical issues,
I was lucky to be surrounded by a like how to handle money. I also served on
really good board and officers. It the Unity board.
helped that we had good
representation of broadcast journalists. NAHJ should continue to be a very
We addressed issues including the active and proactive association. It
Puerto Rican plebiscite as well as needs to push the envelope, to be a
Cuba-related and Mexican-American NAHJ board members top row, from left: Barbara watchdog, to help Hispanic journalists
issues. Gutierrrez, Joe Rodriguez, Iván Román, Rosalind that are out there with the challenges
Solis and Dino Chiecchi. Bottom row, from left: they face in the workplace and up the
We did a lot of leg work and a lot of Melita Garza, Don Flores, Evelyn Hernandez, career ladder. The issues today are
PR work. We worked with ASNE and Patrisia Gonzales, Bea Garcia largely the same issues we had when
its diversity committee. It was a time we got started, and when I was there:
when we started seeing more Hispanics involved with Pulitzer An ongoing challenge to create enthusiasm among the
judging. NAHJ crashed through the glass ceiling during my ranks, and among the media companies to diversify.
tenure.
NAHJ, along with the CCNMA, a very important partner and
We also faced general apathy of our membership. We had a sister organization, has made a significant difference in
our share of ups and downs with various media companies. allowing many of us to be successful in our careers.
One year they were with you, the next year they were not.
There was also inconsistency in their support of hiring and We Hispanics tend to disappear into the framework. We
recruiting Hispanic journalists. don’t go out for the limelight—we just do our thing. I hope
we can do even more in the future to celebrate and
UNITY: Journalists of Color started during my tenure. I remember the remember their accomplishments.
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THE PRESIDENTS
Evelyn Her nández

1988 to 1990
I was the first woman elected president Edna Negrón, head of the Scholarship
of NAHJ, the first Puerto Rican-and the Committee, spearheaded the First
youngest, at age 29. was blessed with Journalism Scholarship Banquet, held in
hard-working board members, as well March 1989 at the Sheraton Centre
as mentors and friends who were Hotel in New York City. Jay Rodríguez, a
generous with their time and counsel. founder of the association, had helped
line up the guest speaker: Tom Brokaw.
Politics and sexism were issues we When it was over, we had raised tens of
tackled in the early days. It's important thousands of dollars for scholarships.
to note that NAHJ was the first of the
major journalism organizations-minority With the three former NAHJ presidents,
or not-to elect a woman as president. we developed a Five-Year Action Plan
We broke down that barrier. that was then approved by the board.
The previous NAHJ board had met with
One of my most difficult tasks was the board of the National Association of
changing the structure of the annual Black Journalists to discuss holding a
convention. Previously, our convention joint convention. Soon afterward, the
was called the National Hispanic Media Asian American Journalists Association
Conference & Expo, and we met in conjunction with the and the Native American Journalists Association joined the
National Association of Hispanic Publications and the discussion. During my presidency, we formally agreed to
Hispanic Academy of Media Arts and Sciences, an hold the first Unity convention in 1994.
association of performing artists. As each grew, putting on a
conference that met the needs of all became more difficult. In 1989, the conference was held in San Juan, P.R. The day
NAHJ was the only group with a staff, and we were before, an explosion on the USS Iowa near the coast caused
responsible for the bulk of the planning, organizing and many journalists working on student projects to leave to
fund-raising. cover this major story.
There was support to break away from the other groups, People on the board became my friends. We argued a lot,
but some of the criticism was harsh. Some people said that but we laughed a lot, too. People worked hard, all of it as
we board members were "anti-Hispanic."But I was volunteers. We believed the work we were doing was
convinced it was the right thing to do. We held our first solo important for Latinos in journalism. I believe that to this day.
conference in 1990.

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THE PRESIDENTS
Manuel Galvan
1986 to 1988
Norma Sosa’s mother and my mother had My tenure was one of diplomacy,
gone to grade school together in Corpus smoothing the feelings of CCNMA
Christi, Texas. Then there we were, because NAHJ was running full speed
working for rival newspapers in Chicago. on it own, stressing friendships with
Norma asked if I would represent the NAHP and HAMAS even though NAHJ
Midwest at an organizing conference. I chose to have it own conventions. We
did and then found myself elected also were building relationships with
Midwest Regional Representative. NABJ that lead to the Unity gatherings.
I served on the NAHJ board under Gerald NAHJ remains essential to assure that
Garcia and Guillermo Martinez. I then the mainstream media represents
found myself being urged to run for NAHJ president Manuel Galvan with Al Hispanics accurately. And it serves as a
president. It was not something that I Fitzpatrick, former president of NABJ. beacon for our people to show that
was considering right at that time. But in we have arrived in this country and are
the 20 years that I have served on boards, I have found that ready to be mentors for future generations.
leadership means stepping forward when you’re called.
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THE PRESIDENTS
Guillermo Martinez
1985 to 1986
They said it couldn’t be done. Many the help of CCNMA President George Ramos,
stressed the differences between the we did that. We had to prove that there were
different ethnic groups that make up more things that bound us together than those
what this country calls Hispanics. that keep us apart. We did that also.
Mexican, Puerto Ricans and Cubans
were different and had widely divergent In those early days, we set up programs to
agendas. A professional association that help young Hispanic journalism students with
brought together Hispanic journalists of scholarships and a professional award to the
all ethnic origins was simply an idea top journalism story in any type of media by or
whose time had not come, or so about Hispanics—the Guillermo Martinez
conventional wisdom said. Marquez award.
In California, the Chicanos had My thanks to Gerald Garcia, our first president,
organized CCNMA. They feared they to Manuel Galvan, who replaced me; to Evelyn
would lose financial support if a Hernandez, our first Puerto Rican president.
national group took away part of its thunder. They had
reason to worry. In its first year, NAHJ took Frank Newton By the first five years, we proved the skeptics wrong. By then,
away from CCNMA and even though it was done in a we had an association of Hispanic journalists. Where we
professional manner, feathers were ruffled. came from originally was finally behind us.
Back in those early years of the organization, it was

important to prove that we could work together. And with

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THE PRESIDENTS
Gerald Garcia
1984 to 1985
My most vivid recollection of our beginnings In public, it was a pleasure to be your first
is the harsh contrast between our public president. Outside that environment, it was
persona and our backroom power plays. In an uncomfortable and unsettling never-
public, we were a united front. It was ending battle.
starkly different behind closed doors, where
egos, personal agendas and personal whims To media executives and recruiters, our
took precedence over the overall needs of strengths were our diverse backgrounds—
the association and its members. It seemed Latinos, Mexican-Americans, Cubans, Puerto
to me that a few of us did not want the Ricans, Central Americans. In our meetings,
national movement to succeed. our diversity, our differences, our varied
differences of opinion, it seemed to me were
In fact, if not for Henry Mendoza and a almost our most deadly enemies.
handful of other members from CCNMA,
the movement for a national group could Somehow, we accepted our roles and
have failed. There was strong opposition moved forward as one. But there were times
from some influential Southern California journalists to start during my tenure that I thought all was lost, particularly
a national association. I understood then and I understand when some of us could not accept the realities of the time.
now the apprehension from those opposing the formation of
a national group. But the perseverance of most of our members, particularly
Henry, who championed a national group though his strong
At the time, CCNMA was 10 years strong. It was a ties to CCNMA, patience by some of us, angry outbursts by
powerhouse group. It had most of the top-ranking journalists others and me, we made it work.
in the business as members. It had the funding. So, a
national group could possibly usurp its status. I am extremely humbled, privileged and honored that you
For those of us who believed a national group was allowed me to be your first president. And thanks to all of
important, it was a constant struggle during those formative you, believers or not, who helped make it happen. I am so
months. The back-room discussions were tense. proud of us.
Yet, in public, we were united. We presented a powerful

force to media executives and recruiters who were courting
our journalistic talents, skills, experience and diverse culture.
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Steps in the right direction, with many miles to go

As the National Association of Hispanic continue
Journalists celebrates its 25th year of diligently in its
existence, it also faces a media mission-almost
landscape that its founders couldn’t to the point of
imagine in 1982-and it has left many its members
of the members reevaluating what it becoming
means to be a journalist. newsroom
activists in
The concerns of a quarter of a century order to affect
ago-whether Latino journalists of many change.
different countries could unite as one Back in the day: Panelists in 1982.
in a national organization-seem almost Existence once meant “keeping the
insignificant today, though it once lights on and paying the bills on time,”
threatened the birth of NAHJ. wrote Dino Chiecchi, NAHJ president By Peter Oritz
from 1996 to 1998. A decade later, NAHJ member
Today’s newsrooms have been NAHJ still deals with limited resources,
reshaped by the prevalence of online but the largely volunteer organization
media, placing new demands and has made great strides in raising record
challenges on journalists. Media amounts for scholarships and in
consolidation and the overall failure of creating greater opportunities for
the industry to meaningfully diversify Latino journalists. Even with this
its newsrooms have forced NAHJ to progress, there is still an urgent need
T imeline
2007
June March February
25th annual National Association of Hispanic NAHJ board resigns in protest from Accrediting NAHJ protests a WWII PBS documentary that
Journalists convention in San Jose, Calif. Council of Education in Journalism and Mass excludes the Latino experience. Filmmaker Ken
Communication, questioning its efforts to Burns agrees to rework the project, but it’s not
ethnically diversify journalism schools. clear what will be done.
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OUR PROGRESS
to raise awareness and advocate the Parity Project a whole new approach to
importance of having diverse voices in diversity in news coverage and hiring
print, online and in broadcast. was certainly the most innovative
endeavor.
NAHJ continues to voice the concerns
of Latino journalists, who serve as “No profession or institution makes
watchdogs of their communities. Many systemic change without a firm kick in
members credit veteran journalist Juan the butt,” Gonzalez says. “Thanks to
Gonzalez, a columnist for the New the fantastic support of NAHJ’s
York Daily News, for members, we shook up
reenergizing the American journalism
organization during his during my term as
Miguel Perez, right, reacts term from 2002 to 2004- president, accomplishing
favorably to Phillip Sanchez's as well as for creating the goals others thought
comments in 1985.
Parity Project. impossible.”
Gonzalez notes the While there are veteran

biggest achievement journalists like Gonzalez
during his presidency was to thank for paving the
“stopping the FCC’s plans way for future
to deregulate media generations, it is his peers
ownership...because it who have become the
affected our entire newsroom’s latest
profession ... but Just like today, NAHJ members in casualties. Charlie
fashioning through the 1984 voice their opinions. Ericksen, a founder of
2006
November October September
The San Jose Mercury News joins the Parity NAHJ submits comments with the FCC NAHJ calls upon Congress to pass a federal
Project. opposing the agency’s effort to rewrite our shield law to protect journalists from forcibly
nation’s broadcast ownership regulations. revealing confidential sources.
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NAHJ and co-founder and publisher of “If we are really concerned about
Hispanic Link News Service, expressed getting Hispanics into the business of
anger when he recently recounted the journalism, we ought to do a better job
“retirement” of Al Martinez, longtime of convincing them to be bold, to
columnist for the Los Angeles Times. become change agents in their
After more than 30 years with the newsrooms,” Ericksen says. “You have
paper, Martinez felt that he was forced to do that if you want to live with
to take a buyout. Martinez, a vocal yourself and feel
critic of media consolidation, sent an e- that your profession still has some
mail to newspaper colleagues at the honor to it.”
end of May explaining that he was a
victim of the paper’s “buyout/layoff NAHJ’s current leaders need only look
frenzy,” noted LAObserved.com. to the organization’s roots and growing
pains as it deals with today’s
challenges. The idea of a national
organization germinated in 1982
at the first National Hispanic Media
Professionals Conference in San
Diego. There were mixed feelings
among the members of the
California Chicano News Media
Association, the prominent Latino
journalist organization at the time.
A national group seemed a difficult
Some things never change - El Gran Baile!
concept for many journalists, who
June The New York Times announces launch of May

24th annual convention, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., multimedia training institute for student members NAHJ holds its first online elections
with satellite conversation with Ricardo of NAHJ.
Alarcón, president of Cuba’s national
assembly.

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were reluctant to let go of their 1983 to organize and a year later it

geographic and ethnic roots, officially became an organization.
whether they were Mexican-
Americans in Los Angeles, The CCNMA “did not want us to exist,
Puerto Ricans in New York or they did not want us around because
Cuban-Americans in Miami. they feared we would take their
funders and they would be out of
But two months after the San business,” Ericksen says.
Diego gathering, Gerald Sass,
then senior vice president of In 1990, NAHJ put on its first convention
the Gannett Foundation-now of its own in San Francisco. And CCNMA
the Freedom Forum—told the continues to flourish to this very day.
leaders of CCNMA that
Gannett would support a
Al Gore speaks at the Unity '99 national organization with or Overcoming differences and solidifying a
convention in Seattle. without their blessing. national identity served as a source of
pride for Latinos at a time when few— if
“Jerry Sass just told them, ‘Hey, we are any—were in newsrooms. Rubén
going to go ahead and do it,” Ericksen Rosario, who started his 30-year career
recalls. “So a few of them defected with the New York Daily News, is now a
and decided to join the national columnist with the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
association.’ “
“I joined in terms of pride and to have
Ericksen credits Sass and Newton for something you can identify with
helping jump-start and guide the new because when we broke in ... we were
organization even as tension simmered. pretty much the lone wolf,” Rosario
Gannett awarded NAHJ $50,000 in says. “To have an organization of
April March February

The Orlando Sentinel becomes partner in the NAHJ and the Puerto Rico Journalists The Salt Lake Tribune becomes Parity Project
Parity Project. Association hold a press conference in partner.
Washington, D.C., denouncing FBI’s aggressive
NAHJ announces partnership with Hispanic tactics against journalists in Puerto Rico.
National Bar Association.
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numbers was a great comfort to me.” conference in

Latino journalists’ widespread growth 1994.
across the United States mirrors the Félix Gutiérrez,
growing and diverse Latino population, who helped
which comprises the largest minority secure the 1983
group in the nation. The Latino Gannett
population grew 3.4 percent between developmental
July 1, 2005 and July 1, 2006, for a grant to start
total of 44.3 million, according to the NAHJ, praises
U.S. Census Bureau. concrete efforts such as the Parity Project. Mariachis entertain the audience
Since its inception, 150 Latino journalists in Dallas in 1988.
have been hired and the participating
Much of that growth occurs in cities companies collectively saw a 45 percent
like St. Paul that previously drew hardly net gain of Latinos in their newsrooms.
any attention. Now the newsroom has Gutiérrez, professor of journalism at the
people like Rosario, who calls himself a University of Southern California’s
“Minne-Rican,” a combination of his Annenberg School of Communication,
Minnesota and Puerto Rican roots. also is encouraged by NAHJ’s stance
against media consolidation and the loss
As time evolved, the organization realized of jobs that have plagued journalism. He
how much power was gained in said too many newsroom decisions are
numbers. This eventually led to the being made by the business side, by
organization joining with the National people with little or no respect for
Association of Black Journalists, the Asian editorial integrity.
American Journalists Association and the
Native American Journalists Association to These are the folks willing to sacrifice
hold the first UNITY: Journalists of Color coverage and eliminate jobs if it means
2005
November September June
E. W. Scripps Company’s broadcast television NAHJ sets up assistance plan for Latino NAHJ converts membership dues to calendar-
station group partners with the Parity Project. journalists affected by Hurricane Katrina year renewal structure.

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increased shareholder value. NAHJ and address congressional staffers with

its members can’t afford to remain their concerns over the emergence of
silent, he says. media consolidation aided by the
government easing FCC regulations. A
“We have been trying to help them year earlier, in 2005, the NAHJ board
[media industry] do the right thing, we passed a resolution that opposed
have been trying to help them catchup further deregulation of the nation’s
to where they should be,” Gutiérrez broadcast ownership rules until the
says. FCC addressed how this could hurt
minority ownership opportunities.
NAHJ’s current efforts follow a tradition Another resolution supported
of pushing for First Amendment issues, municipalities that wanted to build
such as calling for a federal shield law their own wireless broadband networks
and encouraging in response to commercial Internet
more open providers who were neglecting their
government communities.
legislation.
“We believe that putting more of the
Rafael Olmeda, media in the hands of fewer owners
NAHJ’s current will have a negative effect on minority
president, says ownership and coverage of minority
that the communities, two areas that are
organization important to our mission,” Olmeda
joined with the writes.
nonprofit group
María Elena Salinas interviewed Mexico's President Vicente Fox Free Press in Iván Román, executive director of
in Tijuana, at the 2002 San Diego conference. October to NAHJ, echoes these concerns. If many
June May April

23nd annual Convention, Fort Worth, Texas. CNN Awards $335,000 to the Ruben Salazar The first NAHJ chapters started in central
Los Angeles Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa Scholarship Fund Florida and in Charlotte, N. C.
addresses Town Hall. Close to 1,600 attend.
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journalists weren’t able to make the

connection between media
consolidation and jobs five years ago,
there is little doubt today.
“Now it’s right in your face,” Román

says. “Media consolidation has a direct
effect on the number of journalism
jobs out there, and we can see over
the years ... [jobs] have gone down
dramatically.”
Charlie Ericksen, one of NAHJ’s founders, has been a mentor to many NAHJ students.
Another
concern
revolves web content providers. If large Internet
around the service companies succeed in lobbying
principles of efforts to require web content
network providers pay a premium for better
neutrality. In access, the Internet may become
short, prohibitively expensive for many smaller
network providers. Román likens it to the
neutrality “redlining of broadband access ... and
symbolizes an segregation of information.”
equal playing
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio
field for all Joseph Torres made it his business to
Villaraigosa spoke in Fort
Worth in 2005.
March February January

Three Scripps newspapers in Florida—The The Tampa Tribune and WFLA-TV become Three California papers—the Napa Valley
Stuart News, The (Fort Pierce) Tribune, Parity Project partners. Register, the Hanford Sentinel and the Santa
and the Press Journal in Vero Beach—join Maria Times—join the Parity Project.
the Parity Project.
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understand the “I think you are messing with the

consequences of ability of people to receive news from a
efforts to stifle diversity of places, and it ultimately will
media access even if hurt our community because we don’t
these efforts didn’t have the economic means to compete -
resonate with or the money to make sure our sites
mainstream will be seen faster,” Torres says.
journalists or the
public at large. NAHJ has shown it can play a crucial
Students of journalism learn lessons of objectivity. Torres was NAHJ’s role in the changing media landscape
deputy director for with the help of partners. Torres points
communications and to April 2006 when NAHJ wrote Carlos
media policy before leaving in March to
work as the government relations
manager at Free Press.
Media consolidation has severely

limited the number of radio and
television stations owned by different
entities and the ability for people of
color to be owners, Torres says. It also
led to layoffs for many Latino
journalists who gave a voice to
Newsday's Eli Reyes chats with Walter Middlebrook
communities of color. Torres fears that during a scholarship banquet.
now the Internet is under assault.
2004
December October September
The Daily Camera in Boulder, Colo., joins the KCNC-TV in Denver becomes first U.S. NAHJ Corpus Christi Caller-Times joins the Parity
Parity Project. Parity Project broadcast partner Project.
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M. Gutierrez, Secretary of the U.S. advocacy also attracted the

Department of Commerce, asking why attention of the
the National Telecommunications and Congressional Hispanic
Information Agency had not done a Caucus, which cited NAHJ’s
study on the state of minority concern in a letter it sent to
broadcast ownership since 2000, even the Senate leadership urging
though it had done so in the past. a study on minority media
ownership.
When the NTIA wrote they had no “The decisions about Former co-workers John Quiñones
plans to do a report, the Free Press tomorrow are being made and Bertha Coombs.
took up the task. The Free Press study today,” Torres says. “It is an
found that in 2006, people of color issue of our survival and to ensure that
owned just 3.26 percent of all local our communities are empowered to be
television stations in the United States their own storytellers.”
compared with 3.31 in 1998. NAHJ’s
Throughout its history, NAHJ has played
watchdog. The organization has taken
a stance on wide-ranging issues
including calling on the media to
correct the use of offensive racial and
ethnic information. NAHJ also
advocates for balanced media coverage
of the Latino community. It does not
stand for any kind of discrimination, a
fact demonstrated one year when the
annual convention had to be moved
Applauding our efforts.
August Geraldo Rivera pledges $100,000 to NAHJ May

Unity’s third convention is NAHJ’s 22nd and Unity. NAHJ gets $1 million grant from McCormick
annual, held in Washington. More than 8,000 Tribune Foundation to expand Parity Project
attend. Presidential candidates John Kerry and
incumbent George W. Bush speak.

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from a state that had passed the rigidity of notions in the

legislation that discriminated newsrooms,” Román says. “We had to
against gays and lesbians. Our endure many years of being told we
conventions draw live had to leave our Latino heritage at the
appearances from U.S. door.”
presidents, and in 1998 the
NAHJ board met privately with Often times those notions meant white
Bill Clinton in the White House men deciding what was newsworthy.
President Bush spoke to NAHJ members in to discuss the growing Latino The lack of diversity has resulted in
Houston in 2000. population. newsrooms failing to gauge what
Román says the organization communities of color value as
widened its advocacy role, especially in important. Román attributes this lack
the last five years. But he wants of diversity to why many English-
members to adopt that role in a way language publications and broadcasters
that might have discomforted an older were surprised about the large
generation of journalists in the
mainstream media. He notes many
Latino journalists were at one time
reluctant to cover Hispanic issues
fearing it might pigeonhole their
careers.
“There were so few of us entering the

mainstream newsroom, that we felt we
needed to accommodate specifically to TV Host Cristina Saralegui and many admirers
Pulitzer Newspapers, Inc. becomes a partner in February January

NAHJ’s Parity Project. NAHJ names a permanent award in the honor North County Times in California joins the
of the late Los Angeles Times editor and NAHJ Parity Project.
NAHJ approves creation of chapters member Frank del Olmo.
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immigration protests last year. But even

if Latino journalists can’t always win in
advocating for better coverage, more
and more are emboldened to let their
editors know that being a journalist
and Latino are not mutually exclusive.
“Bringing your ethnicity and your

experience to journalism is OK,”
Román says.
NAHJ also has spoken out on how

some media outlets taint their coverage
and color their viewers’ or readers’
perceptions. One notable example is Cultures are celebrated at NAHJ.
the use of “illegal aliens” and use of
“illegals” as a noun. The organization says. He can say whatever he wants to
says that such language dehumanizes say; this is the United States,” Román
immigrants and creates an atmosphere says. “But what we would challenge is
that effectively removes the person a medium that allows them to just say
from the debate while giving more whatever they say without offering the
credence to anti-immigrant balance or fairness in the coverage.”
proponents.
Stella M. Chávez learned she wasn’t
“We wouldn’t challenge the anti- alone when she started attending NAHJ
immigrant activist for saying what he conventions. The annual event
2003
December September June
Three Texas dailies—the San Angelo Standard- Naples (Fla.) Daily News joins the Parity 21st annual NAHJ convention, New York, NY.
Times, the Times Record News and Abilene Project About 2,000 attend.
Reporter-News—become Parity Project
partners. Ventura County Star becomes a Parity Project
partner.
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introduced her to Though her newspaper doesn’t use the

other Latino term “illegal alien,” Chávez would
journalists, who like have no problem vocalizing her
her, embraced their objections to such language. She is
ethnicity and grateful that NAHJ lends its voice to
culture in the this and other issues about Latinos. She
newsroom. advocates on a community level with
her involvement in a local Latino media
“I felt that growing group that issues scholarships for
up Latina-being a students. Still, Chávez wonders if she
daughter of immigrant parents-that I will have a job in five years and
had insight into that world that maybe laments friends who have left the
other people didn’t,” Chávez says. business.
NAHJ “is like a support group for
journalists like me.” “I can’t see myself doing anything else,
and at the end of the day I want to be
Chávez, a reporter for The Dallas able to tell stories that are not being
Morning News, remembers watching told,” Chávez says, still drawing
her father, an immigrant from Mexico, inspiration from her father. “I think
reading the newspaper she now writes about my dad sometimes when I write
for even though his English was poor. stories, and sometimes when I’m
Chávez’s father asked his daughter for writing stories, it’s like I’m writing about
help understanding stories and later my dad. So that keeps me going.”
when she attended college, he clipped
and mailed her articles on immigration Like Chávez, Nancy San Martin credits
and the Latino community. NAHJ for serving as a crucial network
2002
April December October
The Parity Project launches at The Rocky NAHJ joins a coalition of 16 journalism groups The NAHJ board approves the Parity Project as
Mountain News in Denver. to urge the Bush Administration that in the an initiative.
event that Iraq is invaded, it abide by
guidelines the Pentagon and media groups
established after the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
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and for being “directly responsible for newsrooms adapt

launching my career as a journalist.” journalistic principles to
San Martin graduated from stuffing their online website
bags as a volunteer at her first operations, San Martin says.
convention in 1986 to board member Today’s journalists are better
from 1991 to 1994. Through an NAHJ equipped to handle
convention she secured an internship multimedia demands, but
with The Miami Herald while attending they also need to
college. Today she is a foreign understand economic
correspondent for the Herald. factors that are reshaping
newsrooms, she says.
One of NAHJ’s biggest roles is ensuring
“As much as we
We enjoy the food.
want as
journalists to do
only journalism, the reality is
that newspapers are
businesses,” San Martin
says. “Unfortunately, we
have to figure out how to
stay in business while still
doing all those things that
journalists do.”
We partied hardy at the beach party in Fort Lauderdale.
2001
June September photographs and video. NAHJ raises funds for
20th annual NAHJ convention, San Diego, at same Many NAHJ members are involved in covering the children of TV employee Isaias Rivera, a
city and hotel where the first national gathering of the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the native of Puerto Rico and 30-year employee of
Hispanic media professional was conducted. Mexico World Trade Center in New York City — CBS who died that morning working from the
President Vicente Fox speaks at the opening night of writing, reporting, editing and/or shooting station’s transmitter room at the top of the
the event in Tijuana, Baja California. Twin Towers.
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San Martin touts she will organize two, including one on

the convention as immigration. For some, the convention
a “kind of is perceived as a party despite its job
university” to fair and educational workshops. But for
help educate new San Martin and many others, the
and older convention is the best way to meet
generations of face-to-face with potential employers.
journalists to
adapt to change. “I hope that [party] perception has
NAHJ conventions have offered
NAHJ has changed because it certainly has
many training workshops.
focused more attention providing evolved into a leading journalism
multimedia and online journalism organization,” she says. “I think we’ve
training at its conventions.
“We can’t rely on the industry to make

us better journalists,” San Martin says.
“We have to take it upon ourselves to
be the very best that we can be, and
that is how workshops, panels and
education opportunities help Hispanic
journalists continue to hone their skills
as journalists.”
And there’s always time to mingle.

Every year San Martin helps organize
convention workshops, and this year
2000
June October June
19th annual NAHJ convention, Phoenix, Ariz. NAHJ board passes resolution calling for news 18th annual NAHJ convention, Houston, Texas.
More than 1,500 attend. Mexico’s Foreign organizations to provide domestic partner Almost 1,400 attend. Gov. George W. Bush
Minister Jorge Castañeda is a convention benefits to their employees. speaks opening night. NAHJ inducts first three
speaker. honorees into its new Hall of Fame, including
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had a direct role in ensuring diversity in

the newsroom and ensuring that those
newsrooms are reflective of the
community.”
Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, an NAHJ

founder, was instrumental in starting
NAHJ’s first student newspaper, The
Latino Reporter, at the 1988
convention in Dallas. It would serve as
a model for the other organizations for
journalists of color. Today Rivas- Steve Montiel answers a question
newspapers, television, radio and an
Rodriguez teaches journalism at the on a panel.
online news Web site. This year, for the
University of Texas at Austin.
first time, students will participate in a
convergence project, where they will
“It seemed like the most natural thing
work together across different media
to do, have a newspaper,” Rivas-
platforms. The student project runs
Rodriguez says of her 1988 experience.
about $150,000 to $180,000 every
year and is paid out of NAHJ’s
NAHJ created a newsroom in the
operating budget with no outside
convention hotel restaurant so students
support.
could publish a daily newspaper with
help from professional journalists. From
Rivas-Rodriguez continues to ensure
that start it expanded and now
Latinos are represented in media, but in
includes English and Spanish print
a different way. She has helped lead a
Rubén Salazar, Los Angeles Times columnist April March

and news director for Spanish-language More than 120 journalists attend NAHJ’s first About 100 top-level Mexican and U.S. Latino
station KMEX, who was killed by a sheriff’s conference in Los Angeles for Spanish- journalists meet in Mexico City for the “Mexico
deputy in 1970 while covering a protest. language journalists. 2000: Media and Democracy at a Crossroads”
conference, sponsored by Region 5 and the

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OUR PROGRESS
coalition of Latino take a position, that it needs to do this,

organizations, including it needs to do that, but our
NAHJ, in demanding that membership really have to take some
a PBS World War II responsibility because we can’t expect
documentary feature the staff to do everything,” Rivas-
Latinos. Before the Rodriguez says.
group’s involvement, the
Ken Burns’ documentary, Román leads a small staff that is very
“THE WAR,” scheduled busy during preparation for the
for release during convention. But he says if NAHJ hopes
Remember the typewriter? Hispanic Heritage Month, to remain relevant, it has to push on
contained no interviews with Latino many different fronts. To make that
veterans. PBS has since reversed course work, NAHJ has focused more
and promised to re-edit the program to attention on diversifying its fundraising
include Latino veterans. base to more non-media companies,
“It all has to do with making sure that foundations and individual members,
Latinos are represented fairly and especially in the last three years.
accurately,” she says.
The organization raised $222,000 from
Rivas-Rodriguez also worries about individuals from June 2005 to June
NAHJ staff burning out from fighting 2006 as part of Challenge Grant II, a
on so many fronts. She encourages joint effort by the John S. and James L.
greater involvement by members. Knight Foundation, Ford Foundation
and Ethics and Excellence in Journalism
“It’s wonderful to say NAHJ needs to Foundation. NAHJ is on track to reach
1999
Dallas-Fort Worth Network of Hispanic February January
Communicators. All three of Mexico’s top The 11th annual NAHJ Scholarship Banquet at The NAHJ board votes to end its four-year
presidential candidates speak at this historic the Plaza Hotel in New York City sets a record, boycott of California sparked by the passage
event. raising more than $200,000. of Proposition 187 that called for denying
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OUR PROGRESS
the $12.6 million mark by 2008, NAHJ’s in-

money aimed at supporting house
educational and professional advocacy
development, increasing advocacy includes its
efforts centered on coverage of Latinos annual
and partnering with media companies Network
to help them reach newsroom parity. Brownout
Report, which
“If you depend on a few funding examines how
sources and one of them goes, you are Latinos are
in real deep trouble,” Román says. portrayed by
“And for a long time that is what evening
NAHJ did.” network Evelyn Hernandez, left, Veronica
television news. In 2006, it released its Garcia and Michele Salcedo chat
Román says that the organization has 10th annual report and started a new between workshops.
not seen a measurable decline in what study of magazine coverage, showing
media giants donate because of just 1.2 percent of stories in Time,
positions it takes on issues such as Newsweek and U.S. News & World
media consolidation, but adds “that Report in 2005 were mainly about
does not mean ... [it] can’t happen.” Latinos. NAHJ also partners with
groups on important issues so it
“So it is all the more important to doesn’t expend major resources that
diversify your funding sources,” Román come with leading the charge.
says.
1998
public schooling, health care and social June June
services to undocumented immigrants. The The 17th annual NAHJ convention is held in 16th annual NAHJ convention, Miami. More
proposition had been struck down by the high conjunction with the second Unity convention than 1,400 attend.
courts. in Seattle. About 7,000 from all four minority
journalism organizations attend.

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OUR PROGRESS
Through UNITY, an noticed that nearly all the speakers and

organization that joins all panelists were white men.
four organizations for
journalists of color, the At the diversity session, Morales
groups are unifying on commented to the panel participants
some issues and about the lack of diversity among the
maximizing their speakers for the various workshops.
advocacy efforts. Then she questioned the failure of the
Tracie Morales ASNE to achieve its own diversity goals
symbolizes an energy it set in 1978 when it committed to
and boldness many hope achieving parity by 2000. Instead the
to see more of as NAHJ numbers keep declining. Minorities
continues to evolve. The represent 10.9 percent of newsroom
22-year-old worked as supervisors, a drop from last year. ASNE
an intern for Hispanic readjusted their parity goal date to
Link in March when she 2025, but many journalists of color are
covered a diversity skeptical.
session at the American
Society of Newspaper Morales thanked her editor, Charlie
Editors’ annual Ericksen, for entrusting her to cover
NAHJ and NABJ members convention in Washington D.C. large issues such as Attorney General
gathering to discuss Unity. Throughout the convention, she Alberto Gonzales’ Senate hearings, a
1997 1996
Spring— NAHJ board meets with President June June
Clinton at the White House. Topics include 15th annual NAHJ convention, Seattle. More 14th annual NAHJ convention, Chicago. More
rising prominence of Hispanic population and than 1,000 attend. than 1,100 in attendance. Strong focus placed
Cuba. on new media and technology. First Lady
Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomes attendees at
opening night reception.
NAHJ 25-6.11.07.qxd 6/13/07 2:27 PM Page 45
TIMELINE
speech by President Bush and news with story ideas,” Morales says. “I feel
conferences on immigration. A senior if people are more vocal about it
at the University of Texas at Arlington, [diversity] and start pushing, we will
Morales is interning for The Oregonian see [more] people of color working in
this month. newsrooms. I definitely see myself as
an advocate for that cause.”
“I feel my responsibility is more than
just as a reporter ... and to come up
1995
NAHJ conducts the first “Network Brownout Fall Audit conducted back to 1992; financial
Report,” with the National Council of La Raza, For the first time, NAHJ raises membership structure reorganized.
documenting the number of times Latinos are dues and other fees.
covered on network TV news. Results show
dismal performance by networks.

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TIMELINE
1994 January
NAHJ board votes to move the 11th annual
November convention from Denver to Washington, D.C.
NAHJ board votes to keep all meetings out of Many members had threatened to boycott the
California to protest passage of Proposition convention after Colorado voters approved a
187. NAHJ drops San Diego and two other constitutional amendment that allowed
California cities as possible sites for its 1998 discrimination against gays and lesbians in
convention. Other Unity partners join the that state.
boycott, as does National Lesbian and Gay
Journalists Association, which canceled its
convention in Beverly Hills. 1992
June April
13th annual NAHJ convention, El Paso, July
10th annual NAHJ convention, Albuquerque,
Texas. Electronic Town Hall meeting links Unity ‘94, Atlanta, Ga., is the first gathering
N.M. NAHJ begins mid-career workshops.
panelists on both coasts of the United States, of the four major minority journalist
President George H.W. Bush addresses the
in Mexico and South America to discuss organizations— NAHJ, NABJ, AAJA and
convention via satellite. Mexico author Carlos
differences in journalism practices and ways NAJA. This marks NAHJ’s 12th convention.
Fuentes addresses the conference. NAHJ
to combat media stereotyping. NAHJ membership approaches the 1,200 mark.
launches its first student campus project at
the University of Texas at El Paso, a hands-on 1993 With a $10,000 grant from NPR, NAHJ
produces Radio Ondas, the student radio
workshop for 100 students before the June project, for the first time.
convention, with the help of a $100,000 11th annual NAHJ convention,
grant from the Freedom Forum. Washington, D.C.
1991
April May
NAHJ denounces Howard Stern for offensive April
Unity ‘94 issues “Kerner Plus 25: A Call for 9th annual NAHJ convention, Times Square,
comments about the slaying of Mexican- Action,” blasting the news industry for New York City.
American singer Selena and about the providing little more than “lip service” when
community in general. The outrage prompts it comes to hiring and promoting journalists
NAHJ to create a plenary at its next
convention in El Paso titled “Latinos and Talk
of color; it offers specific plans for diversity. 1990
Radio: Estamos Escuchando.” March April
Spurred into action by the coverage of a NAHJ has its first convention on its own. It’s
Peruvian couple hired by a President Clinton held in San Francisco and is called the 8th
nominee for attorney general, NAHJ Issues annual convention.
Committee revamps campaign to eliminate
the use of the term “illegal alien.”
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TIMELINE
1989
January
NAHJ board decides to hold its own
convention, separate from the National
Media Conference, the following year.
March
NAHJ holds its first Scholarship Banquet in
New York City. NBC anchor Tom Brokaw is
the keynote speaker. Jazz greats Dave
Valentin and Oscar Hernandez provide
entertainment. About 250 people attend and
NAHJ raises more than $30,000.
April
7th National Hispanic Media Conference, San 1987 1986
Juan, P.R. More than 1,000 attend.
October
Photojournalism panels canceled after April
NAHJ holds its first international conference
photographers are called to cover explosion 4th annual National Hispanic Media
with colleagues from Mexico in
at USS Iowa on Puerto Rico’s east coast. For Conference, Miami, Fla. More than 1,000
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. More than 400
the first time, NAHJ produces “El Noticiero,” media professionals attend.
journalists attend.
the TV training project, with Diane Alverio in
charge. September
April
NAHJ staff doubles from two to four, including
NAHJ establishes a standing Issues Committee
the person in charge of the new employment
1988 to focus on monitoring and correcting offensive
racial and ethnic information in the media. The
referral service, which would eventually become
an online job and resume exchange and data
April committee also addresses ways to achieve
base. The service helps place 50 people in jobs
6th National Hispanic Media Conference, more balanced coverage of the Latino
and internships during its first year.
Dallas. Nearly 1,200 people attend. NAHJ community.
publishes the first Latino Reporter daily
convention newspaper, with Maggie Rivas at 5th annual National Hispanic Media
the helm of a host of volunteers. Conference, Los Angeles. A record 1,600 1985
media professionals are in attendance.
October September
First joint meeting of the boards of NAHJ, May NAHJ vacates interim headquarters in Los
NABJ, AAJA and the Native American Press NAHJ grants its first two scholarships, each in Angeles and moves across the country to the
Association (now NAJA) takes place in the amount of $1,000. National Press Building in Washington, D.C.
Baltimore.

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TIMELINE
June
Board agrees to launch an annual award for
journalism excellence. It originally honors
Guillermo Martinez Marquez, a founder of
the Inter American Press Association.
May
NAHJ membership tops 330.
April
3rd National Hispanic Media Conference,
Tucson, Ariz. More than 600 Hispanic media
professionals attend.
January
NAHJ launches its first national High School
Writing Contest in 15 cities.
Betty Cortina, left, Maria Elenas Salinas and Carl Quintanilla at the 2006 Noche de Triunfos.
1984
April 1983 1982
NAHJ files its articles of incorporation, signed
by 15 organizers, creating the country’s first Gannett gives NAHJ a $50,000 December
nationwide organization dedicated solely to developmental grant to help Hispanic First National Hispanic Media Conference,
Hispanic journalists. More than 80 people journalists get organized on a national level. San Diego, Calif. About 300 attend.
sign up as founding members that first year. This is the first of a long history of
substantial annual grants to aid the
2nd annual National Hispanic Media organization in its mission.
Conference, Washington, D.C. More than 500
attend. First members of the NAHJ national
board of directors chosen.
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Profiles
The NAHJ family
People join the National Association of Hispanic Journalists for different reasons. Some come seeking
support as they enter the field of journalism. Others are in the mid-career phase of their lives and are seeking
guidance. There are also the veterans who understand the need of mentoring our future talent. Then there
are the community activists, seeking to promote fair treatment of the Latino community in the media.
Twenty-five years of dedication-and the fruits of the founder’s labor continue. Here are some profiles of just
a few of our members-as varied as the more than 20 Spanish-speaking nations of our origins.

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PROFILES
LEONOR AYALA
Two undocumented immigrants lived assert herself, an experience that
in obscurity when Leonor Ayala helped her pursue and land television
helped them share their story with a news jobs.
national television audience. Through
these two brothers, construction “I didn’t really want to go back to
workers living in Colorado with 16 print because my heart was always in
other family members, the 30-year-old television,” Ayala says.
associate producer for Dateline NBC
gave voice to an underclass distrustful After a short stint at CBS News, ABC
of a media that has often asked Ayala in 2002 to serve as a
dehumanized or ignored them. bilingual production associate to research immigration
issues for a Peter Jennings documentary.
The trust she and another Latina associate producer
nurtured with the two brothers and their family over “I was the only Latina there and [my boss] wanted to
eight months opened the door for Tom Brokaw to air a make sure that if there was something I had a problem
one-hour special in December 2006. The story marked a with, that I was vocal about it,” Ayala says. “I learned
high point in Ayala’s nine-year journalism career that from some of the best [producers] in long form
developed when she secured a job at the NAHJ Miami [journalism].” As her career advanced, Ayala continued to
convention in 1998. give back to NAHJ through involvement with the Region
2. She helped gather print and broadcast news reports
That experience also marked the beginning of a from Latino journalists who covered 9/11 in New York
relationship with other NAHJ members who encouraged City. From that she helped produce a video tribute about
Ayala to stick with journalism. these Latino journalists that was shown at the NAHJ
Scholarship Banquet in New York City in 2002.
Ayala graduated from Rutgers University in 1998,
attended the NAHJ convention in June and started “I saw the value in the organization and I wanted to give
working at The Record in Hackensack, N.J., in July. The back and help as much as I could,” Ayala says.
New Jersey native, one of 10 children from a Puerto
Rican household, quickly progressed from writing obits at After working with ABC News, MSBNC and on the NBC
The Record to covering small towns. But disappointed network news assignment desk, Ayala moved to Dateline
with her own personal progress as a writer, she yearned in January 2005.
for something different and in 2000 left the paper to
work at Girls Inc., which focuses on nurturing and —Peter Ortiz, freelancer, NYC
mentoring girls. There, she learned to network and really
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PROFILES
ROBERT HERNANDEZ
NAHJ taught Robert Hernandez a thing “That was the first time where NAHJ
or two about the importance of really, really resonated with me, when
diversity in America’s newsrooms. And this city kid went to this really ‘Ag’
Hernandez, senior producer for news town,’ he said. “Eighty percent of the
at The Seattle Times’ Web site, is community was Latino and no one on
teaching NAHJ about the importance staff spoke Spanish. At the time, they
of online journalism in today’s used to hire translators.”
newsrooms.
No longer a student, he was back at
A Los Angeles native, Hernandez had NAHJ the next year and volunteered on
just returned home after spending his the spot to work on a convention Web
high school years living with his site. By the following year, he was co-
mother in El Salvador, when he learned directing the online student project. It’s
of NAHJ’s student projects. a job he would keep for the next five
years - working to help the youngest
At first, he said, he wondered whether NAHJ journalists recognize the
to apply. importance of this increasingly critical
skill for delivering the news.
“Just because I was a person of color, was it fair for
me to take advantage of this?” he said. “In L.A., I This fall, he’ll celebrate his fifth anniversary with the
didn’t have any concept of how other cities would be. Times - each of those years working on the online side
L.A. was pretty diverse.” of the operation.
That year in Chicago and two years later in Miami, “I had to decide whether I was going to go print or
Hernandez participated in the student projects. In the online,” he said. “I picked online pretty early. I felt I
summer of 1999, he landed an internship at the could be more of a pioneer there.”
Yakima (Wash.) Herald Republic.
-Sam Diaz, The Washington Post

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PROFILES
LUIS CRUZ
Luis Cruz gives this advice to helps critique students’ tapes at
students: “Don’t let circumstances NAHJ conferences, where he also
now affect where you go in life.” gives his tapes to prospective
The co-anchor of the morning employers.
weekend news programs at KVBC-
TV in Las Vegas knows of what he “I always leave the conference with
speaks. From humble beginnings more confidence,” he says.
living in a San Francisco studio
apartment with his parents and His commitment to the organization
three older brothers, Luis has gone led him to become a lifetime
from being a shy, poor kid to member of NAHJ in 2006. The San
earning a bachelor’s degree in Francisco native, who had worn
political science at UC Berkeley to thrift-store clothes as a boy, went on
becoming a TV newscaster in a to become news director at KYMA-
growing market. TV in Yuma, Ariz. There he led the
“My mom gets a kick out of news team that won a regional
watching me on TV,” says Cruz, 31. Edward R. Murrow award for spot news coverage of a
bomb-laden Harrier jet crash into a Yuma
Although his parents can’t watch his programs live, he neighborhood in June 2005.
takes tapes to them when he makes his biannual visits
to Mexico. His parents moved to Teocaltiche, Jalisco, Among his mentors is Rigo Chacón, who will be
to be near relatives about two years ago after his inducted into NAHJ’s Hall of Fame at the San Jose
mother suffered two strokes and now uses a conference. Cruz, then 17, met Chacón while working
wheelchair. He credits his mother with sparking his as a co-host of a teen talk show on San Francisco’s
interest in journalism, though NAHJ and mentors have KGO-TV in 1993. And now Cruz is doing the same for
helped guide him in the profession. others. He often speaks to students in Las Vegas
today, Cruz says, because words Chacón told him
“NAHJ has been there as a great resource throughout years ago still ring: People in high-profile positions
my career,” Cruz says. should use them to do good in their communities.
While in college, he participated in student projects, —Veronica Garcia, Los Angeles Times
beginning with the TV project at Unity ‘94 in Atlanta,
and received an NAHJ scholarship. These days, he
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PROFILES
MAGGIE RIVAS-RODRIGUEZ
Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez’s résumé Rivas-Rodriguez started out as a
says associate professor, but it is copy editor at UPI in 1977, and soon
storytelling that’s in her soul. became the first Hispanic reporter at
The Boston Globe. The Mexican-
She has combined her 17 years as a American has worked in TV, in Peru,
professional journalist and a covering business, and for eight
doctorate in mass communications years was the border bureau chief
to produce a dual career: University for The Dallas Morning News. Those
of Texas at Austin journalism were years of plenty of “firsts.”
professor, and the woman behind a Rivas-Rodriguez was on the
nationwide oral history project committee that founded NAHJ in
chronicling the testimonies of World 1984, and she initiated both The
War II-era Latinos. Rivas-Rodriguez Latino Reporter in 1988 and the
gave up America’s newsrooms, but now-defunct high school essay
she didn’t stop telling the stories. contest. In 1990, she won NAHJ’s
first president’s award.
“When I meet people, I always say ‘former’ “There is something incredibly empowering about all
journalist,’’ she said. “But when you are doing those Latino journalists in the same place,” she said.
interviews and editing, that’s journalism. Maybe it’s “It’s been a really big part of what has shaped me as a
not working in a newsroom, but it’s journalism. When journalist.”
there’s a big story that I feel either there’s an angle the
media is not using or perspective they are not seeing, Looking back at her 30 years in the business, she is
that’s when I miss it and do something about it.’’ relieved to see that the stories Latino journalists once
had to fight for are now everyday news.
Rivas-Rodriguez did something about Ken Burns’
WWII documentary, which lacked the Latino “I am seeing a normalization of news concerning
experience. She helped lead a coalition of Latino Latinos,’’ she said. “That’s largely because of Latinos in
organizations, including NAHJ, in demanding that newsrooms who said, ‘Hey man, I want to do those
Latinos be added. PBS reversed its stance and stories. That’s not just a Latino story, it’s good
promised to add the stories of Latino veterans. journalism.’ ‘’
—Frances Robles, The Miami Herald

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PROFILES
M A R I LY N GARATEIX
Marilyn Garateix was frustrated with After that summer in Seattle, the
journalism and on the verge of University of Miami graduate went
packing it in, when she made a on to reporting gigs at the Fort
quick pit stop that changed her life. Myers News Press and The Miami
On her way home to Miami after a Herald. She eventually became an
discouraging one-year internship in assistant city editor there, and later
California, she stopped at the 1988 education editor and city editor at
NAHJ convention in Dallas. There, The Boston Globe, where she helped
this Cuban-American student saw guide 9/11 coverage.
people who looked just like her. And
she found people who cared. In St. Pete, she supervises 30
managers and reporters, including
“I was very frustrated with the ones who covered the Terry
journalism, unsure if I would even Schiavo right-to-die case. Garateix
continue with it,” Garateix said. “I has also left her mark on NAHJ,
wasn’t there for the whole where she has been a regional
convention - just the job fair-but it was enough for me director, secretary, at large officer and vice president
to get inspired and really realize that I wanted to be in for print. Garateix has worked on at least a dozen
journalism, and I wanted to be a Hispanic in editions of The Latino Reporter and organized the
journalism. 1998 conference in Miami.
That job fair netted an internship at The Seattle Times, “The contacts and friendships I have made through
the summer job that kick-started a rising career and NAHJ over the years have been invaluable. They have
NAHJ leader. Garateix is now metro editor at the St. made me a better reporter, editor and person. My
Petersburg Times in Florida. career and life is richer for it,” she said.
—Frances Robles, The Miami Herald

“NAHJ was there for me at a very key moment in my
life when I could have quit journalism and done
something else,” she said.
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PROFILES
F U LV I O CATIVO
Fulvio Cativo’s journalistic ambitions Pulitzer prize winning journalist for
started at his Maryland elementary the Los Angeles Times.
school newspaper, but the 24-year-
old points to NAHJ as a steady In 2003, Cativo joined The Latino
partner in nurturing that dream. Reporter, NAHJ’s student newspaper
project, at the New York conference.
“The way I see it, I always wanted In 2004 he worked on the UNITY
to be a journalist since the sixth student project in Washington D.C.
grade, but I didn’t know how to The conventions served as
pursue a career in journalism until I reenergizing pit stops along Cativo
met folks through NAHJ,” he says. internship track, which included the
Courier-Journal in Kentucky in 2003,
NAHJ created a journalism pipeline The Plain Dealer in Cleveland in
that neither Cativo’s father, Miguel, 2004 and The Washington Post in
a heavy machine mechanic in the 2005.
cement industry, and mother, Vivian,
a nurse administrator, could provide their son. That Cativo’s network of mentors and contacts also grew
pipeline first took form after Cativo’s senior year in and provided an invaluable resource. Cativo singles
high school when The Washington Post in sponsorship out Kevin Olivas, NAHJ Parity Project Director, for
with NAHJ, awarded Cativo a $10,000 scholarship. providing career advice and writing letters of
Now an education reporter with the Hartford Courant, recommendation. “Just being involved with the NAHJ
Cativo found in NAHJ a willing financial, educational network helped me get in contact with leaders in the
and mentoring partner. Cativo lived in El Salvador until business,” he says. NAHJ asked Cativo in 2004 to
age 10, when he emmigrated with his family to the speak at its annual Scholarship Banquet in New York
United States in 1993. City. At the time he was serving his internship in
Kentucky and realized the fortune of working at a
Cativo grew up in Maryland. He interned at The Dallas paper where there were few Latinos.
Morning News’ Washington D.C. bureau in 2001 and
a year later he attended the NAHJ conference in San —Peter Ortiz, freelance writer, NYC
Diego. There he spent a week with other students
learning the craft from George Ramos, a three-time

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PROFILES
Polly Baca
As a former state senator and Before joining LARASA, Baca served
business woman, activist Polly Baca as regional administrator of the
has fought for years for minority General Services Administration. She
representation in newsrooms. Now, had also served as a special assistant
the executive director of the Latin to President Bill Clinton and director
American Research and Service of the United States Office of
Agency (LARASA) in Denver is Consumer Affairs in Washington,
taking her battle to the boardroom. D.C. She was the first Hispanic
woman elected to the Colorado State
Baca is a member of the Parity Senate, where she served for 12
Project’s advisory committee in years. She was also the first Hispanic
Denver, providing guidance for woman to co-chair a National
NAHJ’s ongoing missions to both Democratic Convention, in 1980 and
increase the number of Latino 1984. Today, she runs a nonprofit
reporters and improve coverage of organization that has worked since
Hispanics. A community member 1964 to improve the quality of life for
who took part in the Town Hall meeting that launched Latinos throughout Colorado. She advocates
the Parity Project, she was invited by Juan González, boycotting companies that advertise on news
then NAHJ president, to join the venture. She also programs and in publications that encourage bigotry
serves on the Hispanic advisory council that works and racism.
with The Rocky Mountain News and KCNC, Denver’s
CBS affiliate, where she was a political commentator “We learned from the civil rights days that you have
during the 2004 elections. to hit these companies where it hurts - the
pocketbook,” Baca said.
“I think the Parity Project is important because I’ve
always thought that a democracy is absolutely She blames a lack of newsroom diversity for the
dependent upon a free press that fairly and accurately misinformation and bigotry against undocumented
covers the community it serves,” Baca said. “Without immigrants that has filled the airwaves as the issue of
representation of that community in newsrooms, you illegal immigration is covered and debated.
can’t have fairness and accuracy.”
—Fernando Quintero, The Rocky Mountain News
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NAHJ LIFETIME MEMBERS

There are currently 123 Lifetime Members and 31 individuals who have pledged to become Lifetime Members within the next year.
Javier Aldape, Hoy Lou Dobbs, CNN

Claudio Alvarez Dunn, Primera Hora (Puerto Rico) Charles Ericksen, Hispanic Link News Service
Cecilia Alvear, former NAHJ president Victor Escobedo, Cortazar
Alfredo Araiza, Arizona Daily Star Michele Fazekas, NBC
Rose Arce, CNN Luis Alberto Ferre Rangel, El Nuevo Día (Puerto Rico)
Gustavo Arroyo, California State Senate Angelo Figueroa, TuCiudad
Jim Avila, ABC News Veronica Flores, San Antonio Express-News
Nancy Baca, former NAHJ president Juan Forero, National Public Radio
Gilbert Bailón, Al Dia (Dallas) Diana Fuentes, Laredo Morning Times
Geraldine Berrios, The Miami Herald Ernie Garcia, The Journal News
Mary Kay Blake, The Freedom Forum Veronica Garcia, Los Angeles Times
Frank Blethen, The Seattle Times Eldra Gillman, CBS Corporation
Ybeth Bruzual, Central Florida News 13-Telemundo (Orlando) Frank Gómez, Educational Testing Service
Gloria Campos Brown, WFAA-TV (Dallas) Raymond Gomez, KGNS-TV (Laredo, Texas)
Romeo Cantu Jr., KGBT-TV (Harlingen, Texas) Vince Gonzales
Jose Carreño, El Universal, Mexico Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News
Dora Casanova de Toro, La Prensa (Longwood, Fla.) Joe Grimm, Detroit Free Press
Nelson Castillo, Castillo Law Firm PLLC Liza Gross, The Miami Herald
David Cazares, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Hernan Guaracao-Calderon, Al Día (Philadelphia)
Sergio Chapa, Al Día (Dallas) Felix Gutiérrez, USC Annenberg School of Journalism
Gary Clark, The Denver Post Joanna Hernandez, The New York Times
Angela Clemmons, The Denver Post Regional Media Group
Yamila Constantino-Méndez, Bloomberg Jodi Hernandez, KNTV-TV (San Jose, CA)
Peter Copeland, Scripps Media Center Jorge Hidalgo, Telemundo
Christopher Crommett, CNN en Español Jonathan Higuera, Arizona State University
Carolyn Curiel, The New York Times Marina Hinestrosa, County of Santa Clara
George de Lama, Chicago Tribune Claudia Hinojosa, KXTX Telemundo 39 (Dallas)
Araceli De Leon, KWHY-TV (Glendale, CA) Mark Hinojosa, Chicago Tribune
Frank del Olmo* Alberto Ibargüen, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Sam Diaz, The Washington Post Maite Junco, New York Daily News
Cathleen Farrell, Page One Media Michael Limón, Salt Lake Tribune
Celeste Diaz Ferraro

NAHJ 25-6.11.07.qxd 6/13/07 2:28 PM Page 58
Jacqueline Llamas Espinoza, KWHY-KVEA Telemundo Elaine Rivera, WNYC

(Los Angeles) Geraldo Rivera, Fox News Channel
Anna Lopez, former NAHJ executive director Frances Robles, The Miami Herald
Delton Lowery, The Fresno Bee Cindy Rodriguez, The Detroit News
Lavonne Luquis, National Education Association Rick Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee
Tony Marcano, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Iván Román, National Association of Hispanic Journalists
Mekhalo Medina, KNBC (Los Angeles) Rossana Rosado, el diario/LA PRENSA
Regina Medina, Philadelphia Daily News Albor Ruiz, New York Daily News
Ruth Merino, El Nuevo Día (Puerto Rico) Inez Russell, Freelance
Oralia Michel, Oralia Michel Marketing & Michele Salcedo, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Public Relations, Inc. María Elena Salinas, Univisión Network
Walter Middlebrook, The Detroit News Nancy San Martin, The Miami Herald
Steve Montiel, Institute for Justice and Journalism Evelyn Santa Cruz-Tipacti, PR Newswire
Antonio Mora, WBBM-TV (Chicago) Roberto Santiago, The Miami Herald
Frank Moraga, Ventura County Star/Mi Estrella Fernanda Santos, The New York Times
Ibra Morales, Telemundo Station Group Clemson Smith Muñiz, Smith Muñiz Productions, Inc.
Rosa Morales, Michigan State University School of Journalism Dianne Solís, Dallas Morning News
Sylvia Moreno, The Washington Post Sheila Solomon, The Chicago Tribune
Mireya Navarro, The New York Times Alicia Sotomayor
Edna Negrón, The Ramapo College of New Jersey Ernest Sotomayor, Columbia University Graduate
Rafael Olmeda, South Florida Sun-Sentinel School of Journalism
Larry Olmstead, Leading Edge Associates Rafael Suarez, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
Ralph Ortega, Star-Ledger Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr., The New York Times
Edgar Ortega-Barrales, Bloomberg News John Temple, Rocky Mountain News
Maria Padilla, Freelance Writer Mercedes Torres, CNN
O. Ricardo Pimentel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Ricardo Vazquez, University of California
Gary Piña, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Verónica Villafañe, Independent Producer
Fernando Quintero, Rocky Mountain News Roberto Vizcón, WTMO Telemundo (Orlando)
John Quiñones, ABC News Xochitl Yañez, State Farm Insurance
Max Ramirez, Max Ramirez Photography Elizabeth Zavala, The Dallas Morning News
George Ramos, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Eli Reyes, Newsday *=deceased
Denice Rios, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Robert Rivard, San Antonio Express-News
NAHJ 25-6.11.07.qxd 6/13/07 2:28 PM Page 59
This year marks 25 years that a group of Latino journalists first met in San Diego to create
what has become the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
To commemorate this special year, NAHJ has created a 25th Anniversary Fund seeking to
raise $250,000 from members and supporters like you through Dec. 31, 2007.
Each person that donates $2,500 or more will be recognized as a 25th Anniversary Angel.
In addition, they will automatically become a Lifetime Member of NAHJ.
Your support will further our efforts to diversify America's newsrooms, strengthen the
leadership capacity of Latino journalists and bring more young people into the profession.
NAHJ can arrange a payment schedule that best suits you. For more information please
contact NAHJ Development Director, Azuree Salazar, at 202-662-7482 or
asalazar@nahj.org.
DONATE TODAY!
P.S. Your company may have a matching gift program,
which will enable your donation to go even further.

NAHJ 25-6.11.07.qxd 6/13/07 2:28 PM Page 60
NAHJ 25-6.11.07.qxd 6/13/07 2:28 PM Page 61
NAHJ 25-6.11.07.qxd 6/13/07 2:28 PM Page 62
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W W W. G A N N E T T. C O M

NAHJ 25th Anniversary Retrospective

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The Mission ................................................................................3

The Beginning ............................................................................4

The Organizers ...........................................................................5

The Presidents ............................................................................9

Be a 25th Anniversary Angel ......................................................59

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 1

Editor: Joanna Hernandez, New York Times Regional Media Group

Assistant Editors: Lisa Goodnight, National Association of Hispanic Journalists

Cover: Robert Holst, New York Times Regional Media Group

Layout: Paul Fisher, Fisher Design

THE MISSION/LA MISION

The Mission La Misión

The goals of the association are: Las metas de la NAHJ son:

4 To further the employment and career 4 Promover el empleo y el desarrollo profesional

5 To foster a greater understanding of Hispanic 5 Fomentar un entendimiento mayor de la

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 3

The Organizers: In their own words

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 5

JAY RODRIGUEZ EDITH SAYRE AUSLANDER

MARIA ELENA SALINAS CHARLIE ERICKSEN

“The Gannett Foundation’s Jerry Sass urged us to ask for a

PAULA MAES FRANK GOMEZ

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 7

JUAN M. GARCIA-PASSALACQUA GUSTAVO GODOY

CELEBRATING 2 5 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 9

The second issue we tackled was network neutrality, the

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 11

As a journalist who started her career in Spanish-language

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 13

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 15

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 17

Those were the years of growth for communications director

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 19

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 21

I had managerial experience and heads of the associations meeting with

Evelyn Her nández

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 23

Back in those early years of the organization, it was

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 25

Yet, in public, we were united. We presented a powerful

Steps in the right direction, with many miles to go

Gonzalez notes the While there are veteran

June The New York Times announces launch of May

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 29

were reluctant to let go of their 1983 to organize and a year later it

April March February

numbers was a great comfort to me.” conference in

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 31

increased shareholder value. NAHJ and address congressional staffers with

June May April

journalists weren’t able to make the

“Now it’s right in your face,” Román

March February January

understand the “I think you are messing with the

Media consolidation has severely

M. Gutierrez, Secretary of the U.S. advocacy also attracted the

August Geraldo Rivera pledges $100,000 to NAHJ May

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TAKING THE LEAD 35

from a state that had passed the rigidity of notions in the

“There were so few of us entering the

Pulitzer Newspapers, Inc. becomes a partner in February January

immigration protests last year. But even