During Hispanic Heritage Month, it is important to recognize the contributions and diversity in the voices from the Hispanic community in journalism living in the United States.
By focusing on key figures, Hispanic journalists have shared a cultural history and experiences, which have impacted American society. Here are a few of the many Hispanic journalists who have paved the way in Journalism: Maria Hinojosa reported for CBS, CNN, PBS and NPR. Hinojosa was dedicated to recounting the story “Lost in Detention,” as the Obama Era deportations were ongoing. She also created the award-winning Latino USA. During the show, she featured stories of politics, immigration, culture and the arts. The show’s creation led her to win the Peabody Award in 2014, and has continued to provide coverage of Latinos communities, giving them the critical information they need. The achievements she has received during her time in journalism has left a long-lasting impression in the Latino community. In 2018, Hinojosa gave the Women’s Media Center the following quote, which represented the true essence of her impact: “When journalists feel really comfortable in their skin, and their workplaces encourage them to get in touch with their own journalistic passions — and we are not easy about the news; this is a tough group — they know they’ve as much right as anyone else to pitch a story.”
Jorge Ramos is a well known news anchor, most notably for his involvement in “Noticiero Univision,” a Sunday political show for Spanish speakers, as well as the English-language show “America with Jorge Ramos.” He became widely known in the United States during the 2016 presidential elections, when he confronted Donald Trump and his immigration policies. Since then, many have criticized Ramos for his views in immigration, which led him to express the following to the New York Profile: “You wouldn’t expect ABC, or any of the mainstream networks, to take a position on immigration, health care, anything. But at Univision it’s different. We are pro-immigrant. That’s our audience, and people depend on us.” Ramos retired from Univision in early 2025, but continues to be active on his social media platforms, keeping people informed.
Soledad O’Brien has been one of the most visible Latinas in English-speaking news. She hosted “Weekend Today” on NBC and later became the co-anchor of ‘American Morning’ on CNN. After leaving CNN, O’Brien started to host “Real Sports” with Bryant Gumbel on HBO and the political show, “Matter of Fact,” which discussed problems in the government at that time. O’Brien’s impact has spread far and wide amongst the Latina community and beyond. O’Brien believes in journalistic expression. As she disclosed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “There’s high value in journalistic voice, something that I wasn’t sure was going to exist when I left day-to-day journalism. Now the work you’re doing really matters. The stakes are high. It matters to speak up and say: ‘This thing is not true. This is the truth.’ Even on Twitter.”
There are many journalists who have helped to diversify the culture of journalism and helped to report the many difficulties among the Hispanic community. They have helped and showcased to others that the communities being targeted today are not criminals, but make up the backbone of the United States. Latin journalists continue to inspire new people today. It takes courage to speak against injustices, and they all have shown not only courage but leadership by doing so. Now that journalists helped the community, people need to celebrate their contributions more often. This Hispanic Heritage Month is a great time to start showing support to the legacy that Latin journalists have created.
