Zulema Herrera

Specialty: Bilingual Journalism Program

Areas of interest: Video editing, broadcast reporting , print/digital journalism, audio reporting , bilingualism, investigative reporting, feature/arts and culture reporting, art history, art criticism, Latinidad, Latino studies and Latin American studies

Undergrad Degree: B.A. in Latina/Latino Studies and a B.S in Journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2022

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Background/goals: As an inner-city kid that went from living near skyscrapers to cornfields in southern Illinois, it only seemed right to continue traveling and challenging myself in different spaces/locations. Now, amidst a new giant (the mountains) facing my next feat to accomplish (an M.A.) I feel thoroughly both outside of my comfort zone but at the same time, never more at home. My background is in print/digital journalism doing community reporting and arts/culture/art criticism reporting. Through a multimedia approach I hope to combine my passions of academia and journalism to bring forth stories/histories not told or not told enough in more nuanced ways; it is this type of thorough research/reporting/archival work that I aim to participate in especially regarding the Midwest Latine experience. My research currently explores contemporary Latine murals/muralists in Chicago. 

Why UA: The University of Arizona's unique Bilingual Journalism program is what attracted me to this college compared to other Spanish-language strict journalism programs. As a grandchild of immigrant grandparents (third-generation Mexican-American/Chicana) I know the importance of place/context when reporting and understanding where you are and who you can/should inform. This program will help me to fully focus on journalism more intensely and in different facets, perspectives, and languages.