The Missing Part of the Narrative: Hispanics in the US Media Industry

When:  February 3, 2022, from 8:30 to 10:00 am (AZ time) 

Where:  Webinar Via Zoom with simultaneous interpretation to Spanish 

REGISTER for the free event. 

GIVE to the University of Arizona Bilingual Journalism program.

In October 2020, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus requested the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study to help better understand the state of diversity in the media. In September 2021, the GAO report was released with the title “Workforce Diversity: Analysis of Federal Data Shows Hispanics Are Underrepresented in the Media Industry.” 

Join us on February 3 to learn about the findings of this report that brings clarity to the perpetual absence of Latinos in major newsrooms, film production, and other media industries where their portrayals — or lack thereof — can seriously affect how their fellow Americans view them. 

The keynote speaker is U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, who has made the inclusion of Latinos in media a central issue and led the request to GAO, will present the report’s major findings and examine the underrepresentation of Latinos in news, film, television, and books.

Following the keynote speaker, a panel with main Latino media organizations will debate about the challenges and opportunities faced today: the National Association, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition. 

This event is organized by the new Bilingual Journalism M.A. and the Hispanic Service Institution Initiatives at the University of Arizona.

Schedule of Events:

8:30 - 8:40        Welcome Remarks 

                           Robert C. Robbins, M.D., President, University of Arizona 

                          Dr. Marla Franco, Assistant Vice Provost, HSI Initiatives 

8:40 – 9:00        U.S. Government Accountability Office Report Presentation + Q&A

                           Congressman Joaquin Castro 

9:00 – 9:50       Panel with U.S. Latino Media Organizations 

                           Arelis Hernandez, National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) 

                          Benjamin Lopez, National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) 

                          Martín E. Rivera, The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) 

                           Moderator: Dr. Jessica Retis, Bilingual Journalism, M.A. 

9:55-10:00         Closing remarks 

                           Dr. Judy Marquez Kiyama, Associate Vice Provost, Faculty Development