This month, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) celebrated its 40th anniversary during its annual conference in Hollywood, CA. The five-day event allowed Hispanic and Latino journalists nationwide to connect over timely, critical issues.
At the convention, members of the press also present and attend in-depth discussions on journalistic practices to best serve the country’s diverse news landscape.
The first and only person to serve twice as the NAHJ president, Latino News Network (LNN) Publisher Hugo Balta attended as a trainer, along with LNN Senior Reporter and Editor Belén Dumont.
“Attending the annual conference is time well invested,” said Balta. “The opportunity to gain new skills, participate in thought-provoking discussions, interview with prospective employers, and just visit with lifelong friends is invaluable.”
(Picture Courtesy: Sara Catania, Solutions Journalism Network)
Balta led a workshop and panel discussion on the potential power of solutions-based reporting on climate coverage, particularly among historically underserved communities that disproportionately experience the impacts of climate change.
Speakers at the event included Meteorologist Ariel Rodriguez of Noticiero Telemundo 51, 9 Millones Founder Camille Padilla Dalmau, and Climate Accountability Reporter Aaron Cantú of Capital & Main.
Rodriguez shared an urgent need to rethink how his newsroom conceptualized and executed climate-focused stories from “problem-based to solutions.”
“At 9 Millones, we see information as sunshine that can help nourish the flower of community,” said Padilla Dalmau. “We want to share information so that Puerto Ricans and non-Puerto Ricans alike listen to voices in the archipelago and advocate for new public policy that is informed by the needs on the ground.”
Cantú spoke about the difference between accountability and solutions reporting. “Accountability journalism seeks to learn who is being harmed and who is doing the harming,” he said. “Solutions journalism begins by looking at a response to a social problem.
Balta is an accredited solutions journalism trainer. His work includes two popular, free online courses on solutions journalism in English and Spanish sponsored by the Solutions Journalism Network and the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas.
LNN Senior Reporter and Editor Belén Dumont moderated an open discussion covering LGBTQIA+ issues in conservative legislatures. The panel featured Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas of USA TODAY Network Tennessee newsrooms, KTLA 5 News Reporter Carlos Saucedo, and Louisiana Illuminator Reporter Piper Hutchinson.
“Such transparent conversations highlight the powerful role that intersectionality plays in our reporting. We are all more than just one identity,” shared Dumont. “As reporters, we must represent the true diversity of the communities we serve by addressing disinformation and bridging divides through revealing and insightful story telling.”
As reporters who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, the panelists emphasized the importance of caring for their mental health and physical safety while pursuing critical, sensitive stories.
In dealing with microaggressions from the public, Saucedo relies on humor or the power of personal storytelling. However, he added that “it’s okay to protect your mental health and not respond.”
When it comes to combating disinformation about LGBTQIA+ communities, Hutchinson advised working closely with LGBTQ+ resource groups and public health officials to disseminate accurate information.
“[We need to] help tell the stories of LGBTQIA+ people in authentic ways that show a common humanity while explaining the harms of targeted legislation,” shared Plazas.
A member of NAHJ’s LGBTQIA+ committee, Dumont has also assisted in producing its recently translated LGBTQIA+ Style Guide, which defines terms commonly used in those communities and offers general guidelines for covering them.
Dumont also serves as secretary on NAHJ New England Chaper’s executive board. For the second year in a row, the New England Chapter accepted the Chapter of Excellence Award at the convention, recognizing the exceptional efforts of its leadership and local members. Dumont has been a member of the New England Chapter since 2018 when she first joined the organization as a student.
Cover Photo: How to report on communities that are not friendly towards the LGBTQIA+ community panel at the NAHJ Conference, July 2024.
