Editors’ Picks: The Must-Read Stories of 2024 from palabra
Photo collage by Yunuen Bonaparte for palabra
In 2024, palabra published over 130 stories, including collaborations, republished pieces from sister publications, and Nuestras Historias — our stories en español. Among these, we’re proud to feature our two-year investigation, “A Failing Grade,” which sheds light on the mental health effects of separating children from their parents under the "zero tolerance" policy at the U.S.-Mexico border, with a focus on one key aspect: education.
Our NAHJ freelancers have written stories ranging from Reggaetón’s evolving place in academia to the “New Latino South,” examining how a growing Latino population is reshaping North Carolina and other Southern states — and turning the region into a crucial site for the future of American politics. Our writers and photojournalists have delivered impactful work from Georgia, Alabama, New York, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Puerto Rico, Washington state, Florida, Nevada, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.
As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, palabra by NAHJ continues to demonstrate that a multimedia platform powered by NAHJ freelancers can serve as both a talent pipeline and a transformative space redefining the diverse Latino narrative. Freelancers are the backbone of journalism, and we are immensely proud of what we have built together. Take a look at why our editors loved the stories below.
–Valeria Fernández, managing editor palabra
For an Alabama Educator, a Job Done Too Well | ¿Un trabajo demasiado bien hecho?
Words by Kavitha Cardoza. Photos by Charity Rachelle. Illustrations by Pepa Ilustradora. Edited by Caroline Preston.
Illustration by Pepa Ilustradora for palabra/The Hechinger Report
In Russellville, Alabama, Superintendent Heath Grimes garnered national recognition for serving the city’s growing Hispanic student body. Then the district showed him the door.
—
En Russellville, Alabama, el superintendente Heath Grimes recibió reconocimiento nacional por atender las necesidades del creciente cuerpo estudiantil hispano de la ciudad. Luego, el distrito le mostró la puerta de salida.
“This rarely told, complex story delves into how small-town politics and stances toward immigration can obstruct efforts to provide quality education to the children of immigrant parents — parents who are revitalizing and fueling the southern economy.
Telling this story is no easy task, but Kavitha Cardoza masterfully navigates its nuances. She gains access to sources who would rather remain silent than risk potential retaliation, while offering a glimpse into how a school district implemented best practices to support English language learners.
As a managing editor, I especially appreciate that this bilingual investigation was a collaboration between The Hechinger Report and AL.com, reaching over 160,000 readers. The story was also distributed in local Spanish-language media and discussed on the radio.”
After “Zero Tolerance”: Once Separated, Migrant Students Forge Ahead With Resilience | Después de la “tolerancia cero”: Estudiantes migrantes que una vez fueron separados siguen adelante con resiliencia
Words by Joshua E. S. Phillips. Illustrations by Roxsy Lin. Edited by Ricardo Sandoval-Palos.
Illustration by Roxsy Lin for palabra
Education is critical to recovery for migrant children still coping with the trauma of separation and detention at the border.
This story is part of the series “A Failing Grade,” based on reporting done over the last two years, investigating the effects of separation of migrant families as they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. Our trauma-informed reporting was conducted with respect and the trust of the families interviewed.
—
La educación es fundamental para la recuperación de los niños migrantes que siguen lidiando con el trauma de la separación y de la detención en la frontera.
Esta historia es parte de la serie “Reprobada”, basada en el resultado de una investigación de dos años sobre los impactos de una política de separación de familias que ingresaron por la frontera sur entre México y Estados Unidos. Nuestro reportaje que toca hechos traumáticos se realizó con respeto y con la confianza de las familias entrevistadas.
“It's been years since the end of the Trump administration's so-called Zero Tolerance policy and news about the children who were separated from their families has largely fallen out of the headlines. As we stare down the barrel of a second Trump administration, this reporting from Joshua E. S. Phillips is more pressing than ever. It is an important reminder that the harm of U.S. immigration policies does not end or begin with a new presidential administration, and that the horrors of the family separation policy will echo across generations. Phillips' trauma-informed reporting is required reading.”
Radio equipment at “La Grande 104.7.” Latino voters in Wisconsin face a surge of immigration-related disinformation on social media and television. Meanwhile, Spanish-language radio is underutilized to reach this same group of voters. Photo by Caleb Alvarado for palabra
Frequency of Deception is an in-depth investigative series into misinformation and disinformation on Spanish-language radio in the United States. This series was produced by Feet in 2 Worlds in partnership with WNYC’s Notes from America, palabra and Puente News Collaborative.
—
Radiofrecuencia de engaños es una serie de investigación a fondo que explora la desinformación y la información falsa en las radios de habla hispana de Estados Unidos. Esta serie fue producida por Feet in 2 Worlds en colaboración con Notes from América (de WNYC), palabra y Puente News Collaborative.
“I really appreciated working on the Frequencies of Deception series because, to me, it really represented the best of what palabra does. This was an ambitious series that involved collaborating with several other media partners, and the coordination and execution of bringing the pieces to publication were exceptional.”
Los volcanes | “Going to See the Volcanos”
Reportaje de Jesús Jank Curbelo. Ilustraciones de Edel Rodriguez. Editado por Lygia Navarro.
Edel Rodríguez para el Texas Observer en colaboración con palabra
Después de unas protestas sin precedentes en Cuba en 2021, una ola de cubanos salieron de la isla buscando cruzar la frontera México–Estados Unidos. Uno de ellos fue el periodista Jesús Jank Curbelo.
Este reportaje fue publicado en colaboración con The Texas Observer.
—
After unprecedented protests swept Cuba in 2021, a wave of people left the island to cross the United States’ southern border. One was journalist Jesús Jank Curbelo, who tells his story of being smuggled through Central America and Mexico.
This story is a collaboration between The Texas Observer and palabra.
“Los volcanes by Jesús Jank Curbelo is a masterpiece worthy of a novel. Jesús’s writing is deeply emotional, visually striking, and almost surreal. He pulls you into his extraordinary journey, as if you were in his back pocket, witnessing the breathtaking landscapes of Nicaragua, the jungles of Honduras, rural Guatemala and the hauntingly beautiful yet perilous Mexico. While sharing his personal experience, Jesús introduces you to migrants whose stories reflect the diverse realities of migration — stories shaped by unique obstacles and challenges. Not all immigrant journeys are the same. Migration, which is neither new nor truly a "phenomenon," has become a perilous path for those seeking a better life. This story offers a raw and vivid exploration of that journey, told through Jesús’s exceptional prose.
It’s also impossible to overlook the iconic illustrations by Edel Rodriguez. Edel, a Cuban-American artist, beautifully captures the essence of the story through his art. Any of the three illustrations would undoubtedly be at home in a museum.
I highly recommend reading this story in Spanish to fully appreciate Jesús’s remarkable narrative style. If a 6,000-word story feels overwhelming, don’t worry — you can also experience Jesús’s journey through a beautifully crafted four-part video series. Either way, this is a story you won’t forget!”
“Working with Jesús exemplified the essential work we do at palabra: share stories that only Latine journalists can tell. Jesús' first-hand saga of his journey having to seek exile outside of Cuba, and being smuggled across Central America and Mexico to the United States, humanizes immigrants' diverse struggles in leaving their homelands to seek a better life for themselves and their families.”
The Heavy Toll & Dreaming of Empires
The Heavy Toll: Words by Roberto Camacho. Images by Yessenia Camacho. Edited by Ricardo Sandoval-Palos.
Dreaming of Empires: Words by Rich Tenorio. Photos by Yunuen Bonaparte. Edited by Ricardo Sandoval-Palos.
Rosa Moreno holds a banner memorializing her son, César Rodríguez. Photo by Yessenia Camacho for palabra
Álvaro Enrigue, author of “You Dreamed of Empires,” in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Photo by Yunuen Bonaparte for palabra
The Heavy Toll: La Raza Database Project seeks a true count of Latinos killed by police — but determining identity complicates accurate reporting.
Dreaming of Empires: Álvaro Enrigue’s latest novel is a trippy, thought-provoking reimagining of a seminal point in the history of the Americas: When Cortés came calling on Tenochtitlán.
“San Diego-based journalist Robert Camacho proposed The Heavy Toll initially as a profile of the innovative academics behind an empirical review of national data – a project aimed at setting the record straight on the prevalence of Latinos killed and injured in police-involved shootings. But to elevate the story and make it more engaging for palabra audiences, Camacho aimed his reporting on a couple of families devastated by controversial shootings by police. The human touch in the story, combined with data that showed a startling number of Latinos and Asians killed and injured by police, led to a story that drew wide appeal. After the story was published, Roberto discussed his reporting and the data on several radio shows, directing more attention to the tragic relationship between some Latinos and law enforcement.
In editing the fine article and Q&A with Alvaro Enrigue by Rich Tenorio (with great portraits shot by Yunuen Bonaparte), I was able to help bring to palabra the words of a dynamic writer who I met in 2024 at the Agave Festival in Marfa, Texas — a popular arts and ideas gathering in the state's southwestern reach. Enrigue's talk at the festival painted an engaging backstory for how the fanciful, provocative book, "You Dreamed Of Empires," came to life. The book is a work of well-researched fiction that calls out and undermines what today is too often portrayed as the true history of the conquest of Tenochtitlan. For that alone, the book is a standout in 2024.”
“Volunteer work is proof of the State’s shortcomings” | "El voluntariado es la evidencia de los fallos del Estado"
Words by Eileen Truax. Edited by Wendy Selene Pérez.
Migrants gather in the courtyard at CAFEMIN. Photo courtesy of Rafael Esteban Ruiz Blancas/CAFEMIN
Volunteers at an overcrowded migrant shelter north of Mexico City perform the work that authorities neglect, confronting tragedies of others while struggling to care for themselves.
—
Los voluntarios de una saturada casa de acogida para migrantes, al norte de Ciudad de México, realizan las labores que las autoridades no hacen, enfrentándose a las tragedias de los demás sin poder cuidarse a sí mismos.
“Of all the translations I did this year for palabra, this one came to mind, in part because Eileen’s prose in Spanish is so lovely. I remember wanting to make sure I captured her writer’s voice in the English version. This story was eye-opening and tragic, yet also uplifting. The work of housing and attending to the needs of traumatized migrants should not fall to volunteers, yet there are people out there taking matters into their own hands, with no compensation, often at the expense of their own mental health. At a time when I find myself thinking a lot about how citizens here in the U.S. can effect change outside of government channels, this story gave me hope.”
Ceiling Shattered, Claudia Sheinbaum Staying the Course | Sheinbaum rompe el techo de cristal y se compromete a seguir el legado de su predecesor
Words by Eduardo García and Alfredo Corchado. Photos by Omar Ornelas. Edited by Dudley Althaus.
“I am a mother, grandmother, scientist and woman of faith, and starting today, thanks to the will of the Mexican people, the Constitutional President of the United Mexican States,” says Claudia Sheinbaum in her first message as President of Mexico after her swearing-in ceremony at the Congress, in Mexico City, Mexico, October 1, 2024. Photo by Omar Ornelas/El Paso Times
The first female president of Mexico says she will continue the reforms of her predecessor; some analysts predict a gentler touch with the United States.
This story was co-published with Puente News Collaborative in partnership with palabra.
—
La primera presidenta de México asegura que seguirá con las reformas iniciadas por su antecesor; algunos analistas esperan un toque más suave en las relaciones con Estados Unidos.
Este reportaje es una colaboración de Puente News Collaborative y palabra.
“Eduardo García and Alfredo Corchado's reporting on Mexico's new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, perfectly captures the historic significance of the country inaugurating its first female leader. The piece is both thorough and fact-based, while also reflecting the hope and excitement many Mexican citizens feel about the new administration. The care and depth of research evident in their work highlight García and Corchado's exceptional skills as seasoned journalists.”
Support the voices of independent journalists.Until Dec. 31, your donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar. 
|