Dual Milestones

As the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) celebrates its 40th anniversary, palabra, a bilingual multimedia platform offering a voice for members and elevating their work, turns five years old this summer. NAHJ founded palabra to nurture, support, mentor, and showcase the work and vision of its independent journalists.

palabra provides freelance journalists an opportunity to share local, national and international stories — often overlooked by larger news outlets — to paint a more authentic and honest portrait of our Latino communities. Through unique perspectives, expert analysis, and probing investigations, palabra has delivered reliable and impactful journalism that combats misinformation and fosters a well-informed public.

In five years, 185 (and counting) writers, editors, photojournalists, documentarians, audio storytellers and illustrators have produced some 210 original stories. Today palabra stories reach up to 16 million potential readers through syndication via the Advance Local network of community news websites. And palabra is a charter member of the URL Media Network, a coalition of ethnic and community news organizations.

palabra’s mission goes beyond just reporting news; it is about creating a nurturing and creative space for Latino journalists. By offering support and mentorship, palabra empowers contributors to develop stories that matter to the Latino community, without constraints often imposed by mainstream media outlets. This approach aligns with NAHJ's longstanding advocacy for increased Latino representation in newsrooms.

To celebrate palabra's 5th, and in honor of NAHJ’s 40th, we’re featuring engaging conversations and video selfies with a dozen or so NAHJ journalists. On palabra and at NAHJ.org, you will see and hear from folks who were on hand when NAHJ started. These are some of the newspaper reporters and editors, founders of new digital news outlets, network television anchors and reporters, rising personalities delivering news on social media, and executives from public media newsrooms who represent the diverse fabrics of the venerable organization.

These videos showcase the journalists who’ve helped palabra grow, or serve as the kind of mentors palabra counts on to foster a new generation of NAHJ talent.

“The idea of having us all come together and unite and perhaps be respected and recognized was so important to me,” says Saida Pagán, a palabra contributor talking about the first time she heard of the creation of NAHJ.

“I found out about palabra and that changed my life completely,” adds Pagán, a veteran TV reporter and documentarian. The palabra editorial team “really set my career in a different course, I have always liked print, I always wanted to be a magazine writer and they made my dreams come true.”

Through palabra, and powered by NAHJ, we are not just telling stories. We’re reshaping the narrative around us, and along the way, I hope we’re thoroughly mining the value of every good story and ensuring that every voice that wants to be heard, can be heard.

We hope these commemorative conversations also encourage NAHJ members attending the 40th anniversary conference in Hollywood to record their own messages or the stories of how they got started and where they are today, for the organization’s archives.

– Ricardo Sandoval-Palos
PBS Public Editor
Founding Editor, NAHJ’s palabra
@ricsand
CCNMA member, 1984
NAHJ member, 1985