Portrait of a Journalist as a Cultural Icon
Smithsonian portrait honors Latino USA’s Maria Hinojosa as an indispensable voice in American journalism
By Ricardo Sandoval-Palos
At the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Thalia Kyrwood of Washington, D.C., sketches the portrait of Maria Hinojosa, trailblazing journalist and Latino USA’s executive producer.
Toward the end of 2019, three stunning photographs went on display on the third floor of the bustling Smithsonian Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
In the popular gallery that hosts the breathtaking portrait of Michelle Obama, evocative portraits of three Latinas – standout storytellers – now dominate an entire wall. On the left it’s New York author Marta Moreno Vega. On the right, trailblazing writer Sandra Cisneros stands in sharp focus.
Moreno Vega and Cisneros flank a colorful portrait of a smiling Maria Hinojosa, the pioneering radio and television reporter, editor and entrepreneur whose Futuro Media Group has turned Latino USA into a popular public affairs broadcast on National Public Radio.
The center of attention is familiar ground for Hinojosa. She’s routinely called upon by mainstream outlets to break down important events from the Latino perspective. She’s been a news reporter for PBS, CNN and CBS. She has taken turns hosting shows like NOW and Frontline. She’s won major accolades, among them John Chancellor and Edward R. Murrow prizes, an Overseas Press Club honor and a Robert F. Kennedy award. But the Smithsonian honor is humbling, said Hinojosa.
“This really feels like a pinch me moment because the Smithsonian is such an important institution for American culture and history in the United States,” Hinojosa said. “What’s special about this particular portrait in that museum is where it’s hanging – between two powerful Latinas who are my guiding lights. On the one side, Marta Moreno Vega, an Afro-Latina, Puerto Rican, New Yorker, Yoruba, priestess, author and Santeria, as well as an academic in her own right. On the other side, flanked by Sandra Cisneros, the great Latina writer who opened the doors for so many of us and who I am lucky enough to call a friend.”
The exhibit, in an important gallery that hosts thousands of visitors each week, helps elevate the profile of U.S. Latino storytellers. For Hinojosa, it celebrates the pinnacle she’s reached after years of overcoming barriers in an industry unaccustomed to Latinas calling the shots. Yet, even as she feels immense pride in her accomplishments, Hinojosa’s ambitions hasn’t idled. While she remains a little shy about how she’ll top the Smithsonian honor, she hints that she’s got another passion project she’s been developing for some time.
Meanwhile, she’ll keep pushing “to increase the reach of ‘Latino USA’” she said. She’s also curating a political podcast, In The Thick. Hinojosa says she’s also “working on several documentaries, and I remain committed to humanizing our stories at every turn.”
So, for the young Latino journalist who comes across the portrait in the Smithsonian, what is the takeaway?
“I have always understood that for me, journalism was about making visible the things that appeared to be invisible, going to communities often overlooked, and speaking to people who are thought of as less than,” Hinojosa said. “Journalism is not a job … it is a mission and a huge responsibility. That being said, I would urge [young journalists] to understand that being a journalist in the United States of America is about impacting the history of our country.”