Rebecca Aguilar
Freelance Journalist
Founder, Latinas in Journalism
Diversity Chair, Society of Professional Journalists
@RebeccaAguilar
Rebecca Aguilar is a veteran Latina journalist who paved the way for Latinx reporters across the country with her newsroom work in Toledo, Chicago, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Dallas.
Over nearly four decades, she has won 50 awards and nominations, including several Emmys.
“Stories where I can put scumbags and thugs in jail!” are the ones she thrives on, Aguilar says.
One such story led to a Dallas school district being shut down after Aguilar reported that some board members were ripping off the district. Another story helped shut down a foster-care placement center after three children were murdered. And the federal government added an employee regulation after she revealed that registered sex offenders were delivering the U.S. mail.
But it hasn’t all been a bed of roses. Aguilar was fired in 2008 by Fox station KDFW-TV after her interview of a 70-year-old man who had shot and killed two intruders who’d tried to break into his business over the course of three weeks. Although initially praised for her scoop by colleagues, the torrent of angry calls and emails led to her termination. She filed suit with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for wrongful termination, a challenge she eventually lost. In retrospect, she says it was one of the best things that happened in her career.
“They took ONE job, but not my passion for journalism and my experience and talent,” explains Aguilar. “I expanded myself and became a freelance reporter, television news consultant, a board member for a national journalism organization.”
The daughter of undocumented workers who became green card holders and civil rights leaders in Ohio, Aguilar developed a passion for giving back to the Latino community and for increasing diversity in newsrooms. “We help people through our storytelling all the time, and we should always help people of color inside newsrooms.” That commitment led her to join the board of NAHJ. Today she runs two of the largest Latina groups on Facebook, including Latinas in Journalism, with over 2,200 active members who share job openings, float resumes, give career advice and share resources. The safe space also allows Latina journalists to get pointers about how to navigate tricky waters in areas like salary negotiations and contracts.
Aguilar's buoyant energy is almost patented. In under 10 minutes, she can learn enough about a Latina journalist to offer up poignant career advice: "Save your money," she advises. "Don't live beyond your means, invest in stocks if you can and have a few fun side hustles."
Her own side hustles include voice-over work, teaching and even making holiday wreathes when she’s watching TV. Aguilar has been the SPJ's Diversity Chair since 2018. Earlier this year Aguilar was honored with the SPJ President's Award for her trajectory and elected as the secretary/national treasurer.
The one thing you wouldn’t expect from Rebecca: “Dang! Good question. I think most people who know me personally or via social media know I am an open book. I put it ALL out there.”