The National Association of Hispanic Journalists – Washington, D.C. Chapter hosted its fourth White House Press Briefing on Tuesday, March 26. More than 40 journalists and ten students were part of the delegation that attended the on-the-record briefing with top Biden administration officials.
“We do not take these briefings lightly. For many of us, this is our first time being present in the Old Executive Office Building for an official briefing,” said Brandon Benavides, Chapter president. “On behalf of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, we are thrilled to be back in the White House for a briefing.”
Monica Alba, White House correspondent for NBC News, and Dunia Elvir, Telemundo 52 anchor and NAHJ Spanish at-large officer, moderated a panel featuring four Biden officials: Isabel Casillas Guzman, Small Business Administrator; Adrienne Todman, Acting Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; James Kvaal, Under Secretary of Education and Tom Perez, Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
The journalists in attendance represented broadcast, print and radio including NBC4, Fox5, The Washington Post, El Tiempo Latino, NPR, The New York Times and WTOP among others. Journalists addressed the panel with questions on the housing crisis, the new FAFSA forms and their impact on student debt forgiveness, and other issues impacting the Latino community.
For the first time, students from George Washington University, American University and The University of Maryland joined the briefing.
“As a student, being invited to a White House Press Briefing is an undeniable honor and privilege,” said Avril Silva, a sophomore at George Washington University and President of the GW NAHJ chapter. “It not only opens my eyes to the inner workings of a press briefing, but it stretches the limits of what I can achieve in journalism.”
– Written by Fabianna Rincon, American University student