Our chapter election is here! We have a great group of candidates working in a wide range of media outlets around the city. You will notice several familiar faces. Cast your vote by the close of business this Friday, August 25th by emailing nahjdc@gmail.com. All candidates are running unopposed. Their term will be from Sept. 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018. 

Melissa Macaya – President

Producer at CNN en Español
Melissa Macaya is a three-time Emmy nominated news producer who is passionate about reporting on Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic community. Born and raised in Venezuela, Melissa has gained journalism experience on the local, national and international level. She currently serves as a producer for CNN en Español where she produces content for two shows and across digital platforms. She is part of the network’s political team “Voto Latino” and covered the 2016 presidential election both in Washington and in the field.Prior to CNN, Melissa was a fellow at NBC News in their Washington bureau and worked with Univision locally in Texas. She completed a Master’s degree from Georgetown University in International and Political journalism. Melissa loves to travel and has worked and lived in 5 countries: Venezuela, Spain, Mexico, Argentina and the United States.

Patricia Guadalupe – Vice President

Bilingual multimedia journalist

Raised in Puerto Rico, Patricia Guadalupe is a bilingual multimedia journalist based in Washington, D.C. She has been covering the capital for both English and Spanish-language media outlets since the mid- 1990s. She previously worked as a reporter in New York City. She’s been an editor at Hispanic Link News Service (where she still writes political news), a reporter at WTOP Radio (CBS Washington affiliate), a contributing reporter for CBS Radio network, and has written for NBC News.com and Latino Magazine, among others. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and has a Master’s degree from the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University. She specializes in business news, politics and cultural issues, and also freelances as a

Aileen Schlef – Secretary

Freelance reporter for Hispanic Link News Service and LATINO

Aileen Schlef established Creative Alliance Communications (CAC) following more than 20 years of executive experience in corporate, government, university and community settings. Aileen has also has chronicled Latino life since the 1970s launch of La Luz Magazine, Hispanic, Nuestro, LatinaStyle, among others. She is currently a freelance reporter for Hispanic Link News Service and LATINO. She was a founding member of the pioneering National Latino Media Coalition in the 1970s and headed the Latino Media Task Force of Washington, DC.An active member of the National Press Club (NPC), Aileen was honored with Vivian Awards in 2011 and 2013.

Beatriz Pascual– Treasurer

Foreign correspondent at EFE

Beatriz Pascual Macias covers Justice, Immigration and National Security for EFE, major newswire in Spanish. She has interviewed a wide variety of public figures, including General John Kelly when he was U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. While reporting in Washington D.C., her work on the U.S. And Mexico border was selected to participate in “Global Spotlight”, a collaboration between the world’s most important newswires on migration. 

Before coming to the United States, Beatriz worked as a Justice and Crime reporter for EFE in Madrid (Spain). She also worked as a freelance reporter for various radio programs and multimedia platforms covering different issues, from the Mexican general election in 2012 to the social upheaval in Algeria following the Arab Spring. 

Jennifer Vasquez – At-Large-Officer

Multimedia producer for NBC Washington

Jennifer Vasquez is a multimedia producer for NBC Washington. As a bilingual journalist she covers Capitol Hill and the White House for the 11 NBC owned stations across the country and Telemundo. She’s assisted with the planning and coverage of large events like Pope Francis’ visit to DC, State of the Union addresses, presidential inaugurations, and multiple Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremonies. Vasquez began her career at the BBC News in Washington. She’s a first-generation college graduate and a native Washingtonian. She recently finished grad school at Georgetown University.

NAHJ DC is pleased to announce our Summer 2017 Charlie Ericksen Journalism Supplement winners Javier Giribet-Vargas and Miriam Barchilón Elbaz. We had a highly talented pool of applicants this semester and were very impressed with their passion for journalism. Both will be awarded with a supplement worth $500 and be matched with a mentor who works as a journalist in the DC area.

Javier Giribet-Vargas, Intern with NPR’s All Things Considered – Weekend

Javier was born in Distrito Federal, Mexico. He earned an associate’s degree in communication studies form Collin College in 2014. Then, transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington in the Spring of 2015. His first media job was Promotions Clerk for Univision Dallas, where he worked for almost nine months while going to school. Afterwards, NBC Universal hired him as a part-time production assistant, where he worked for over two years.

He started an internship at the North Texas NPR member station in the summer of 2016. He helped with the production of a daily show and reported local stories for the station’s newscast. Afterwards, he became a freelance writer for Al Día Dallas, where he reported on general news, arts and entertainment.

In May, he graduated from UT Arlington with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communication. Three days after his graduation ceremony, he moved to Washington D.C., where I started working as an intern for NPR’s All Things Considered – Weekend.

His goal after his internship is to work as a producer for NPR, or one of its member stations.

Miriam Barchilón Elbaz, Intern (trainee correspondent) with EFE

Miriam Barchilon is a Spanish journalist living one of the most fulfilling professional experiences of her life for the past year in D.C. She’s a trainee correspondent with Efe, a major Spanish speaking newswire, and has been reporting on the new Trump era since just a week before he won the election, with a specific focus on immigration and Hispanic issues. Before, she was a reporter for EFE in Barcelona and worked for a local newspaper. Miriam studied journalism in Barcelona and Canada, with a minor in political science, and is now studying a master in Transmedia Journalism.

Her favorite fields are politics, data journalism and investigative journalism. On her spare time she loves watching Ellen, The Simpsons and Parks and Recreation, enjoys playing sports and going to the beach. She’s passionate about what she does and her goal is excellence. She was born in Ceuta, a Spanish city in the north of Africa, raised in Mallorca, a Spanish island, and has also lived in Barcelona, Bellingham (Washington) and Montreal. She speaks five languages and loves to travel the world, meeting new people and getting to know different cultures. One day, she aspires to make a difference into the lives of extraordinary people whose stories haven’t been told yet and dreams of contributing to good journalism.

POLITICO hosted members of the Washington Chapter of NAHJ and NABJ for a summer happy hour on Thursday, June 15 from 6-8pm in their offices in Arlington, Virginia. Participants enjoyed drinks on the rooftop and were given a tour of the office. Editor of POLITICO Carrie Budoff Brown and Managing Editor Sudeep Reddy  welcomed the group and stressed the journalism outlet’s commitment to newsroom diversity.

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Mark your calendars and plan to join us for our 6th annual chapter fundraiser, Noche de Periodistas on Saturday, June 24th from 4-7pm! This is our biggest chapter fundraiser of the year and helps fund our scholarship programs.

Ray Suarez will graciously host us again at his home in the AU Park neighborhood in the District.Come mingle with other DC journalists and enjoy delicious food and music. We will also have a live auction.

Tickets are $25 if you bring a side dish. The full price is $50.

You can buy tickets here: http://bit.ly/2snfq4D

Feel free to share with friends and coworkers.

Join the Washington Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ DC) and the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) for a POLITICO newsroom tour and terrace reception overlooking Washington on Thursday, June 15, 6-8 p.m.

The POLITICO Headquarters are located at 1000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. (just off the Rosslyn Metro)

RSVP here http://bit.ly/2roVU9T by June 12th. Space is limited.

NAHJ DC hosted a chapter meeting at the Reuters Washington bureau on May 24 in the international news wire’s offices located downtown. Reuters Washington Bureau Chief Kieran Murray gave members a tour and alongside Managing Editor for News Strategy and Operations Don Durfee, led a discussion about the news wire’s coverage of the Trump administration, its diversity efforts and global reach. Members participated in a Q&A session with both.

“At the heart, Reuters takes a global perspective of things – we try to tell stories for a global audience,” Durfee said. “We are independent and stateless – that is who we are. We are here to tell the facts.”

Murray noted that the agency aims to cover the Trump administration like any other major topic – pursuing the facts.

“It’s a great moment for journalists in the U.S.,” Murray said. “You have to report on Trump beyond the noise and ask yourself, what is actually going to change here? What are the implications?”

Deputy Managing Editor for Operations of Reuters Arlyn Gajilan described different initiatives at the agency to recruit and retain more diverse journalists. Some of those initiatives include connecting bureaus with local chapters of minority journalism organizations and recruiter diverse candidates for mid-level positions. Both Murray and Durfee said newsroom diversity is an area where the agency needs to grow.

“We are aiming to drive more diversity in our newsroom Reuters diversity leads to better stories,” Durfee said.

Aside from hosting NAHJ DC for this meeting, Reuters recruited our the organization’s fourth annual Washington Journalism Job Fair held on March 25th.

Join the NAHJ Washington Chapter for our May meeting at Reuters on Wednesday, May 24 at 6:30pm.

The event will include a conversation with the DC bureau’s editors, a reception and tour of the international news agency’s new offices in downtown Washington.

The Reuters Washington bureau is located at: 1333 H St NW (Suite 510). Closest metros are McPherson Square and Metro Center.

Please RSVP by the close of business on Tuesday, May 23 by emailing nahjdc@gmail.com

Space is limited. We hope you can join us!

The Washington Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) and the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) honored veteran TV journalist Maureen Bunyan and senior Reporter at WAMU, the NPR news station in Washington, Armando Trull at a reception celebrating diversity held on Wednesday, April 19 at the National Press Club.

NAHJ DC Secretary and longtime National Press Club member Aileen Schlef opened the inaugural event describing her fight for diversity and noted the importance of minority journalism organizations. She told attendees about her activism work in the 60’s and 70’s and reminded them that gains made during that period “can be easily taken away from us.”

“Let’s celebrate us and take us seriously,” Aileen said. “Consider our organizations your extended families, your safe haven.  And those of us with longer histories, we still have our hands on the torch and are with you.”

The President of the National Press Club Jeffrey Ballou, the first African-American male to lead the organization, welcomed attendees and urged members of both organizations to join the effort to uphold freedom of the press.

“In this age when people are trying to undermine the core of the Constitution, you have to be there to fight for it,” Ballou said. “We need you to be a part of the action because it’s worth it.”

President of NAHJ DC Melissa Macaya and President of WABJ Donna Walker presented the awards to Trull and Bunyan, recognizing their many career milestones and efforts to help advance diversity in news. Both journalists have left an important mark in D.C. and beyond. Macaya thanked them for paving the way for many journalists of color.

“In the hectic world of journalism, we sometimes forget to stop and honor those who have paved the way for us,” Macaya said. “We are here tonight to celebrate them – two outstanding journalists who are not only excellent professionals, but are role models and mentors.”

Upon receiving the award, Trull, who has actively covered Washington, D.C. for more than 25 years, told attendees that journalism is not a job, but a calling. Trull’s Emmy-award winning reporting, in both English and Spanish, has been seen, heard, and read by millions.

“I care about making a difference,” Trull said. “You have to go in thinking how you will make a difference with each story you do. If you want to make an impact, you have to divorce what your job is from what your mission is. I challenge you all, especially young journalists, to not be afraid to do the stories that make a difference.”

Bunyan, who has been a veteran TV journalist in Washington since 1973 and is one of the founders of NABJ, urged the audience to listen to their hearts and use their work to make a positive impact. “When your heart says ‘you have to do something about something’ find a way to do something about it,” Bunyan said. “Stand up, speak up and keep going.”

Bunyan noted her and Trull’s similar immigrant roots. Bunyan is an immigrant of Aruba and Trull of Cuba. Through their journalism work in the United States, they aimed to advance the freedom of the press they did not experience in their home countries.

This was the inaugural “Recognizing Journalism Excellence: Celebrating D.C.’s diverse voices” awards reception. NAHJ DC and WABJ plan to make it a yearly tradition and hope other minority journalism groups join. Macaya discussed the projects of the D.C. Journalism Diversity Coalition, of which NAHJ DC and WABJ are a part of. The most noteworthy of these initiatives is the Washington Journalism Job Fair which has been held for four years to hire more diverse candidates in top media outlets.