June 20, 2025 – More than a professional gathering, this year’s NAHJ Conference & Expo in Chicago will be a platform for news, with main-stage sessions tackling some of today’s most urgent issues, including challenges to press freedom occurring from the streets to the boardroom.
The plenaries, which anchor a packed program of more than 100 learning sessions from July 9-12, will also address climate change, health, immigration, sports and the economic well being of Latino families.
“At a time when Latino journalists are on the front lines of some of the nation’s biggest stories, these plenaries will provide deeper context, sharper tools, and a space for conversations that will resonate well beyond the conference walls,” said NAHJ Executive Director Yaneth Guillén-Díaz.
Among the main-stage sessions at #NAHJ25:
- Protests, pressure, and press freedom: reporting in a time of escalating risk
- How can journalists report safely and effectively when we are targeted while covering protests, denied access to official sources, and face legal and political intimidation? This urgent conversation will bring together frontline reporters and legal experts to share strategies for navigating today’s layered risks.
- How can journalists report safely and effectively when we are targeted while covering protests, denied access to official sources, and face legal and political intimidation? This urgent conversation will bring together frontline reporters and legal experts to share strategies for navigating today’s layered risks.
- The price of truth: media, money, and democracy
- This session will examine how ownership, funding, and political pressure shape newsroom independence and public trust. It will feature FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, MacArthur Foundation President John Palfrey, and Field Foundation President Daniel Ash, moderated by award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa.
- This session will examine how ownership, funding, and political pressure shape newsroom independence and public trust. It will feature FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, MacArthur Foundation President John Palfrey, and Field Foundation President Daniel Ash, moderated by award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa.
Additional main-stage sessions will explore key issues across themes:
- Science + Health
- Immigration
- Latino Economic Power
- Sports
- Telemundo Deportes will do a special live taping of El Pelotazo, the network’s new studio show produced entirely with virtual technology. The show will reveal how Telemundo is using immersive storytelling and cutting-edge digital tools to redefine coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.
- ESPN will stream a live broadcast of its hit show Ahora o Nunca straight from the Career Expo floor.
Close to 1,500 Latino journalists, media leaders, and students are expected to attend the conference July 9–12 at the Chicago Hilton under the 2025 theme: “Stronger Together: Journalism, Community and the Power of Truth.”
The Opening Celebration, sponsored by the Chicago Bears, will feature NAHJ leaders, chapter awards and an appearance by journalist and comedian Ana Belaval. Special events include the Hall of Fame Gala, Ñ Awards luncheon, Noche de Fiesta, White Sox game, Military Veterans in Journalism Convention, field trip, and more.
The conference will also feature activations from NAHJ Cares, our health and wellness initiative that supports members through resources such as yoga sessions, morning and evening walks/runs, and designated safe spaces to foster community care throughout the event.
More than 100 learning sessions will span topics ranging from AI and emerging tech to leadership, investigative reporting, and Spanish-language journalism. For sponsorship opportunities, contact: Diana Maltez, Director of Development, (866) 356-7239, Ext. 4
Read more about #NAHJ25 or visit nahjconference.org to register.
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About the National Association of Hispanic Journalists
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is the largest organization of Latino journalists in the United States and is dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry. Established in April 1984, NAHJ created a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic journalists. The mission of NAHJ is to increase the number of Latinos in newsrooms and to work toward fair and accurate representation of Latinos in news media. NAHJ has more than 3,500 members, including working journalists, journalism students, other media-related professionals, and journalism educators. For more information, please visit NAHJ.org or follow us on X @NAHJ.
Press contact: Andrew Sherry, press@nahj.org, (305) 954-7571