MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of the Afro-Latino Task Force is to address the unique and complex issues of being Black and Latino in a white-dominated journalism industry. The task force’s goal is also for U.S. newsrooms to recognize the presence, heritage, experiences, and contributions of Afro-Latinos. Within NAHJ, the task force is working to identify and reform the structures that erase or hamper Afro and Black Latino participation and involvement. We want to raise the visibility, voices and contributions of Afro and Black Latino journalists. We want to create opportunities to support and enhance the leadership pipeline within NAHJ for Afro and Black Latino journalists.

Afro-Latino Task Force Members

Carolina Cruz

In 2024, she was featured on one of John Walsh Documentary/TV series produced by Investigation Discovery that airs on HBO MAX as an expert on the Camerina Trujillo Perez case. The disappearance of a Latina mother who was later on found dead. Case she covered extensively in 2022 while reporting in Austin, Texas.

In 2020, she completed the MUJERES DE HACE Women's Leadership Program during a global pandemic, while also working as a News Producer for a bilingual newsroom in a Top 5 market.

In Spring 2017, she was selected as a Reporter Fellow for the Chicago City Bureau, a civic journalism group that focuses on doing community related stories that tackle issues of race and social justice.

In 2015, Carolina was honored as Rockford’s Hispanic Woman of the Year by the Rockford Ethnic Heritage Museum for her work in the community with young people, inspiring and mentoring others to pursue a career in news.

At one point, she was the Professional Development Chair for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists- Chicago Professional Chapter. A chapter she started with other Latina journalists in 2013 right before moving to Rockford.

From 2013 to 2015, Carolina was the Spanish Anchor of ‘Eyewitness News en Español’ the only Spanish newscast between the borderline of Illinois and Wisconsin at the time.

Before that she worked for ‘La Raza Chicago Newspaper’ and in 2013 she won a Silver Award from the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP) for her stories about the Chicago teachers’ union strike, and a Bronze Award for her coverage about UNO Charter schools.

In addition, she participated in the Dow Jones Multimedia Seminar in El Paso, the UNITY Journalists Student Projects in Las Vegas, was a fellow for the National Press Foundation’s Fellowship in Washington, D.C., plus she participated in the McCormick Specialized Reporting Institute: Immigration From the Border to the Heartland.

Carolina Cruz Circle

Carolina Cruz

Chair

Pedro Rivera

Pedro Rivera is an Emmy and LA Press Club Award-winning journalist, who anchors the weekend morning show for ABC7's Eyewitness News in New York City. Pedro also reports dayside for the station.

Prior to returning to New York, Pedro anchored weeknights for KTLA 5 News at 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in Los Angeles. He reported on the Robb Elementary School mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and the Camp Fire in northern California, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state's history. Pedro co-hosted KTLA's WeHo Pride, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Rose Parade specials. Before KTLA, Pedro was the weekday morning anchor and reporter at KTXL in Sacramento.

Pedro Rivera Circle

Pedro Rivera

Co-Chair

Claudia Cruz

Claudia Cruz is the director of internships and experiential learning at the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno and current president of the NAHJ Nevada Chapter. She also serves as editor of the Reynolds School’s Noticiero Móvil bilingual news service. Prior to that, she worked as a technology reporter for CNET en Español where she covered the industry and corporations like Apple, Alphabet and Facebook in Silicon Valley. Before joining CNET, she served as editor of the local news site Mountain View Patch, which she launched. During her time in California. Cruz also served a successful three-year term as president of the Bay Area chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. In New York, Claudia served as editor of El Correo de Queens, staff writer for the Queens Courier and local reporter, The Manhattan Times. She received a Master of Arts from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, a Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Latin American Studies from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. 
 
Claudia Cruz Circle

Claudia Cruz

Treasurer

Vanessa Rumbles

 
Vanessa Rumbles Circle

Vanessa Rumbles

Secretary

Jamé Jackson

Jamé Jackson is an award-winning fashion and beauty on-air expert, actor, media personality, journalist and founder of the award-winning TheBlondeMisfit.com, one of the top 100 fashion and beauty sites in the world. Previously a senior beauty editor at Yahoo and style and beauty writer at BuzzFeed, Jamé has been spotlighted by various publications for her work around diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as multicultural representation in beauty. In 2016, she was named one of Google’s “Women to Watch,” and has since been highlighted on Business of Fashion, Refinery29, Forbes, HuffPo, Teen Vogue, Allure and more. To increase Black and brown representation in entertainment, she is also the founder of Misfit Creative Media, LLC.

Jamé Jackson Circle

Jamé Jackson

Working Member

Katiuska Fernandez

Katiuska Fernandez is a dynamic Global Development and Content Executive with extensive experience in content creation and strategic development. She has a proven track record in production, creative optimization, team management, and operations. Certified in venture capital, Katiuska is adept at navigating emerging media, streaming platforms, and multi-channel content strategies. She is passionate about driving innovation in the media industry and leveraging data intelligence to inform strategic decision-making. As a purpose-driven leader, she is committed to fostering collaborative environments and delivering impactful results.

Katiuska Fernandez Circle

Katiuska Fernandez

Working Member

Jeydah Jenkins

Jeydah Jenkins is a first-generation Afro-Latina journalist with roots in the Dominican Republic. A proud graduate of Clark Atlanta University, she made history as the first Afro-Latina crowned Miss Clark Atlanta University (2021–2022). She embodies representation and advocacy, using her platforms to amplify Afro-Latino voices and champion diversity in storytelling.

As an accomplished multimedia journalist and talk show host, Jeydah has extensive experience in producing, interviewing, copyediting, and creating compelling content for diverse audiences. Most recently, she worked in production at Scripps News, where her contributions drove a 30% growth in viewership for National Report.

Jeydah’s passion for education and community service shines through her dedication to literacy and youth development. She spent a year teaching 7th-grade English to a predominantly Hispanic student population in Atlanta, GA, and adopted an elementary classroom in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, providing resources and encouragement to underserved students.

Outside the newsroom, Jeydah celebrates her Dominican heritage through her nationally recognized empanada catering business, showcasing the rich flavors of her culture while fostering meaningful connections. A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and active in the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists, she is committed to uplifting Afro-Latino voices in traditionally white-dominated spaces.

Jeydah lives by the mantra: “Si puedes soñarlo, puedes lograrlo.”

Jeydah Jenkins Circle

Jeydah Jenkins

Working Member

Edna Liliana Valencia

Edna Liliana Valencia Murillo is a proudly Afro-Colombian journalist. With more than 15 years of experience in national and international media. Activist for the rights of the Afro population, poet and writer; author of the book “Racism and I” published in May 2022 at the international book fair in Bogotá. During 2022, she served as the official presenter of the Colombian Ministry of Culture. During 2022 and 2023, she worked as press officer for the Vice Presidency of the Republic. Social communicator with emphasis on international journalism and communication for development. News anchor and reporter with international coverage with experience in around 15 countries around the world. Expert in Afro-Latin studies certified by Harvard University. Consultant for Disney Animation Studios in afro representation for the movie “Encanto” inspired by Colombia. Afro hair stylist and organizer of festivals and fairs exalting Afro culture. For 4 years, reporter and news anchor on the French channel France 24, which broadcasts in 180 countries around the world, in four languages. It is the TV channel of the renowned Radio France International station.

Anchor of daily news, the program on women’s rights “Ellas Hoy” and the program “África 7 días”, the only news program in Spanish 100% dedicated to the African continent. She was the first Afro journalist to work at Noticias RCN, one of the television channels with the most audience in Colombia. There, for another four years, they stood out for their reporting on the country’s diverse populations during and received four awards for being the creator of the first news source focused on diversity issues. Awarded as the Afro-Colombian journalist of the year in 2015, recognition granted by the newspaper El Espectador and the Color de Colombia Foundation. She was the first presenter from Latin America to present general news with her natural afro hair. For this reason, today, it is considered a benchmark of identity for the new generations. From this role, she accompanies the work of Afro women’s groups in various Latin American countries such as Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama and Ecuador. As a social entrepreneur, Edna Liliana is the creator of the Vive Tu Pelo Afro project that promotes the empowerment and identity strengthening of black women in various regions of the country. She is also a partner and legal representative of the identity and aesthetics center “AfriCaBellos” that is about to open its doors in the city of Cali.

Edna Liliana Valencia Circle

Edna Liliana Valencia

Working Member

Pedro Cabrera

I am a nationally recognized educator with nearly 13 years of experience in journalism education. I taught at Judson High School in Converse, TX for almost a decade, revitalizing the journalism program and turning it into a state and nationally-recognized one. That is where much of my academic knowledge is from—scholastic journalism!

​While a Communication Specialist at Judson ISD, I launched Insight, the district's first podcast, managed the day-to-day operation of the district and school websites, and wrote all news and feature articles and photography for the district. In 2024, the Texas School Public Relations Association recognized me with a Best Of in News/Feature Writing Star Award, a Gold Star Award, and two Silver Star Awards.

In 2023, I received my Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with basic qualitative research focused on gatekeeping theory, scholastic journalism, media literacy, civic engagement, student leadership, student voice, and student censorship.

I've been involved with various local, state, and national committees and boards, including mentoring new journalism advisers, coordinating Scholastic Journalism Week with the Journalism Education Association and advocating for journalism education with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

I am currently in my 14th year in education. I've taught middle school for two years and high school for almost a decade, worked in central office administration, and been a college professor for over seven years (collectively) with the University of Texas at San Antonio and Alamo Colleges.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pjcabrera87/

Pedro Cabrera Circle

Pedro Cabrera

Working Member

HOW TO JOIN:

Want to get involved and engage with journalists that share your similar interest? Here’s how to get started:

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  • Afro-Latino Task Force
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