LOS ANGELES, August 8, 2024 – When Dunia Elvir arrived at the Loews Hollywood Hotel for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists 40th Anniversary Conference last month, her compact car was packed to the ceiling with over a dozen paintings, shoes, books, baskets and other items donated for the silent auction along with a big box with 100 “periodista” t-shirts for the conference.
Elvir was just days away from being elected as new national board president for the 3,700-hundred member organization, but the Telemundo 52 Los Angeles primetime news anchor was doing what she has long done for NAHJ – pitching in as a volunteer.
“NAHJ has helped me at every stage of my career, even when I spoke mostly Spanish and was trying to break into the news business in California,” said Elvir, who immigrated to the United States from Honduras at 15. “Of course I’m going to do everything I can to support those who are coming up after me.”
Elvir, along with the other board members elected on July 13, embody the spirit of mutual support evident when more than 1,800 members gathered in Hollywood July 9-13 for the conference and expo. She succeeds Yvette Cabrera, an investigative environmental journalist who has driven the implementation of the five-year strategic plan since she took office in 2022.
“Under Yvette’s leadership, the board has built a road to success. I look forward to extending that road to bring more Latinos into news, and ensure we are represented at the leadership level,” Elvir said.
Elvir is an Award-winning journalist with more than two decades of experience. She began her journalistic career in 1990 at Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, joined Telemundo Network in 2002 and returned to KVEA in 2008. As anchor for the weekday primetime Noticiero Telemundo 52 she is a familiar and trusted source of news and community information for many Spanish-speaking and bilingual households in Greater LA.
Her recognition is not just local. Last year, Elvir was one of seven Latina journalists featured in “¡De última hora! Latinas Report Breaking News,” a bilingual exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History showcasing the work of Latina journalists and how they wrote the first draft of history for major U.S. events for the Spanish-language communities they report on and for.
The exhibit included a pair of the high heels she wore whether she was covering protests, crime scenes or natural disasters.
Her storytelling has earned her prestigious awards, including three Golden Mikes from the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California, 13 Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, and a GLAAD Media Award, among others. In 2004, she was named one of the 13 most outstanding Latinas in the United States by the National Association of Latina Leaders.
Elvir serves as a volunteer teacher for InsideOUT Writers, an organization whose mission is to reduce the juvenile recidivism rate of formerly incarcerated youth and young adults, she is a Girl Scout Troop Leader and serves as the station’s ambassador for March of Dimes’ “March for Babies Walk.”
Elvir earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. Elvir also completed a journalism fellowship with the University of Southern California (USC) She did the manage-mentor program from Harvard School of Business.
Follow Dunia Elvir on social media @duniaelvir