Jan. 7, 2025 – The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) and Military Veterans in Journalism (MVJ) are excited to announce a collaboration to uplift the voices of underrepresented journalists nationwide and create even greater opportunity for journalists, media professionals and supporters of newsroom diversity to connect and thrive.
MVJ will host its 2025 convention on July 8 at the Hilton Chicago in downtown Chicago, alongside NAHJ’s own annual conference from July 9-12.
“This collaboration emphasizes a fundamental belief: journalism benefits profoundly from diverse experiences,” said Yaneth Guillen-Diaz, executive director of NAHJ. “By joining forces to support military veterans and Latinos in journalism, we’re building the pool of experienced, culturally competent professionals that today’s newsrooms need to serve their communities.”
“We are excited to create an incredible experience for attendees, both military-connected and not, who want to engage with the most pressing issues in the news industry today while connecting with fellow diverse community members,” said MVJ co-founder Zack Baddorf, a Navy veteran turned journalist. “By hosting our event the day before NAHJ’s own conference kicks off, we intend to give both the MVJ and NAHJ communities an exceptional opportunity to deepen their understanding and make meaningful connections with colleagues across the media landscape.”
Both conferences will bring together top-tier speakers, innovators, and industry experts, and co-locating them at the Hilton Chicago offers attendees the chance to participate in both conferences and maximize their professional development and networking opportunities. More than a third of U.S. active duty service members are Hispanic.
Both organizations are committed to providing cutting-edge content and fostering collaboration among journalists of all backgrounds, skill levels, and specialties. Attendees will have the chance to engage in critical conversations about the future of journalism, new media trends, advocating for themselves in newsrooms, and much more.
For more information on registration, speakers, and event schedules, please visit the NAHJ25 website or the MVJ25 website.
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About the National Association of Hispanic Journalists
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is an educational and charitable association dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanic students, professionals, and educators in the field of journalism. NAHJ focuses heavily on advocacy, addressing injustices and political issues that affect Latino journalists throughout the country, while also supporting a growing network of members and chapters. Learn more at NAHJ.org or follow us on X @nahj.
About Military Veterans in Journalism
Military Veterans in Journalism is a professional association that builds community for vets, supports their career growth, and advocates for diversifying newsrooms through hiring and promoting more vets. Led and run by a dedicated corps of military veterans and military family members, we are working with newsrooms and other non-profit organizations to create opportunities for vets to get a jump start in the media industry. Whether through internships, fellowships or mentorships, our work has created a pipeline to get vets into newsrooms.