NAHJ Issues Guidance on the Proper Use of Spanish Surnames Following the Tragic Killing of Valentina Orellana Peralta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

December 30, 2021

NAHJ Issues Guidance on the Proper Use of Spanish Surnames Following the Tragic Killing of Valentina Orellana Peralta

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is disturbed by the shooting-death of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana Peralta in Los Angeles, CA on Dec. 23. The teen and her mother were shopping for dresses at a Burlington store in North Hollywood when an officer from the Los Angeles Police Department fired his gun and killed Daniel Elena Lopez, a man who police say was assaulting customers. Orellana was also killed during the shooting incident, according to news reports. 

As the story continues to unfold, NAHJ urges reporters and editors to verify how people of Latin heritage use their last names. The Orellana case is an example of the importance of addressing cultural and linguistic representation in newsrooms:

• Traditionally, in Spanish-speaking cultures, people have two surnames: a paternal and maternal surname, with the paternal surname preceding the maternal surname. For example, in Valentina’s case, Orellana is her father’s surname and Peralta is her mother’s surname.
• Individuals may also have multiple first names. 
• It is not customary for women to change names when they marry. Rather, both surnames are used after marriage and there’s no hyphen. 
• When referring to an individual by surname, the traditional format is to use the first surname. However, journalists should check an individual’s preference to ensure that on second reference the proper surname(s) is accurately reflected in the story.
• As a best practice, the NAHJ recommends that journalists ask how each individual or family for preferred self-references.

In the news coverage following the shooting, a multitude of publications have hyphenated Valentina’s surname as ‘Orellana-Peralta.’ The traditional use of Spanish surnames, which Orellana’s family uses in her family’s GoFundMe fundraiser, does not use a hyphen. News articles have also incorrectly referred to the deceased suspect, Daniel Elena Lopez, by his maternal surname of ‘Lopez’ rather than his paternal surname, ‘Elena.’ 

To conduct culturally competent reporting, NAHJ calls upon journalists to practice due diligence in researching or to ask for the appropriate formatting of names in stories. As a community, it is essential to not simply report the news, but to accurately represent an individual or family. 

Further guidance on best practices and information about fair and accurate coverage can be found in NAHJ’s Cultural Competence Handbook which can be used as a starting point for additional research. 

NAHJ extends its condolences to Valentina’s family and calls for diligent reporting in the wake of this tragedy.

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