Se Busca Reporteras: Ta Inequities

By Andrea López

There are over 6,000 journalists in the United States. Of the six thousand, 53.4% are women and of the 54.4 %, a little over 12% are Latinos. Latinx women in newsrooms have always seen a small percentage of representation, with a shocking 3% of representation in newsrooms, according to the NLA. Newsrooms around the country have seen a slow pace and less change.

Latinx women in newsrooms continue to lack representation and the change that needs to be made, is a change that can only be made within the newsrooms.

Rebecca Aguilar recalled being the only Latina woman in a couple of newsrooms. A memory still fresh in her mind.

“Toledo. (Ohio) I was the only Latina. Chicago, pretty sure I was the only Latina there too. I don’t remember, there was another Latina but I’m pretty sure she was Latina. But I think she was ashamed of it or hid it,” said Aguilar.

While working in Chicago, Aguilar was the only bilingual reporter and after moving to Corpus Christi, Texas and later to San Antonio, Texas, Aguilar was once again the only Latina in the newsroom. Locations where the Latinx community is significant.

Aguilar grew up in Ohio and has been a reporter for 40 years, with 28 of those years in television. The reporter also has 50 awards and nominations under her belt and was the first Latina president for the Society of Professional Journalists. To bring diversity, it all starts with change in newsrooms. Aguilar shared three reasons she believes Latinas in newsrooms continue to show a slow pace:

White men in leadership, whose comfort zone is within their own white community, lack an open heart. When pushed to bring in diversity, they turn to hire a white woman.

People of color with diverse backgrounds tend to stray away from speaking up, out of worry that it could impact evaluations.

“And number three is people of color, who are put in leadership positions, but are also afraid to speak up,” said Aguilar.

Rebecca Aguilar is the founder for the Facebook group, Latinas in Journalism.

A group where Latinx women journalists can share issues, seek advice and guidance, and more importantly, encouragement in a market that is still lack diversity.

USC’s Associate Dean of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Access, Laura Castañeda said the reasons why the numbers are low can stem from many different reasons.

“You know, the goal a long time ago was to try and reach parity right with our demographics. Right now, our demographics are that almost 19% of the US population is Latinx,” said Castañeda. “And the goal at one point was to try and reach demographic parity. So, in other words, we wanted to make sure that in newsrooms at least 19% of reporters, photographers, editors, etc, producers were 19%, we’re Latinx.”

Castañeda said they are below the 19%, depending on the newsroom that may be in a Spanish language environment.