On October 4, 2007, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) honored its 2007 award winners at the 22nd Annual Noche de Triunfos Journalism Awards Gala at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Revisit the evening by viewing our photo gallery. Below, you will also find the list of the gala's honorees, the evening's sponsors and the individuals on the event's Honorary Gala Committee.

Photo Gallery Noche Coverage Award Recipients Gala Sponsors Honorary Gala Committee

Master of Ceremonies Antonio Mora Anchor CBS 2 News Chicago

Honorary Gala Chair Gloria Campos Brown News Anchor WFAA-TV

The ñ Awards honor journalists for their professional achievements and their leadership in bringing greater awareness to issues affecting the Latino community.

Leadership Award

Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, associate professor, University of Texas at Austin
A veteran in the fight for diversity in media, Rivas-Rodriguez spearheaded a national campaign this year to ensure that the experiences of Latino World War II veterans and their families be included in a meaningful way in the upcoming Ken Burns’ 14-hour epic documentary titled THE WAR to be aired this month on PBS. Under Rivas-Rodriguez’ lead, the U.S. Latino and Latina World War II Oral History Project has collected interviews with more than 500 veterans as part of an effort to have their stories reach wider audiences. For Rivas-Rodriguez, who created some now longstanding educational programs for NAHJ, this effort regarding THE WAR is the latest example of her long-established leadership in the newsroom and in the classroom for diversity in news media.

Emerging Journalist Award

Maria Burns Ortiz, college soccer columnist, ESPN.com
Within 10 months at The Fort Wayne (Ind.) News-Sentinel, Burns Ortiz went from a being prep sports reporter to covering major college and professional sports. She was the city’s first bilingual minor league baseball reporter. Burns Ortiz wrote daily English- and Spanish-language columns with the intention of appealing to an underserved Hispanic audience. The Spanish pieces generated a storm of controversy, but she showed strength beyond her years and didn’t back down. Her World Cup columns caught the eye of ESPN.com’s soccer editor, and Maria joined ESPN’s team. She is currently working on an enterprise project for ESPN.com, regarding Venezuelan baseball.

Frank Del Olmo Print Journalist of the Year Award

Dianne Solis, senior writer, The Dallas Morning News
In 2006, during a year when immigration was such a central and controversial topic in the national debate, Solis’ stories on immigration were rewarding reads no matter which side of the debate one takes. Solis, a veteran journalist who has developed an expertise in several areas, is credited with telling stories in ways that convey both the logic and the emotion behind the people and issues involved. Her keen understanding of the frequently emotional issues relating to immigration is apparent, as is her fairness.

Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award

Rebecca Aguilar, general assignment reporter, KDFW-TV Fox 4, Dallas
Named “Texas Reporter of the Year” two years ago by the Associated Press, Emmy-award winning journalist Rebecca Aguilar often focuses on people who don’t have a voice. She is the kind of journalist who contributes every day to fulfilling NAHJ’s mission of fair coverage and journalism excellence. Her work also makes a difference. For instance, she pieced together an investigative story about how registered sex offenders were delivering mail. Her report changed the hiring procedure for the post office across the United States.

Photojournalist of the Year Award

Gary Coronado, photographer, The Palm Beach Post
Coronado was nominated as a finalist in the Pulitzers for his vivid images of Central Americans, who risk life and limb to enter the United States as they jump, and in some cases, cling on to trains heading north. His stellar work truly told the story through photographs, something all photographers aspire to as journalism moves closer to melding print and multimedia for maximum impact. A graduate of University of Southern California, Coronado quit his job handling medium-size corporate accounts for AT&T to become a freelance photographer for the Orange County Register in Orange County, California and La Opinión, a Spanish daily newspaper located in Los Angeles, California.

JOURNALISM AWARD WINNERS

The NAHJ Journalism Awards honor Latino journalists for excellence in their specialized fields of work or any journalist for their outstanding coverage of the Latino community.

PRINT – Breaking News

Isabel Morales, Vanesa Salinas, Liliana Vargas, Patricia Estrada, Al Día, Dallas -- “Immigration Protest”
This quickly developing story on the massive immigration march in Dallas included colorful detail while getting ahead of another looming story: the expected Latino boycott of businesses the next day. Expert coverage continued with a next-day analysis of the boycott’s effectiveness and followed another unexpected twist, a falling out among Latino organizations after the march. The smart coverage demonstrates the newspaper’s flexibility and authoritative command of its narrative.

Rafael Prieto, Mi Gente, Charlotte, North Carolina -- “Lou Dobbs: The New Hispanic Journalist” and other columns
Rafael Prieto Zartha responded to those who sought to demonize undocumented immigrants with wit and undisputable facts. He took on ultra-conservative radio talk show hosts, politicians and prominent national figures, making a courageous and passionate defense for those who left their native homelands and settled in the Deep South in search of a better life.

Emily Mendez, La Palma, West Palm Beach -- “Un Día Sin Inmigrantes”
Thousands of marchers spilled onto streets in the early part of 2006 as a part of “Un Dia Sin Inmigrantes,” or a Day Without Immigrants, throughout the U.S. La Palma’s award-winning design grew from pictures taken in four major U.S. cities. The balanced use of photography created an eye-grabbing composition to draw in readers.

PRINT – Feature (Tie)

Christine Evans, The Palm Beach Post -– “Train Jumping, A Desperate Journey”
This is feature reporting at its best by a reporter who followed the travels of migrants so poor they fled north on freight trains because they could not afford any other means. It’s a dangerous journey that has maimed and even killed some. Readers got a close look at the men and women who risk their lives to migrate from Central America and Mexico to the U.S. for work. Photos by Gary Coronado, winner of NAHJ's Photographer of the Year Award. Train Jumping, A Desperate Journey

PDF Versions:

Stella M. Chavez and Paul Meyer, The Dallas Morning News -- “Yolanda's Crossing”
Victimized in her native Mexico, sexual abuse continued for Yolanda Méndez Torres when she crossed the U.S. border. Convinced her calls for help would not change her situation, Yolanda suffered in silence for a long time. The series captured all the drama of Yolanda’s story in literary-style writing and showed how one person can make a difference. Yolanda's Crossing

PDF Versions:

PRINT – Investigative News

Brady McCombs, Thomas Stauffer, David Sanders, Arizona Daily Star -– “Illegal Labor Fix Falls Short”
This series focused on illegal labor in the home building industry, because of its vital role in Tucson's growth. The investigation illustrated how true reform would take years, costs billons and demand the destruction of a culture that for decades has tolerated illegal immigration in exchange for its many silent benefits. The stories were also a testament to the reporters’ diligence in including the voices of the undocumented who are so often forgotten by everyone including politicians. Illegal Labor Fix Falls Short

PDF Versions:

Julia Reynolds, reporter and co-producer, George B. Sanchez, reporter, Oriana Zill de Granados, producer, Center for Investigative Reporting, Oakland, California -- “Nuestra Familia/Our Family”
This ground-breaking documentary film investigates California’s rural gangs, their devastating effect on Latino families, and the controversial efforts to stop them. The film thoroughly exposes problems with the FBI’s handling of a gang which wrought violence on once-quiet streets. Nuestra Familia/Our Family

TELEVISION – Feature

Beatriz Guerra, producer, Edna Schmidt, reporter, Scott Monaghan, Jorge Solino, Jorge Vazquez, photographers and Guillermo Florez, editor, Univisión "Aquí y Ahora" -- “Inagotable Fe" and "De las Manos de Angeles”
A young woman’s life is thrown into turmoil after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer during her fifth month of pregnancy. In a culture that barely utters the word “cancer,” the journalists introduced Hispanic audiences to a courageous woman forced to face the disease while making life and death decisions for herself and her unborn child. This story was well told and well shot, full of emotion and surprise.

TELEVISION – Investigative News

Pablo Gato, Telemundo -- “El Plan Verde”
Pablo Gato did his homework and presented a powerful series of reports on the U.S. military’s contingency plans to invade Mexico. The “green plan” had been developed by the former War Department back in the late 1920’s and was still in effect post World War II. Gato’s storytelling style was both compelling and memorable. He brought this incredible story to life by explaining over 70 years worth of declassified information, providing analysis/perspective and ultimately showing its relevancy to modern day US-Mexican relations.

RADIO – Reporting

Patricia Nazario, Southern California Public Radio - KPCC 89.3 FM, Pasadena, California -- "Immigration Backlash"
In her report, Nazario explores the racial tensions surrounding the immigration debate. While most reports center on the issue of undocumented workers, the relationship or lack of and understanding between two key groups in the United States is seldom explored, that of the immigrants and the African-American community. This solid piece of reporting not only examines the issue but also leaves you with a lot to think about.

Lara Solt, David Leeson II, Stella M. Chavez, Paul Meyer and April Kinser, The Dallas Morning News -– “Yolanda's Crossing”
This online companion to the print story about Yolanda Méndez Torres, the young woman sexually abused on both sides of the border by the same man, is great digital storytelling. This is an excellent example of multimedia work, with a great combination of video, photo and natural sound.

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Official Airline of NAHJ Special Events

Silver Sponsors

     Fox News Channel
     Hearst Newspapers
     State Farm Insurance

Bronze Sponsors

     Comcast
     Harrah's Entertainment
     National Education Association
     Prudential Financial
     The Walt Disney Company
     Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc.
     Univision Communications, Inc.
     Western Union