Meet NAHJ's most recent Parity Project hires who have interned or have received full-time positions at a Parity Project Partner!
Paloma Castilla
Paloma has been hired as a copy editor/page designer at Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers.
I was born in Queens but moved to Bogota, Colombia where I lived for 7 years. We moved back to NY where I finished my schooling 1 year early from Patchogue-Medford High School in Patchogue, LI. My plans were to go back to Colombia and pursue an International Business degree. However, those plans quickly changed when on Sept. 10, 2001 I forgot my passport and was unable to travel. The person at the counter said it would be okay for me to fly the next day. As I approached the airport on Sept. 11th, I saw the twin towers up in smoke and at the request of my mother, I stayed home with her.
During that time, I saw how the news coverage kept everyone informed of up to the minute details. I knew then, that journalism was an area I could go into.
I attended Brooklyn College and pursued a second degree in Anthropology. My mentors Paul Moses, my journalism professor, Russel Sharman, my anthropology professor, and Patrick Mcgee, an instructor during the NAHJ 2005 student campus have all had an active hand in guiding me to excellence and most importantly, never giving up on myself.
During the 2006 NAHJ convention I met Kevin Olivas, NAHJ’s Parity Project Director. He helped me land the job I have today, copy editor/page designer with the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers.
Journalism may not have been my first choice in careers, however, I am glad that I chose it, because it is something that I really love to do and it is great just knowing that you are part of informing a person's life.
I plan to pursue a master’s degree once I have settled a bit in my new home.
Julio Cortez
Julio has been hired as a staff photographer at the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. This is his first full-time newsroom job.
At the age of 27, Julio Cortez has many accomplishments including winning awards for writing, photography, lay out and advertising. Julio graduated from CSUN (California State University, Northridge) in May of 2006. He was an intern at Associated Press in Chicago during the summer of 2006. During the fall of 2005 he interned at the South Florida the Sun-Sentinel, covering the hurricanes. Julio was chosen to participate in the San Angelo Standard-Times 10-week summer internship, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists student project internship in June and the Society of Professional Journalists convention internship in October. In 2004, Julio particapted with Al Dia Newspaper's (Dallas Morning News) summer internship and the SPJ internship in New York City. Julio has been the recipient of the Los Angeles Times Scholarship Fund and is currently attending Cal State University, Northridge. Julio's journalism journey began at 12 years old when he enrolled into the Madison Middle School newspaper "The Madison Journal." The journey has taken him through school publications and other publications. Julio began his journalism life as a writer but always had the camera on his side. But it wasn't until the events on Sept. 11, 2001 in New York City, when Julio decided that photography would be the way to go. Seeing all the "historical" photos that were published gave Julio the drive to "record history as it happened." Julio's experience is very diverse working with both photography and writing. He has also taken leading roles as Editor-In-Chief of his school publications. Julio has not had trouble making quality acquaintances as a co-worker, supervisor, mentor and/or apprentice. He is digitally equipped to hand out an assignment from anywhere on a tight deadline. Working under stress is perhaps Julio's zone and he is always looking for the next journalistic adventure.
Check out Julio’s website, which includes his portfolio and photo journals:www.julythephotoguy.com
Luis Gomez
Luis Gomez, 23, hired at the Santa Maria Times, in Santa Maria, Calif., to cover public safety.
An aspiring career in civil engineering came to an
abrupt end when I was struck by the power of writing.
I was diagnosed with an acute sense of skepticism and
inflamed passion for news at Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona,
Calif. The remedy: print journalism.
For nearly all five years I spent at Cal Poly, from
2000-2005, I developed my news career as a writer,
reporter, photographer, editor-in-chief, opinions
editor and page designer at the weekly student
newspaper, The Poly Post. Fortune was on my side and
became an alumni for the Los Angeles Times “Saturdays
at the Times” workshops in 2003. Then shortly after
being rejected a summer internship at the Inland
Valley Daily Bulletin, an east coast NAHJ godsend
pointed me to the Naples Daily News, located in
Southwest Florida, where I tested the waters of a
daily newspaper covering hurricanes Charlie and
Frances during the summer of 2004. With the help of
the NAHJ, I was given the rare chance to attend the
UNITY 2004 convention in Wasthington, D.C. that same
summer.
Upon my brief return to California, resumes were
passed along, phone calls were made and eventually an
NAHJ west coast coordinator helped me score my frist
job out of college as an education reporter for the
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, in Southeast Washington,
just weeks before graduation day in June 2005.
Eventually I left Washington to pursue freelance
writing for my hometown’s local newspaper at the
Imperial Valley Press, centered in El Centro, Calif.
From previous networking, also through the NAHJ, I
eventually took a job offer at the Santa Maria Times
to work as the “cops” reporter for the largest city in
the Santa Barbara County.
Tracy Miguel
Tracy Miguel was hired as a staff writer for the Naples Daily News
Almost two years ago, I started as an intern at the Naples Daily News in Naples, Fl fresh out of college, University of Texas at El Paso, with a bachelor's degree in print communication/journalism and a minor in creative writing. Before the internship was over, I asked for an extension of my time. I stayed with the ambition and hopes of staying as a staff writer. Before the extended internship was over, I was hired. Living in the El Paso, Texas /Cd. Juarez, Chih. border for 22 years with my Mexican family and friends has helped me bring Latinos out of the shadows of foreign speech in Collier County. I always knew I would be writing for a living. Writing will always be my passion. Just ask my mom who had to read my chapter books which I wrote when I was a child.
Evan Semon
Evan Semon was hired as a full-time photographer at the Scripps-owned Rocky Mountain News in Denver.
Born in 1980 in Ellinwood, Kan., population 3,000, I attended Kansas State University for six semesters and left for a internship with the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning Staff for photography, The Rocky Mountain News. I have interned at the Great Bend Tribune, The Kansas City Star, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, and the Tulsa World. I will receive a BA in photojournalism Metropolitan State College in Denver in December 2005. I strive to be a well-rounded photojournalist shooting a variety of assignments including professional and high school sports, documentary projects, spot news, features, and daily photo assignments. I was a recipient of the Ruben Salazar scholarship award in the fall of 1999. I received the Gold Medal for Sports Portfolio in the College Photographer of the Year competition named honorable mention placement from the National Press Photographers Best of Photo Journalism for Sports Portfolio of the Year 2004, and recently named 1st place student portfolio for the 2004 Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar. I would like to thank Janet Reeves, John Temple for putting faith in me and helping me achieve this goal as staff photographer at a major metro daily.
Michelle Booth
Michelle Booth interned at the Abilene Reporter-News in Abilene, Texas.
I have lived on the El Paso/ Juarez border for all 21 years of my life. Being the first generation of a Mexican family born in the U.S. has worked to my advantage because I can appreciate two different cultures. I have always loved writing but my passion for journalism began when I did volunteer work at the Child Crisis Center and I realized how unaware the public is of situations and conditions people are subjected to. I figured that the best way to help was not to do social work but to make the public aware so that changes can be made or at least proposed. Since then I have had the pleasure of doing internships at the El Paso Times and at the Abilene Reporter-News. My experience as a full-time reporter in Abilene during the summer taught me that it takes a tremendous amount of work to be a good reporter - a challenge that I am honored and ready to take on. I still have one year left before I graduate from the University of El Paso but I continue to write and develop my skills. Currently, I am working as a stringer for the Santa Fe New Mexican covering sports at NMSU.
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists
1000 National Press Building
529 14th St., NW
Washington, DC 20045-2001, USA
E-mail: nahj@nahj.org
Phone: 202.662.7145
Fax: 202.662.7144
At the age of 27, Julio Cortez has many accomplishments including winning awards for writing, photography, lay out and advertising. Julio graduated from CSUN (California State University, Northridge) in May of 2006. He was an intern at Associated Press in Chicago during the summer of 2006. During the fall of 2005 he interned at the South Florida the Sun-Sentinel, covering the hurricanes. Julio was chosen to participate in the San Angelo Standard-Times 10-week summer internship, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists student project internship in June and the Society of Professional Journalists convention internship in October. In 2004, Julio particapted with Al Dia Newspaper's (Dallas Morning News) summer internship and the SPJ internship in New York City. Julio has been the recipient of the Los Angeles Times Scholarship Fund and is currently attending Cal State University, Northridge. Julio's journalism journey began at 12 years old when he enrolled into the Madison Middle School newspaper "The Madison Journal." The journey has taken him through school publications and other publications. Julio began his journalism life as a writer but always had the camera on his side. But it wasn't until the events on Sept. 11, 2001 in New York City, when Julio decided that photography would be the way to go. Seeing all the "historical" photos that were published gave Julio the drive to "record history as it happened." Julio's experience is very diverse working with both photography and writing. He has also taken leading roles as Editor-In-Chief of his school publications. Julio has not had trouble making quality acquaintances as a co-worker, supervisor, mentor and/or apprentice. He is digitally equipped to hand out an assignment from anywhere on a tight deadline. Working under stress is perhaps Julio's zone and he is always looking for the next journalistic adventure.
An aspiring career in civil engineering came to an
abrupt end when I was struck by the power of writing.
I was diagnosed with an acute sense of skepticism and
inflamed passion for news at Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona,
Calif. The remedy: print journalism.
For nearly all five years I spent at Cal Poly, from
2000-2005, I developed my news career as a writer,
reporter, photographer, editor-in-chief, opinions
editor and page designer at the weekly student
newspaper, The Poly Post. Fortune was on my side and
became an alumni for the Los Angeles Times “Saturdays
at the Times” workshops in 2003. Then shortly after
being rejected a summer internship at the Inland
Valley Daily Bulletin, an east coast NAHJ godsend
pointed me to the Naples Daily News, located in
Southwest Florida, where I tested the waters of a
daily newspaper covering hurricanes Charlie and
Frances during the summer of 2004. With the help of
the NAHJ, I was given the rare chance to attend the
UNITY 2004 convention in Wasthington, D.C. that same
summer.
Upon my brief return to California, resumes were
passed along, phone calls were made and eventually an
NAHJ west coast coordinator helped me score my frist
job out of college as an education reporter for the
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, in Southeast Washington,
just weeks before graduation day in June 2005.
Eventually I left Washington to pursue freelance
writing for my hometown’s local newspaper at the
Imperial Valley Press, centered in El Centro, Calif.
From previous networking, also through the NAHJ, I
eventually took a job offer at the Santa Maria Times
to work as the “cops” reporter for the largest city in
the Santa Barbara County.
Almost two years ago, I started as an intern at the Naples Daily News in Naples, Fl fresh out of college, University of Texas at El Paso, with a bachelor's degree in print communication/journalism and a minor in creative writing. Before the internship was over, I asked for an extension of my time. I stayed with the ambition and hopes of staying as a staff writer. Before the extended internship was over, I was hired. Living in the El Paso, Texas /Cd. Juarez, Chih. border for 22 years with my Mexican family and friends has helped me bring Latinos out of the shadows of foreign speech in Collier County. I always knew I would be writing for a living. Writing will always be my passion. Just ask my mom who had to read my chapter books which I wrote when I was a child.
Born in 1980 in Ellinwood, Kan., population 3,000, I attended Kansas State University for six semesters and left for a internship with the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning Staff for photography, The Rocky Mountain News. I have interned at the Great Bend Tribune, The Kansas City Star, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, and the Tulsa World. I will receive a BA in photojournalism Metropolitan State College in Denver in December 2005. I strive to be a well-rounded photojournalist shooting a variety of assignments including professional and high school sports, documentary projects, spot news, features, and daily photo assignments. I was a recipient of the Ruben Salazar scholarship award in the fall of 1999. I received the Gold Medal for Sports Portfolio in the College Photographer of the Year competition named honorable mention placement from the National Press Photographers Best of Photo Journalism for Sports Portfolio of the Year 2004, and recently named 1st place student portfolio for the 2004 Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar. I would like to thank Janet Reeves, John Temple for putting faith in me and helping me achieve this goal as staff photographer at a major metro daily.
I have lived on the El Paso/ Juarez border for all 21 years of my life. Being the first generation of a Mexican family born in the U.S. has worked to my advantage because I can appreciate two different cultures. I have always loved writing but my passion for journalism began when I did volunteer work at the Child Crisis Center and I realized how unaware the public is of situations and conditions people are subjected to. I figured that the best way to help was not to do social work but to make the public aware so that changes can be made or at least proposed. Since then I have had the pleasure of doing internships at the El Paso Times and at the Abilene Reporter-News. My experience as a full-time reporter in Abilene during the summer taught me that it takes a tremendous amount of work to be a good reporter - a challenge that I am honored and ready to take on. I still have one year left before I graduate from the University of El Paso but I continue to write and develop my skills. Currently, I am working as a stringer for the Santa Fe New Mexican covering sports at NMSU.
