Maria Hinojosa: Bird’s Eye View

By Maria Elena Alvarez, NewsTaco

A quick peek of history reveals truth to the idea that it is human nature to fear the unknown and herein lies the challenge for immigrants leaving their native lands. In New Mexico there exists an expression that goes “the last ones in always seem to be the ones running to shut the door behind them.” Same goes for this nation, which was built on the back of immigrants.

Today for Latinos the story has a few interesting turns when you consider that after the Mexican American war of 1848 one quarter of the nation was populated by Mexicans from Texas to California and north to Idaho’s southern border.

These first Latinos came as Spanish settlers seeking fortunes of gold and escape from the diseased oppressive conditions of Europe.

Interestingly when taking the long historic perspective the Native Americans who first encountered the Spaniards had no idea the long-term effects of this early contact. Today that change can be identified as never ending with people of the world still coming to the USA seeking opportunity. For Latinos one of the most prominent voices on the media landscape telling their stories is Maria Hinajosa through her NPR program Latino USA, and many documentaries for the PBS series Frontline.

Over the last 25 years this Mexican-born, Chicago-raised, New York City professional is the leading the charge to inform the nation. Through her trusted voice, she has devoted her career to presenting an authentic and humane picture of Latinos in the USA.

This year her award-winning journalistic efforts have provided her the foundation to form of The Futuro Media Group with the mission to produce multi-platform, community-based journalism projects that uphold the cultural richness of the American experience in the United States. Futuro’s first big shot out the door was an invitation by PBS to produce a pilot program focusing on diversity. Who better than Hinojosa to produce this series? She is all over diversity in her repertoire of work that includes too many awards to identify here.

This first series for the PBS Need to Know Election 2012 Special Presentation is now airing with screenings hosted by Hinojosa across the country. “America By the Numbers: Clarkston Georgia” is about a small town in the south which has become a microcosm of what is happening across the USA. Hinojosa vividly captures the heart pulse of a community that has gone from being a 90 percent White Anglo-dominant community to a 14 percent white Anglo-minority community. Check local PBS listings to see the show or visit http://www.futuromediagroup.org.

To advance the PBS screening here in Albuquerque this author captured a few minutes out of her busy New York schedule and found the woman behind the voice of Latino USA full of passion for what she is doing. Hinojosa is on the frontlines of reporting on the new face of the Civil Rights Movement. Her favorite story now is the Dreamers Movement taking hold among young activists across the country. “These folks did not grow up experiencing the violence of the Civil Rights Movement like I did but they are putting their lives on the line because they are risking everything to be heard,” said Hinojosa.

Her goal with The Futuro Media Group is tell their stories in a way that will educate viewers and listeners so they can overcome their fear of change. She talked about a recent screening of “America By the Numbers” where a woman after watching the program felt safe enough to talk about how she experienced the film as portraying an Anglo male in a derogatory manner.

This did not offend Hinojosa but rather validated what she is trying to accomplish; and that is getting people to talk. In her long career Hinojosa understands that change is difficult for people to accept. But as a journalist she knows for a fact that Latinos and the numbers they represent are not going away. She is positioned with her professional pedigree and an arms length of mainstream media awards, including two Emmy’s, to deliver the message to a large audience.

On a personal note I wanted to know more about the person behind the voice and found not surprisingly that Martin Luther King was her inspiration to believe that she could succeed.

Today, as the mother of teenagers, 14 and 16 year-olds, her aspiration is to have a great time. She has never met Oprah Winfrey even though it is hard not to see the comparison by those of us who recall Oprah came up through radio and a lot of hard work to become the media phenomena that she is today as a model for the Black community and a journalist who has crossed over and speaks for our times.

As a businesswoman Hinojosa is facing head-on the fear of economic success with her newborn company. As a journalist that fear does not exist because here she does what comes natural and is widely sought after for her work.

When questioned about what seems to be the lockout of Latino voices in the mainstream media and popular Sunday news shows she is gentle. Even forgiving the powerful forces behind the mainstream media curtain with the notion “that they just don’t know us and aren’t following us as Latinos.” In a harsher observation she agrees this lockout is disrespectful. Ironically she observes the strong hold the practice of ethnic and gender parity has in Fortune 500 companies. “They get it,” she says. A diversity-rich workforce is the foundation for success in any business, because this means profits to the bottom line.

“I have a fire in my belly as a Latina at the head of a media company and in 10 years I would like to see The Futuro Media Group producing shows for 60 minutes, Hollywood films and hosting creative conferences,” she adds. And with her trademark optimism this could be just the recipe to make her dream a reality.

This writer could not help but appreciate that her most recent book was the story about the love affair between two of our greatest existential thinkers Simone de Simone De Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre, what a perfect source of inspiration.

Maria Alena Alvarez lives and works in Albuqueruqe, New Mexico. She is a business owner and experienced media professional with emphasis on writing, editing and public relations. Visit mariaelenaalvarez.biz.