Award-winning Latina journalist speaks to Hofstra students

Hofstra’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication kicked off Women’s History Month by inviting Latina journalist Maria Martin to speak virtually. // Picture courtesy of the Hofstra Cultural Center.

In commemoration of Women’s History Month, the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication and Hofstra’s student chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) welcomed Maria Martin, a seasoned Latina journalist and radio producer for a virtual, interactive and educational discussion about the challenges she faced during her many decades in the communications industry on Thursday, March 4.  

The event was moderated by Mario Murillo, vice dean of the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, Damali Ramirez, a junior journalism and political science major and president of Hofstra’s NAHJ chapter and Arielle Ruiz, vice president of Hofstra’s NAHJ chapter. In collaboration with the Center for Civic Engagement, the Center for “Race,” Culture and Social Justice, the Hofstra Organization of Latinx Americans (HOLA) and the Latin American Caribbean Studies Program (LACS), they focused on Martin’s award-winning career as the founding executive producer of the national radio program Latino USA.  

In Martin’s recently published memoir “Crossing Borders, Building Bridges: A Journalist’s Heart in Latin America,” she documents her achievements as one of the first Latina news directors at KBBF, the first ever bilingual community radio station in the United States. This came after assimilating into American culture from Mexico at the age of six. Similarly, she details her work at NPR in Washington D.C., along with her many years of reporting both in the United States and in Central America.  

“Covering Latino issues is just as important as sports or science or business,” Martin said regarding her role as a vessel and voice for silenced Latino individuals, “but Latin Americans were absent in media.”  

Martin indicated the importance of providing timely and accurate news for diverse audiences of all backgrounds, especially Latin Americans. She also spoke on how her determination to help people within her community eventually launched her successful career as a bilingual radio journalist. Martin’s progressive accomplishments drew unanimous admiration from both students and staff in Hofstra’s communications department. 

“I agree [with Martin] that it is important for aspiring journalists to have a guide in the industry,” Ramirez said. “In all my years at the [Lawrence Herbert] School of Communication, Maria was the first Latina journalist I have met. I related to her advice ‘to not victimize yourself,’ which is something I’ve struggled with as a Latinx woman in the industry.” 

Amelia Sack, a sophomore journalism major, expressed a similar sentiment after hearing Martin’s inspirational story. “The biggest takeaway was to persevere and to always try to see the other side’s point of view,” she said. “Having mentors like Maria is necessary for aspiring journalists to excel in their careers.”  

During the live discussion, Martin discussed the struggles she faced as a Latina woman in the United States during the 1970s, which eventually pushed her to return to Latin America to cover the civil wars in Central America and the destruction they left behind.  

Martin spent most of her career working with underprivileged and “forgotten” communities of migrants in rural areas by hosting week-long writing workshops, assisting underfunded community radio stations and trading personal stories and experiences with everyone she met.  

“[Martin] is an inspiration and a creator to look up to and be inspired by,” said Blaise Rowlands, a sophomore public relations and political science major. “[Martin’s] story motivated me to take chances and push myself to succeed, despite obstacles that may halt my determination.” 

Throughout the discussion, Martin emphasized the difficulties that women, especially those of color, face in any career and how she overcame those obstacles. “Really smart people were very unaware and ignorant of the political complexities of the Latinx communities,” Martin said. “As a Latina woman in the industry, I was often disrespected, but that did not stop me from letting others' voices be heard.” 

Maria Martin is an honorary member of the Hall of Fame for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and an innovative, creative and powerful voice for all women in communication. Latino USA is the longest running Latino-focused program on U.S. public media and can be visited at www.latinousa.org.