Fellows, editors and IJJ staff in “sunny” Arizona.

News Reports by Ethnic Media Journalists Focus on the Complexities of Reporting Immigration
 
Twelve journalists from ethnic media organizations are publishing and broadcasting news reports based on their participation in a fellowship program on immigration coverage organized by USC Annenberg’s Institute for Justice and Journalism (IJJ).

"What our Justice and Journalism Fellows learned -- from the Sonoran Desert, along the Arizona-Mexico border, to New York City and its suburbs -- has enriched their reporting on migrants in America, and their work will inform and inspire others,” said IJJ Director Steve Montiel.

The Justice and Journalism Fellowship Program for Ethnic Media, supported by the McCormick Foundation, opened with a weeklong program March 16-23 in southern Arizona. Activities include field experiences along the U.S.-Mexico border and in-depth discussions with immigration experts and journalists from the United States and Mexico.

The Justice and Journalism Fellows gathered again June 1 in New York City for a four-day program at the IJJ-affiliated Center on Media, Crime and Justice (CMCJ) at John Jay College, City University of New York. They were joined by another group of 12 ethnic media journalists selected by CMCJ from the New York City region.

The 12 IJJ Fellows came from across the U.S. and represent various media: five Spanish-language print reporters, one print photographer, two Univision TV reporters, two English-language magazine journalists, one Vietnamese-language newspaper reporter and a Chinese-language newspaper reporter/news manager. Ten of the 12 IJJ Ethnic Media Fellows on immigration are themselves immigrants. The dozen Fellows are:

• Mariana Alvarado Avalos, a reporter for La Estrella de Tucsón,
• Fernando Díaz, an investigative reporter for The Chicago Reporter magazine.
• Paula Díaz, a reporter for Hoy newspaper in Los Angeles.
• Dzung Do, a reporter for Nguoi Viet Daily News in Orange County, California.
• Karla Escamilla, a reporter/anchor for Univision Arizona.
• J. Emilio Flores, a photojournalist for La Opinión newspaper in Los Angeles.
• Dámaso D. González, a reporter for El Diario/La Prensa in New York City.
• Naomi M. Ishisaka, the editor in chief of ColorsNW magazine in Seattle.
• Linda Lin, a writer and news manager for Singtao Daily in Los Angeles
• Jorge Morales Almada, a reporter for La Opinión newspaper in Los Angeles.
• Rodrigo París, the U.S. and International Editor for Rumbo Newspapers.
• David Rodríguez, a reporter for Univision of Puerto Rico.

The Fellows in Arizona were joined by eight of their editors and colleagues: Marco Flores of Univision Arizona, Rui Kaneya of The Chicago Reporter; Reynaldo Mena of Hoy, José Merino of La Estrella de Tucsón, Edwin Rivera of Univision Puerto Rico, Pedro Rojas of La Opinión, Jesús Del Toro of Rumbo and Benjamin Vu of Nguoi Viet Daily News. Alberto Vourvoulias-Bush, Executive Editor of  El Diario / La Prensa, moderated a debate at the sessions at John Jay College.

Arizona was selected as the initial conference’s site because it remains a focal point for immigration issues; a new state law is designed to penalize employers of undocumented workers and law-enforcement controversies are sizzling in Phoenix, Mesa and other cities.

Presenters at the fellowship conference included the Mesa police chief, community leaders and officials (including a county supervisor from Tucson), academic specialists (including scholar Wayne Cornelius), U.S. policy and economics researchers, and Arizona and Mexican journalists. Participants also took part in sessions on advanced Internet research techniques, led by Pulitzer Prize-winner Martha Mendoza; journalism ethics, led by Associate Director Frank Sotomayor, and a peek into the rapidly evolving world of online journalism, led by Associate Director Marc Cooper.

The field experiences were conducted along both sides of the Arizona-Sonora border, where migrants typically enter the U.S. from Mexico – and where new fencing is being erected – with Fellows interviewing migrants, officials and government representatives. The group traveled to Mexico to the town of Altar, Sonora, which is the final staging point for many migrants preparing to cross the border into the U.S. A number of the Fellows said later that this firsthand experience really helped them to better understand the migrants’ motives and goals in making the risky journey across the border. As Fellow Paula Díaz of Hoy newspaper said: “There is no substitute for first-hand visit and observation.”

On the day following the Sonora field experience, the Fellows watched as dozens of migrants, bound in chains, were sentenced in federal court for unlawful entry. Another informative experience noted by both Fellows and their editors was traveling in the Arizona desert with a humanitarian group, the Samaritans, which offers assistance to migrants who have lost their way or need medical aid.

In New York, the CMCJ program included sessions analyzing law enforcement and legal issues involving undocumented immigrants. One highlight was a debate between New York Assemblyman Greg Ball, who favors tough measures against undocumented immigrants, and Haven Mayor John DeStafano, who opposes such actions. 

U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, a former Border Patrol official who is chair of the House Intelligence Committee, delivered a luncheon speech on a host of immigration issues.

The Fellows went on a field reporting experience to White Plains, the largest city in Westchester County, just north of New York City, where the municipality and local law enforcement have developed innovative programs for immigrants. Both the Open Society Institute and the McCormick Foundation funded the New York portion of the program.

The Justice and Journalism Fellows also discussed their journalistic projects being completed as part of the fellowship. In addition to publishing or broadcasting their fellowship project stories, the Fellows are writing accounts of the experience – “The Story Behind the Story.” They have also shared information and resources gained during the fellowship with colleagues at their media outlets.

All the Fellows and Editors said the program was highly beneficial. Perhaps no one said this more simply and dramatically than Paula Diaz. “Participation in this fellowship has not just made me a better reporter; it is enabling me to potentially save lives and spare families [of migrants] indescribable grief.”
 
Rodrigo Paris, an editor in San Antonio for Rambo newspapers, said of the fellowship: “It’s a spectacular experience and opportunity for a journalist like me to improve my reporting tools and perspectives … With the context that I got on the fellowship, I am a better journalist and reporter covering immigration.”