Robert Hernandez (he/him), aka WebJournalist, has made a name for himself as a journalist of the Web, not just on the Web. His primary focus is exploring and developing the intersection of technology and journalism – to empower people, inform reporting and storytelling, engage community, improve distribution and, whenever possible, enhance revenue. He is a Professor of Professional Practice at USC Annenberg, but he’s not an academic…he’s more of a “hackademic” and specializes in “MacGyvering” Web journalism solutions. He connects dots and people. He has worked for seattletimes.com, SFGate.com, eXaminer.com, La Prensa Gráfica, among others. Hernandez is also the co-founder of #wjchat and co-creator of the Diversify Journalism Project. His most recent work includes Augmented Reality, Wearables/Google Glass and Virtual Reality producing award-winning pieces under the name JOVRNALISM™.
He serves/served on multiple national boards (CalMatters, InquireFirst, NAHJ, Chicas Poderosas and others), organizes/runs conferences, is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Hall of Fame and knows a lot of people in the industry. He is the recipient of SPJ’s 2015 Distinguished Teaching in Journalism Award. He attended Los Angeles Pierce College and San Francisco State University because he was no way smart enough to get into a school like USC. He has made it to the frontpage of imgur several times.
Photo by Joe McFetridge for ONA.
We come to this place . . . for magic.
We come to ONA to laugh, to cry, to care.
The real ones know.
First, thank you to my wife and son — their support and sacrifices enable me to be here.
Thank you my friends… the ONA Board and Rich for this incredible honor. Thank you to former ONA executive directors Jane McDonnell and Irving Washington for being allies and tolerating me. Niketa, you are warned. 🙂
I also want to do a special shout out and thank you to former ONA staffer Jeanne Brooks, who passed away earlier this year, for conspiring with me to make this community what it is today. She is dearly missed.
Thank you to this community for honoring me — despite knowing my, as a friend put it, “chaos muppet” energy.
I am a misfit that often feels out of place.
But I have been blessed misfit where people have looked out for me and welcomed me into spaces.
They shaped how I carry myself today.
At the NAHJ — and the executive director and friend for decades Yaneth is here — I began to see myself in this industry.
And here at ONA, I got to be myself — my nerdy self.
Whether it is the ONA Pajama Jam or it’s BLANK.
I tell folks we need these places to remind us that we are not crazy and that we are certainly not alone.
At ONA I got onto the board and am proud of the work done there.
It put me in rooms where decisions were being made — in rooms where it happens.
And it taught me that daunting responsibility to have the courage to speak up.
We need to have the courage to say the thing that makes us uncomfortable— make even our colleagues, friends and community uncomfortable.
And yet ONA still gave me this award. Ask my former board mates.
And, in that spirit . . . if I may.
If you are an immigrant, please stand.
Children, grandchildren of immigrants, please stand.
If you are part of the LGBTQi+ community, please stand.
If vaccines have saved your life, please stand.
If you have been impacted by gun violence, please stand.
If you believe in giving voice to the voiceless, please stand.
Believe in comforting the afflicted and — despite the attacks and false calls of bias — afflict the comfortable with good journalism, please stand.
If you are an ally. Please stand.
Look around.
There are more of us than there is of hate.
And I want you to keep all of us in mind when you have to get uncomfortable to say the needed uncomfortable thing.
Remember us standing with you as you approach your editor — or if you are the editor.
Stand up and speak up for the use of the correct words.
It’s not racially tinged. It’s racist.
It’s not alternative facts. It’s a lie.
It’s not “politics done the right way.” It is politics aimed at dehumanizing and hate.
Women’s rights are human rights.
Trans rights are human rights.
And, if you are like me, what I am seeing happening is called genocide.
We have to use the right words even when it’s involving communities we love and support and are a member of.
Use your voice, no matter how shaky it may sound.
Thank you for what you do.
Stand up and keeping doing it.
Muchisimas gracias!
Adelante!!
Originally published on Web Journalist Blog. Republished with permission from Robert Hernandez.
