Just a Thought: SA Hispanic
Journalists Gala
by Steve
Walker
A few weeks ago I wrote about the
upcoming SA Association of Hispanic Journalists 18th Annual
Scholarship and Awards Gala at the Grand Hyatt, August 19th. Now that the event
is history, I can report that the gala was a huge success with over 600 in
attendance.
I informed the readership in that column
that the organization attempts to promote the next generation of young aspiring
journalists and the opportunity as an organization to honor its own.
I am personally proud to have been an
active member for a number of years. I
will continue to be an active member in good standing as long as I am able.
Composed of local Hispanic,
African-American, and Anglo journalists, public relations professionals and
students interested in communications or the public relations industry, our
chapter is thriving.
This year we honored entertainer Joe
Hernandez (a.k.a. Little Joe Y La Familia) with the Corazon de Oro award. He
has been called many things: Tejano Legend, the King of Brown Sound, Grammy
Award winning musician and one of the most recognizable members of the Mexican
American musical community. His hit song, “Las Nubes” has served as an anthem
for generations of Mexican-Americans. He has released over 50 albums in his
lifetime. I have covered him many times over the past few years when he is in
town.
The Corozon de Oro Award is presented to
the individual, group or institution whose work has been nationally recognized
for excellence. The recipient is publicly acknowledged as an inspiration to
those around them. Former recipients include: filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, and
singer Vikki Carr.
The SAAHJ Community Service Award was
presented to former Councilwoman Maria Antonietta Berriozabal, a lifelong
community activist and accomplished author. Inspired by Pope John XXIII and his
social justice principles and President John F. Kennedy to become politically
involved, Berriozabal made history becoming the first Mexican American woman
elected by the San Antonio City Council, and serving 10 years.
In the late 90s when Henry B. Gonzalez
stepped down as Congressman for health reasons, Maria and I both ran for his
seat which was eventually won by his son, Charlie Gonzalez. She made the runoff
and I endorsed her at that time. We have been good friends since, along with
Charlie Gonzalez. I have written a “Just a Thought” column on her a couple of
years ago.
The Henry Guerra Lifetime Achievement
Award for Excellence in Journalism was presented to Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez
Ph.D. A professionally trained journalist, she also honed her teaching skills
to teach the craft to generations of Latino journalists.
She is the founder and director of the
VOCES Oral History Project at the University of Texas. Earning a Master’s
Degree in Journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in
1977 she spent 17 years in the field to include working at WFAA-TV in Dallas
and the Dallas Morning News as border bureau chief covering the US-Mexican border
from a one person bureau in El Paso. In 1998 she earned her Doctorate in mass
communication from the University of North Carolina. Unlike the two other
recipients I only met her at the gala.
The 13 scholarship recipients include: Steal Adcock, (St.
Mary’s Univ.) Kellie Alcoser, (Texas State Univ.) Jose Arredondo, (Texas
A&M Univ. SA) Manuel Figeroa, (Texas A&M Univ. SA) Jacqueline Gandera-Valderas, (St. Mary’s
Univ.) David Garces, (School of Visual Arts, NY) Marco Cadena, (Univ. of the
Incarnate Word) Angelica Casas, (Univ. of California, Berkley) Jared Edman, (Univ. of Texas, SA) Cynthia
Herrera, (Texas A&M Univ. SA) Alexandro Luna, (Texas A&M Univ. SA) Pamela
Paz (Texas State Univ.) & Francisco Vara-Orta a past president of the
SAAHJ. (Univ. of Missouri, Columbia)
Anyway, as always, what I write is “Just
a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and former Justice of the
Peace and Journalist.
