#  María Hinojosa on Truth, Migration, and the Power of Telling Our Own Stories 

 





May 07, 2025

 

 

When **Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist María Hinojosa** took the stage as the keynote speaker for Day 1 of the symposium ***Distant Neighbors or Regional Partners? Reflecting on U.S.-Mexico Relations Under Two New Administrations***, she brought more than a speech—she brought a reckoning. The two-day event, hosted by the Mexico Studies Program at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies **(DRCLAS)**, focused on the complex and evolving relationship between Mexico and the United States. Hinojosa’s keynote set the tone with a searing, personal reflection on truth, resistance, and the transformative power of storytelling.

Introduced by historian **Gabriela Soto Laveaga,** who described her as a “truth-seeker and storyteller,” Hinojosa reminded the audience why representation in media matters. As the founder of Futuro Media and longtime host of *Latino USA*, she has dedicated her career to elevating stories of immigrants, women, and communities of color. **“I’ve spent my life making the invisible visible,**” she said. **“Because we deserve to be seen in our full humanity.”**

This visibility comes at a cost. Hinojosa spoke candidly about the trauma faced by migrant communities, especially women in detention centers. **“In 2019, the public finally began to acknowledge what was happening,”** she said. **“But even now, if a migrant woman is raped in detention and becomes pregnant, she’s simply deported. That is the level of dehumanization we’re talking about.”**

   ![Maria Hinojosa in the event ](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2025-05/Day1_2O2A1419%20%281%29_0.jpg?itok=KWcEF0zN) 

 

Hinojosa challenged the tendency to see corruption as a problem exclusive to Latin America. **“Corruption doesn’t just exist in Mexico,”** she said. **“It happens here in the U.S., too—but our media rarely holds itself accountable.”**

The journalist urged a fundamental shift in the narrative around migration. **“The first refugee crisis shown on American TV was the Vietnamese boat people,”** she noted. **“Ever since, migration has been framed as a crisis. But what if we viewed immigrants as a gift—an opportunity for cultural and social renewal?”**

She spoke with pride and clarity about her roots in Mexico—a country she called a place of resistance. Though she grew up in a deeply *machista* society, she was surrounded by strong women who helped shape her voice and her vision. **“In the U.S., feminism still faces resistance,”** she said. **“But in Mexico, women have never stopped fighting. And they’ve made real progress.”**

This spirit of transformation, she added, is reflected in the leadership of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. **“She’s working to change the country’s narrative—to show that Mexico can be a destination, a place of refuge.”**

   ![Maria Hinojosa in the event ](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-05/Day1_2O2A1156%20%281%29.jpg?itok=AKCwm7Yo) 

 

But Hinojosa emphasized that real change must also happen north of the border. **“In the U.S., deportation is framed as a solution—but it actually fuels new crises,”** she said. **“It damages families, communities, and mental health. The wounds we inflict through rejection don’t just disappear.”**

She also recalled her reporting on the genocide in Guatemala, where 45,000 people are still missing. Despite unimaginable trauma, she found hope in how the country has preserved its historical memory. **“The people built a museum—not just to remember, but to resist forgetting.”**

In closing, Hinojosa issued a warning about the growing threats to democracy in the United States. **“We are seeing legal rights eroded. We are seeing repression on university campuses. Students are being detained without explanation,”** she said. **“But even in these difficult times, we can’t give up. We must surround ourselves with those who protect us—and we must keep telling the stories that matter.”**

In María Hinojosa’s keynote, journalism was more than a profession—it was an act of resistance, a call to consciousness, and a demand for justice.



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Cambridge ](/locations/cambridge-office)
- [ Mexico ](/locations/mexico)
- [ Virtual ](/location/virtual)
- [ Mexico ](/programs-initiatives/mexico)
 
 

 Share on:- [     Facebook ](#)
- [     Twitter ](#)
- [     Linkedin ](#)