Oct. 14, 2004

Contact:
Melanie M. Hall, Administrative Assistant
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc.
(703) 854-3585 ext. 10

Anna López Named to Hispanic Business 100 Most Influentials

ARLINGTON, VA –- Anna M. López, Executive Director of UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. was named to the Hispanic Business 100 Most Influential Hispanics list that was published in the magazine’s October 2004 issue. Nominations for the list are made by individuals visiting the Web site, readers, contributing editors, magazine staff and writers.

During the UNITY 2004 Convention, “A Powerful Alliance, A force for Change,” this past August, López managed to raise $4.5 million in revenue and draw President George W. Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry to the conference as featured speakers. The convention drew record numbers with over 8,000 attendees. It is the largest gathering of journalists in the world.

After being named the executive director of UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc., in July of 2003, López ended an eight year tenure at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists in which she increased the yearly budget from $1 million to $1.7 million and the membership to1,800 journalists.

“I am very honored to be part of such a distinguished list of Latinos in this country.” said López. “My work at UNITY serves communities of color throughout the U.S. and I am deeply honored to be part of such an organization. UNITY strives to change the portrayal of communities of color in the media and ensuring greater access to information.”

López has spent most of her career committed to the creating opportunities for people of color in the journalism industry. She began her professional career at the Washington Post as a national news aide. López is Mexican American and a native of Washington , DC and a Graduate of Mount Vernon College in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

UNITY: Journalists of Color is a strategic alliance comprised of four national associations. The Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the Native American Journalists Association. In addition to planning the largest gathering in the nation, UNITY develops programs and institutional relationships that promote year-round journalism advocacy and education, with a focus on fairness & accuracy in news coverage and diversity in newsrooms. UNITY is a 501© 3 non-profit corporation.

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About UNITY: Journalists of Color
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. is a strategic alliance advocating news coverage about people of color, and aggressively challenging its organizations at all levels to reflect the nation’s diversity. UNITY, representing more than 10,000 journalists of color, is comprised of four national associations: Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the Native American Journalists Association.

In addition to planning the largest regular gathering of journalists in the nation, UNITY develops programs and institutional relationships that promote its mission. For more information on UNITY, visit www.unityjournalists.org, email info@unityjournalists.org or call (703) 854-3585.