By Elia Esparza
With our press being consistently under siege since 2016, it is comforting when we see our journalists pressing on — they brush off the verbal attacks and just keep forging against the odds to bring us the news.
Mariana Atencio
Upfront and center is where you’ll find Mariana Atencio, an award-winning investigative reporter, TEDx speaker, and news personality who covers domestic and international issues, doing breaking news and special reports for NBC and MSNBC News.
Despite the odds, she continues to work to bring us the most relevant stories without filters and packed with harsh truths and at times, heartbreaking reports. She fights the press saboteurs with truth. It’s true that with no press, there is no democracy.
Atencio is a rising star among international journalists such as Christiane Amapour, Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, Katie Adie, the BBC’s Caroline Wyatt and Lyse Doucet.
“The next-gen voice for Latinos breaking all barriers,” said former Univision colleague, Jorge Ramos.
Atencio continuously takes on important issues head-on and at ground zero and she is always at the heart of breaking news.
Her overall reporting for NBC and MSNBC encompasses a wide range of stories, from the Women’s March and the women inspired to run for office to the power crisis in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Her work covering the recovery efforts on the island landed her a job as host of Ricky Martin and Eva Longoria’s Global Giff Gala “All in For Puerto Rico.”
Whether it is a natural disaster like those during Hurricane seasons, or a crisis of humanity with refugees fleeing to America, or the growing importance of Latino voters during the 2018 Midterms, is where you’ll find Mariana Atencio.
In 2013 Atencio was awarded a Peabody Award and an Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Award for her work as a reporter on “Fast and Furious: Arming the Enemy,” a one-hour documentary on the gun-walking scandal known as “Operation Fast and Furious.” After Uivision aired the investigation, Congress pressed the U.S. Justice Department for more info and uncovered weapons that hadn’t been found. One U.S. Congressman called “Rapido y Furioso” the Holy Grail that broke the case.
Earlier this year, Atencio opened the “We Are Unidos” conference in Washington D.C. with a powerful message about the need for Latinos in the United States to unite. In 2017, she gave TEDxTalk about humanity and inclusiveness, which has been translated in eight languages and has been seen more than eight million times. She followed up with a TEDxTalk on helping to make people care. She has spoken before the United Nations on the future of Latin America.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Atencio is fluent in Spanish and English, and uses her platforms in the U.S. to shed light on her native country. Her multicultural upbringing has allowed her to become an advocate for diversity and tolerance.
Maria Atencio with mum and Child
Maria Atencio is an investigative reporter with whose foundation is of courage and determination to bring us the stories that matter.
Atencio is repped by Latin World Entertainment (LWE)/Manager, Luis Balaguer.
Follow Maria Atencio on Social Media:
Instagram: @marianaatencio
Comments