WORCESTER – Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) holds a special event in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, featuring the accomplished journalist Mariana Atencio. on Thursday, October 19th, at 9:00 AM at the Athletic Center on QCC’s main campus, at 670 West Boylston Street.
Atencio, a former anchor and reporter for Univision and NBC News, is also known for her 2017 TEDx talk, “What makes YOU special?” She also authored an Amazon bestseller, “Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real.”
Dr. Luis Pedraja, President of Quinsigamond Community College, said QCC’s is committed to celebrating individual stories and cultural heritage.
“At QCC, we encourage our students to embrace their unique narratives and take pride in their backgrounds,” said Pedraja. “We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to Mariana in QCC and Worcester. This event is a fitting conclusion to our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.”
Atencio is featured in the acclaimed HBO series “Habla Now,” where she contributes to defining the Latinx experience in the United States. Her work has earned her a Peabody, a Gracie Award, Columbia University’s First Decade Award, and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Presidential Award. She also serves as a spokesperson for the American Latino Museum in Washington, D.C. and held a fellowship at the Aspen Institute in 2020.
Atencio’s latest endeavor, an investigative podcast titled “Lost in Panama,” investigates issue of femicide in Latin America. The podcast ranks among Apple’s top 10 podcasts during its release week.
The event includes a panel discussion featuring distinguished Latinx leaders, with panelists that include Germán Chiriboga, program director of Health Equity and Storytelling at UMass Medical School; Elena Quiroz-Livanis, chief of staff and assistant commissioner of Academic Policy and Student Success at Massachusetts Department of Higher Education; and Dr. Lorna Rivera, director of the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development & Public Policy at UMass Boston.
Those attending the event are asked to register here.
Image Courtesy of Quinsigamond Community College
