Microsoft and the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas Launch Digital Storytelling Online Course for the Next Generation of Latinx Journalists

Free, four-week online course aims to empower and inspire Latinx students to pursue careers in media

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft and the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas on Tuesday announced their collaboration to create an online course that aims to reach Latinx Gen Z and Millennial storytellers. According to the Government Accountability Office, Latinxs continue to be severely underrepresented in the media industry and have made few gains in newsrooms, film, or television in the last decade. Latinx made up between 11%-12% of the media industry workforce from 2014 to 2019, and in 2019, only 8% of newspaper and publishing staff were of Hispanic origins. Through this collaboration, the online course will look to help support and empower Latinx talent to be present and thrive in the industry.

The online course – "Digital Storytelling for the Next Generation of Latinx Journalists" – is running June 20 – July 17, 2022, and open to Latinx college and university students in the United States. Beyond the astronomical growth of the Latinx population overall, Latinx make up 25% of all Gen Zers and 21% of all American Millennials¹, so the course is designed with these audiences in mind.

"The storytellers of tomorrow need to reflect the realities of today. We believe technology has the power to enhance and transform storytelling, and we want to help this next generation of Latinx students have access to the information and tools that will allow them to play an integral role in the growth and future of the media industry," said Lisa Polloni, global communications lead for Americas, Microsoft. "We are so proud to partner with the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas in this endeavor given its extensive experience developing courses that provide students with the skills they need to be successful in this ever-changing field." 

The targeted, 4-week program will feature learning and professional development opportunities, as well as introduce students to the tools necessary to empower their journeys towards a career in media.

"We are thrilled to be able to collaborate with Microsoft to help Latinx Gen Z and Millennial aspiring journalists with this free training opportunity to learn how to become better storytellers by utilizing digital tools to improve and expand their reporting and editing skills," said professor Rosental Alves, founder and director, Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. "We are grateful to Microsoft for its support to this program and to Amara Aguilar, who accepted to be the instructor who will lead this course. We are lucky to count on her, a seasoned Latinx journalist and educator."

Amara Aguilar is a professor of journalism at University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She teaches journalism for mobile/emerging platforms, social media storytelling for Latinx audiences, visual journalism, engaging diverse communities, public relations strategy, and interactive design, among other courses. At USC, she co-founded Annenberg Media's award-winning bilingual outlet, Dímelo, focused on serving Latinx audiences.

Latinx students who are interested in learning, as well as strengthening their reporting and storytelling skills for diverse audiences, are encouraged to apply. The application process is very simple, and the form can be found here. You can also access the landing page of this online course at https://journalismcourses.org/course/digital-storytelling-for-the-next-generation-of-latinx-journalists/. Follow Microsoft Latinx on Twitter and visit the Microsoft Latinx blog for details and updates. 

Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

The Knight Center for Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin is a professional training and outreach program for journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean, but it has become a world leader in massive online courses on journalism. In the last decade, its online courses have reached more than 270,000 students in 200 countries and territories. The Knight Center has also helped to create a new generation of independent journalist organizations. These organizations have created self-sustaining training programs to raise the ethical and professional levels of journalism, thereby contributing to the freedom of press and democracy in the hemisphere. For more information, visit knightcenter.utexas.edu.

¹  March 2020, Pew Research Center survey

SOURCE Microsoft