Lori Montenegro
Cuban-American journalist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lori Montenegro (born November 8, 1959)[1] is a Cuban-American journalist in Spanish-language television news.[2] She was born in Santiago de Cuba and raised in Miami, Florida.[1] She reported on major events in the United States' history, with a focus on covering issues concerning the Latin American population.[2] Montenegro has been serving as the first Afro-Latino Washington bureau chief for Noticias Telemundo after 20 years as a Noticias Telemundo's Washington correspondent.[2]
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Lori Montenegro | |
|---|---|
Lori Montegro in 2025 | |
| Born | November 8, 1959 Santiago de Cuba, Cuba |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer | NBCUniversal |
Early life and education
Montenegro was born in Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, in 1959.[3] Montenegro followed her mother to emigrate to the United States as an infant in January 1960 and was raised in Miami, Florida.[3]
Montenegro studied at Miami-Dade Community College for two years, where she was invited to an interview at a radio station in Miami Beach, which later brought her into the radio station to start her career as a journalist.[3]
Career
Montenegro began her career in journalism in radio, then transitioned to television in Spanish-language news networks in the United States.[1] She became the first Afro-Latino Washington bureau chief for Noticias Telemundo after 20 years as a Noticias Telemundo's Washington correspondent.[2]
Montenegro's reports mainly covered the White House and Capitol Hill, and a wide range of issues related to politics, elections, immigration, health care, economy, and the Latin American population in Washington, D.C. and the United States.[4]
Awards and recognition
Montenegro received several major awards, including:
- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's Latina Leader Award[2]
- The UnidosUS Rubén Salazar Award[2]
- The First Amendment Clarity Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association[2]
Montenegro was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) Hall of Fame in 2023. She was featured in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History bilingual exhibit, "¡De última hora!: Latinas Report Breaking News," which honours seven Latina journalists in the same year.[2]
Impact
In 2024, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists established the NAHJ Lori Montenegro Scholarship for students, particularly Afro-Latino students who are pursuing careers in journalism, communications, or marketing in either English or Spanish.[2]