As the conversation surrounding the remaining presidential hopefuls turns to whether they can win the black, Latino, and youth vote, Fuse and Voto Latino have teamed up to include Latinos in the election process in a way that hasn’t always been a priority. The two joined forces to once again launch Crash the Parties – a nationwide search for two aspiring, young Latino reporters to cover the Democratic and Republican National Conventions for Fuse.
From now until May 15, those interested can fill out an application on Crash the Parties’ site. For phase two (May 16-31), people will narrow down the applicants to 10 before the judges pick the final two. Jose Antonio Vargas (founder of Emerging US), Alejandra Campoverdi (Director of Multicultural Content at the Los Angeles Times), Maria Hinojosa (Latino USA host), Lizza Monet (journalist), and Katherine Vargas (former White House director of Hispanic Media) will choose the winners.
The competition is really set up for journalism newbies, because the winners will receive media training before appearing on TV. For Hinojosa, this is part of the appeal. At the beginning of her career, opportunities like these weren’t available. To her, the competition is an exciting opportunity for journalists, and she took a few minutes out of her day to discuss the qualities she’s looking for in applicants.
“Well, I’m looking for journalists who are serious,” she said. “I’m looking for someone who spends a lot of time thinking about politics in the United States of America. I’m looking for someone who understands the importance, but who is working hard at being themselves… I was absolutely working in the mainstream, but I worked really hard not to let myself feel the pressure to become like everyone else. It’s not easy; it’s a challenge. I’m looking for someone who is very hungry. You can’t fake that.”
Hinojosa’s first big assignment didn’t come at a convention, as may be the case for the two winners. But in 1992, she attended her first Democratic National Convention in New York, where she covered the conversations happening on the periphery. Good news: The whole thing is smaller than it looks like on TV and usually, the mood is upbeat.
And, if you win, it’s a pretty awesome way to boost your résumé. Apply here while you can.