Southwest Airlines Flies Students to Unity '08


Southwest Airlines, in support of the San Diego Chapter of CCNMA-Latino Journalists of California and Southwestern Community College, provided air travel to eight junior college journalism students attending the Unity Journalism of Color Conference in Chicago July 23-26.

The airlines’ support means Southwestern Community College students struggling to further their education during these tough economic times did not need to worry about getting to the conference.

"It felt great to get those tickets," said Vanessa Nevarez, a 23-year-old sophomore at Southwestern Community College. "It felt like we were one step closer to get to this conference which we had been planning on for months."

Nevarez, editor-in-chief of the award-winning Southwestern College Sun, said she and seven other students were determined to attend Unity even if it meant they’d need to fundraise the money themselves. The conference, which is only hosted every four years, will provide networking opportunities as well as training sessions for students and professional journalists of color.

Despite the desire to go, Nevarez said help from sponsors such as Southwest Airlines, has made the trip possible. "We wouldn’t have been able to go without their help," she said.

"We were thrilled and grateful that our long-time sponsor, Southwest Airlines, secured air travel for these students," said Janine Zúñiga, President of CCNMA-San Diego. "Our student development program is a cornerstone of our mission."

CCNMA promotes diversity in the news media by providing encouragement, scholarships and educational programs to Latinos pursuing careers as professional journalists. CCNMA strives to foster an accurate and fair portrayal of Latinos in the news media. The San Diego Chapter funds and manages four core programs: Multi-Cultural Journalism Workshop for High School Students; Journalism Scholarship Program; Professional Development Program; Student Development Program. CCNMA is a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit organization.

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