After Nearly 150 Years, Harvard Newspaper (Finally) Names Its First Latina President
The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University’s student newspaper founded in 1873, named it’s first Latinx president after nearly 150 years of publication. The publication is the nation’s oldest published daily college paper.
Amanda Y. Su, the current president of the publication, took to Twitter to celebrate the historic news.
Raquel Coronell Uribe, a 23-year-old junior studying history and literature at Harvard, was shocked to hear the news but nonetheless recognizes the importance of such a historic moment, hoping it will leave the door open “for future Latinx presidents and future firsts as well.”
Originally from Miami, Coronell Uribe was congratulated by her hometown mayor, the first female Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Daniella Levine Cava on Twitter.
Recognizing such a powerful moment in academia history, Uribe sought guidance from Kristine Guillaume, the first Black woman to lead the publication.
“She gave me the reassurance and the pep talk that I needed to kind of make that final decision and say, ‘Okay, I’ll go for it.’ And then after I got the decision, she sent me a really kind email that made my day,” Coronell Uribe said. “She’s someone I admire a lot, so it meant a lot to me to have her support,” Uribe shared with the Boston Globe.
With a legacy of journalism in her family, Uribe is following in her parents footsteps. Her mother, María Cristina Uribe, was formerly a news anchor and father, Daniel Coronell, was the former president of Univision News.
Born in Colombia, her family moved to the United States when Uribe was six, after her father received death threats for his transparent investigative reporting on the Colombian government.
Raised in Miami, Uribe was inspired by her parents’ work and pursued journalism as she believes there is nothing “more impactful than providing vital information to the people around you and allowing them to make informed and better decisions,” she told NPR.
Over the last few weeks, Latinas have been making historic moves and challenging societal norms across sectors.
America Ferrera alongside Linda Yvette Chávez are changing the narrative around the Latinx experience in entertainment through “Gentefied,” making waves in what Latinx representation in Hollywood looks like.
Similarly, Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez constantly challenges conservative ideologies in Congress.
Latinas are claiming their seats in positions of power and making decisions that are reflective and in support of the communities they seek to empower.
Latinx leadership is diversifying and expanding in multifaceted ways, allowing Latinxs to claim space in positions, industries, and elite spaces of power that have historically excluded Latinx voices and stories.
Today, Latinas especially are disrupting forces of power and paving the path for the next generation of Latinx leaders, fiercely and unapologetically.
