CHCI TO HONOR PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING JOURNALIST MARIA HINOJOSA WITH THE MEDALLION OF EXCELLENCE AT THE 49TH ANNUAL AWARDS GALA 

Washington, D.C. – July 10, 2026 – The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) is proud to announce that it will recognize Maria Hinojosa as the 2026 American Dream Medallion of Excellence in Education, Science, Medicine, or Civil Rights honoree during its annual celebration honoring the nation’s most remarkable Latino leaders to be hosted at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. 

The Medallion of Excellence, CHCI’s highest honor, is awarded each year to individuals who embody exceptional leadership, career achievement, and community involvement, recognizing them as role models in the Latino community. 

“Maria Hinojosa has spent more than three decades ensuring that the stories of our community are told with honesty and depth,” said CHCI Chair Rep. Darren Soto. “Her work has shaped how this country understands itself, and CHCI is honored to recognize her contributions to journalism and to Latino representation in media.” 

“Maria Hinojosa’s career reflects the very best of what it means to lead with purpose.” said Marco A. Davis, CHCI President and CEO. “As a pioneer among journalists, she has opened doors for generations of storytellers who came after her. This recognition celebrates a legacy of independence, integrity, and impact.” 

As the first Latina reporter for NPR, Maria Hinojosa was among the first to report on youth violence in urban communities on a national scale. During her eight years as CNN’s urban affairs correspondent, Hinojosa often took viewers into communities rarely shown on television. In 2010, she founded Futuro Media, an independent, nonprofit newsroom with the mission to create multimedia content focused on the complexity of an increasingly diverse country and world. As the anchor and executive producer of the Peabody Award-winning show Latino USA, and as a contributor to MSNBC, Hinojosa has informed millions of listeners about the changing cultural and political landscape in America and abroad. 

She is an elected Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has won dozens of awards, most recently, the George Polk Career Award, the I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence, the Public Media Journalists Association Leo C. Lee Award, and the Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the author of four books, most recently a young readers’ edition of her critically acclaimed memoir, Once I Was You. 

Press credentials and interview requests with select honorees, performers, and CHCI leadership may be available upon request by emailing press@chci.org. 

ABOUT CHCI The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) is the premier Hispanic, nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization in the country, dedicated to developing the next generation of Latino leaders®. CHCI provides leadership, public service, and policy experiences to outstanding Latino/a/e students and young professionals, and convenes Members of Congress, other public officials, corporate executives, nonprofit advocates, and thought leaders to discuss issues facing the nation and the Hispanic community.  

Visit CHCI.org and follow us @CHCIDC on social media. 

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