Seeking Justice in Arizona: Nadine Arroyo Rodriguez discusses immigration, politics and power

The 2012 Seeking Justice in Arizona lecture series kicks off this week with a presentation, Sept. 20, by KJZZ's Nadine Arroyo Rodriguez, senior field correspondent with "Fronteras: The Changing America Desk." The Emmy-nominated journalist will discuss her on-air coverage of justice issues of importance to Arizona and the Southwest, including SB1070, the disbarment of Andrew Thomas, and mass deportation.

This intimate lecture will give insight into one journalist's perspective on interviewing, applying scholarship to news stories and allowing alternative voices to penetrate the public discourse. The lecture, titled "Empowerment Through Listening: A Dialogue on Immigration, Politics and Power," will be held at 4 p.m., in West Hall 135 on ASU's Tempe campus.

Rodriguez is a Telly Award winner as well as a New York Times Fellow with the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism and Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy. She also serves on the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Board of Directors. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a bachelor's in broadcast journalism, Rodriguez earned a master of education from Northern Arizona University, and is pursuing a master of advanced study in American Media and Popular Culture from Arizona State University.

Her broadcasting career includes Eight, Arizona PBS, where she was a producer and correspondent for the public affairs programs "Horizon" and "Horizonte." While in Chicago, Rodriguez hosted on-air bilingual pledge drives for WTTW Channel 11 (PBS), making her the only bilingual pledge host at the time. She was a general assignment reporter for Tribune Company’s ChicagoLand Television News, Univision affiliate WCIU-TV Channel 26 and WYCC-TV. She worked in scoreboard operations for both Comiskey Park (now U.S. Cellular Field) of the Chicago White Sox and United Center (Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks).Rodriguez also co-produced a bilingual television parenting program on both Chicago’s Telemundo and WYCC-TV Channel 20.

The Seeking Justice in Arizona lecture series, now in its 10th year, is sponsored by Justice and Social Inquiry in the School of Social Transformation, an academic unit of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It seeks to create dialog on issues of national importance but from an Arizona perspective.

The lecture series continues in October and November, with a presentation by Randall Amster, executive director of the Peace and Justice Association and a professor at Prescott College, on Oct. 25. Community organizer and social entrepreneur Randy Parraz closes out the series on Thursday, November 15. All Seeking Justice in Arizona lectures are free and open to the public.