Colombian journalist José Martínez has won his first Emmy Award, which recognizes excellence in the television industry in the United States.
Martínez, Anchor and Reporter for WFMZ-TV 69 News, received its first award for the remarkable story of a Dominican businessman. He delivers free meals outside his business in Reading, Pennsylvania.
“I am super excited and happy to receive this 2022 Emmy Award in the category of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” said the journalist. “I am very grateful to Moisés Abreu for allowing me to tell his story.”
It is the first nomination for the Colombian, who has been working for this television station since 2020, after years of journalistic experience in New York City and Bogotá.
“Since the beginning of my career, I have been committed to telling stories that inform, educate and uplift my audience. I feel a great responsibility to treat the communities I cover with dignity and respect,” said Martínez. “I feel fortunate, excited, and, above all, honored by this recognition.”
Part of his excitement, he says, lies in his passion for representation.
“Whenever I meet someone, especially Hispanic children, who look like me, I happily tell them that they too can take a microphone, a camera and tell the stories of their community. It’s what motivates me the most,” he noted.
The majestic ceremony was held on Saturday, October 1, in the city of Philadelphia.
“It is an honor to receive this recognition from my colleagues in the television industry with an award as prestigious as the Emmys,” said the journalist, who attended the gala with his mother, Muriel Stella Rodríguez, who traveled from Cartagena, Colombia, to accompany him to the event.
“I am very grateful to God for allowing me to have a son who is talented and committed to everything he does. Not only in the journalism industry, but in everything else,” said Rodríguez. “The fact that he has received recognition for all his work outside of Colombia is something I admire and applaud.”
José Martínez 