Longtime WCVB reporter Jorge Quiroga received the Lifetime Achievement Award last Friday, October 9 at the Hispanic Heritage breakfast in Boston.
More than 400 of the biggest names in Boston, including Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, came together today to celebrate the contributions of the Hispanic community at the Hispanic Heritage Breakfast at the Revere Hotel. Walsh also officially proclaimed Friday as Jorge Quiroga Day in the city of Boston.
Hosted by El Mundo Boston, this marked the 6th year of the event, which coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month. It has been the premier event for celebrating Hispanic culture in Boston, and was attended by Boston Globe Editorial Writer Marcela Garcia, WBZ Producer Yadires Nova-Salcedo, and NECN Meterologist Nelly Carreno, among many others.
“Congratulations to you all for National Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Mayor Walsh at the beginning of today’s event. “It’s important to remember your heritage in the city of Boston.”
El Mundo honored luminary and award-winning TV reporter Jorge Quiroga, a staple at WCVB for more than four decades and an on-air reporter since 1977, with a Lifetime Achievement Award. During his tenure at WCVB, he has covered every major national and local story of importance to New Englanders -- from the Blizzard of '78, the Claus von Bulow trial (the then crime if the century), the King Arthur's Massacre, September 11 attack on America, the Sandy Hook School Massacre to the Marathon Bombings.
Quiroga joined WCVB in 1974 as the first producer/host of Aqui, a Hispanic public affairs program he created. He continued as host of Aqui until early 1985. Throughout his career, he's received many prestigious broadcasting awards and honors, including the Latin National Pride Award from Latin Pride Magazine, the Ohio State Award for Aqui, a New England Emmy Award for the news series, ”Hard Crime: No Time,” and a Gabriel Award for the investigative report ”Reading, Writing, and Reality.” Quiroga also received awards from Associated Press and National Headliners, as well as a RTNDA regional award for feature reporting.
In accepting the award, Quiroga talked about the growing influence of the Hispanic community.
“I can see our voices have multiplied. Our voices are heard loud and strong,” he said. “Our voices have been heard and will be heard. We can’t be ignored and will not be ignored.”
Quiroga was born in Bogota, Colombia. He graduated from Boston’s Emerson College in 1972 and received a master’s degree in human development and mass media from Harvard University in 1974.
Congratulating Quiroga on his award, Governor Baker said, “You are a legend before your time. You have been a part of our mornings, our evenings, and our days. I am so happy you’re being honored for your 40 years of work.”
Additionally, Milagros Para Niños received this year’s “Community Partner of the Year” award for their work with underserved Latino children at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“It is the highlight of our year to see everyone here, both Latino and non-Latino, come together to celebrate Latino culture and look toward the future,” said El Mundo Boston President and CEO Alberto Vasallo III. “Just like the Latino population in Massachusetts, this event becomes bigger each year.”
About El Mundo Boston
Founded in 1972, El Mundo Boston is the oldest Spanish-language newspaper in New England. Published weekly by Latino immigrants, the paper was created to meet the information needs of the growing Hispanic community in Massachusetts.
