Northern California radio-talk Host and Columnist Roberto Hernandez to receive NLGJA Award

LGJA Northern California to Honor Two Bay Area-Based Journalists with Excellence in Journalism Awards

CHOW.com Editor-In-Chief Jane Goldman as well as Radio Host/Producer and Columnist Roberto Hernandez to Receive Awards, Bob Ross Scholarship Recipient to Be Named

ROBERTO HERNANDEZ

Spanish-language Radio Host and Newspaper Columnist

Roberto Bernabe Hernández Torres, the youngest of 10 siblings, was born in San Cristóbal, estado de Hidalgo, Mexico on June 11, 1960. He completed his College studies in the “Escuela Superior de Turismo del Instituto Politécnico Nacional”, earning a BA in Tourism with a Specialty in Marketing . In 1990 he immigrated to Los Angeles, CA and in 1991 moved to San Francisco where he lives since. He started working in restaurants and eventually moved to media sales as account executive

In 2002 Roberto experienced what probably most gays fear; to be exposed out of the closet involuntarily. In his case, a Spanish-radio announcer in a prank, called him on the air and exposed his sexual preference and identity, Hernández sued the radio corporation, a few years later, a judge determined merits to his case and ruled in his favor on an unprecedented verdict: a Mexican gay man gay defeating a Corporation.

Wanting to show a positive image of the gay community, thus integrating them to the mainstream while combating negative stereotyping, in February 2007 started his San Francisco Bay Area Spanish-Speaking radio show “Roberto Al Medio Día”, airing on KIQI 1010 AM San Francisco and 990FM Sacramento/Pittsburgh.

As the producer and host for the show, his daring and outspoken style made him a relevant voice, not only for Latino gays, but also for the immigrant Latino community, subsequently, he started to write his opinion column “Ser Diferente” for Alianza News, based in San Jose.

A firm believer for the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community to be treated with respect, he documents and voices the daily struggles of these communities in his radio show, and in his editorial columns as well

In 2009, Hernández won GLAAD’s 20th media national award of “Outstanding Spanish Newspaper Columnist” for fairness in reporting about the LGBT community and the issues, in particular Prop 8 and Marriage Equality. His opinions caused awareness and reaction among Spanish speakers and others who read his column.

A few months later, he was the recipient of a “Certificate of Honor” Awarded by the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco, which acknowledges Roberto’s courage, perseverance and complete dedication to equality and justice, similarly, a local morning show aired on Univision’s KDTV-14 dedicated one hour to his work.

Currently, Roberto Hernández dedicates some of his free time to contribute in the struggle against AIDS and homophobia in schools

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