Victoria Moll-Ramírez was set on becoming a sports journalist, until she realized she only liked one sport (basketball). She then fell in love with hip-hop radio – she dreamed of becoming the next Angie Martinez – but radio wasn’t hiring when she graduated from school in the heat of the Recession in 2009. So Victoria went into television news, starting out covering the Casey Anthony trial. Although she swore she’d never do news because “newspeople have no personality,” that’s where she’s thrived over the past nine years – and brought plenty of personality and verve.

Honduran-Cuban by way of Miami, Victoria is currently working in NYC as a booking producer for ABC News’ digital livestream channel, ABC News Live. Curiosity – aside from croquetas – is her reason for being: “I don’t need an excuse to ask all the questions in the world because it’s my job,” she says. But her secret weapon (as demonstrated during HEFAT in her elbow punch honed since childhood fighting with her brother) is her speed. She loves to pursue the action, which is why it’s no surprise her reporting has taken her to the center of protests currently happening in Honduras.

What’s really struck her throughout her career is the lack of diversity in newsrooms: “I feel a huge responsibility to represent the stories of all Latinos because there’s not enough of us in newsrooms as it is, so the few of us that are there have to have each others’ backs because the stories need to get told,” she says, adding that her inspiration and starting point for any Latin America-related story is her mom, Bélgica.

After long days of reporting and hearing very heavy and sad stories, we’re very grateful for Victoria as she regales us with a never-ending supply of dichos (thanks Bélgica,) bringing much-needed levity and laughter to an intense reporting trip.

Leah Varjacques, 2019 Honduras Fellow