The second annual AL DÍA 40 Under Forty event will serve to highlight and showcase some of the most diverse and impactful young professionals across the Philadelphia region.

At the event, taking place on August 27, 2021, Isabel Sanchez will be one of the 40 honorees. She is a Reporter at Telemundo62. 

Isabel Sanchez is a dayside reporter for Telemundo62. She joined Telemundo62 in February 2020. Prior to joining Telemundo62, Sanchez served as a bilingual reporter and anchor for two years at WBOC-TV and helped launch Telemundo Delmarva serving the Delmarva Peninsula. Prior to that, she worked as a news anchor for Citrus TV Noticias, a Spanish television newscast in Syracuse, New York.

Sanchez has a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Universidad Rafael Belloso Chacín in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. While at Syracuse, she received the Gordon J. Alderman Memorial Prize for excellence in creative broadcasting.

Here are Isabel Sanchez's responses: 

Honestly, the biggest challenge I’ve faced in my professional career was the uncertainty that comes with being an immigrant in this country. 

Trying to pursue my dreams in journalism while navigating the complex immigration system of the USA was no easy task.

Dealing with obtaining a visa and then a green card while not knowing if I was going to be able to continue to work and build my career was an obstacle hard to conquer because it was mainly out of my hands.

While constantly under the threat of losing the ability to continue to hold the  job that I love.

I say this as one of the lucky ones, now a full American Citizen, my admiration goes out to those who continue to pursue careers while fearing losing their job or worse, deportation.

Diversity within diversity is FUNDAMENTAL. Often times newsrooms hire bilingual folks to fill a quota, many times rom the same country or same region, filling the newsroom with Spanish speaking people but still lacking diversity that comes with hiring professionals of different countries and backgrounds.

It’s fundamental that hiring managers in newsrooms strive for a diverse work force that’s a representation of the community they are serving. 

Hiring people from different nationalities and backgrounds promotes healthy discussions and everyone can gain different perspectives and experiences. This can lead to enrich story telling. 

It’s not enough to hire Hispanic journalists all from the same region, it’s necessary to bring diversity within that group to help better reach your target audience. 

For me being a leader means knowing how to listen and not being afraid to take action, even when there is stress that may come with it. 

Another aspect is listening and understand the members of your team and taking action without hesitation when necessary. 

I see myself as a leader in my newsroom, pursuing my career as a reporter on a national platform and as a mentor for younger journalists.