09/06/2026
Meet the distinguished panelists of the segment: Expanding the Landscape: The Evolving Role of Ethnic and Minority Media at the Society of Professional Journalists Conference on 9/5/2026 at the South Shore Harbor Resort in League City.
Gary Lee is the Executive Editor of two Tulsa based news publications, Tulsa Flyer and the Oklahoma Eagle. Lee is a veteran reporter and editor who has made impactful contributions to the mainstream media and the Black press. Lee has been a staff writer for Time magazine and a correspondent for the Washington Post. He was deputy chief of Time’s Bureau in Germany and chief of the Washington Post Bureau in Moscow, Russia. Early in his career, Gary explored “news that does not come out of the typical centers of power.” He has written about the cultures of more than forty U.S. states and ninety countries — from Maine to Hawaii and Afghanistan to Wales. In 2024, The National Association of Black Journalists selected Lee as the annual Journalist of Distinction, one of the organization’s top honors. Lee was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of Russia. Lee has led the Oklahoma Eagle to win multiple awards, including over two dozen first-place prizes from the Oklahoma Press Association. In 2023, Lee was awarded the Ray Lokey Award, an annual prize given to one of the top writers in Oklahoma.
Nakia Cooper is a multimedia executive, journalist, and strategic communications leader. She has led digital media operations at KPRC 2, KHOU 11, and CW39 Houston. Her work in television news has earned numerous industry honors, including an Emmy Award, two Edward R. Murrow Awards, three Associated Press Awards, and two Lone Star Press Awards. Cooper serves as president of the Houston Association of Black Journalists, co-deputy director for Region III of the National Association of Black Journalists, co-director of Houston Community Media, and CEO & publisher of Bayou Beat News, a print and digital publication. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism and Mass Communications and a Master of Arts in Digital Media, both from Texas Southern University, where she also serves as an adjunct professor in the School of Communication.
Tierra Smith is an award-winning journalist, media entrepreneur, and global storyteller passionate about amplifying the voices of women and marginalized communities. She is the founder of Watch Me Win, a media platform that champions underrepresented voices in business, sports, and politics, and Wins For Black Girls, a community dedicated to celebrating and sharing good news about Black women. Most recently, Tierra served as Social Media Editor at BLACK ENTERPRISE, where she led content strategy for a combined audience of more than 2 million followers. She has also reported for KPRC 2, Bisnow, and Community Impact Newspaper in Houston, as well as The Denver Post, The Salt Lake Tribune, and the Tampa Bay Times. Her reporting spans real estate, business, culture, local government, health, entrepreneurship, and racial and gender equity. A Milwaukee native, Tierra earned a bachelor’s degree from Grambling State University and a master’s degree from Louisiana State University.
Ryan Tejero is a seasoned journalist and currently the Editor of One Philippines Texas News, which is the only newspaper serving the Filipino American community in Texas. He writes as a senior columnist for Chicago’s oldest and largest Filipino newsmagazine – The VIA Times. Ryan is a fellow of Houston Community Media. Ryan completed his BA in Philosophy from the University of the Philippines. He started his journey as a writer in 2001. For 5 years, he became the newsletter editor of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NAFFAA), which is known to be the largest Filipino organization in America. He co-founded the community newsletter for Filipinos living in Romania that featured “everyday living” of Filipino overseas workers . Ryan also became a contributor, where he featured migration stories in a Filipino newspaper published in Australia.
Evelyn Castro is the Publisher of La Prensa de Houston, where she leads the organization’s digital growth, newsroom evolution, and local business development. Named the 2022 Latina Publisher of the Year, Castro views journalism and communication as essential tools for advocacy, education, and community advancement. She plays an active role in the broader media industry, where she serves as the Vice President of the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), Treasurer for the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation (ANF), and contributes to LatidoBeat.
