Remembering Mónica Rhor: storyteller, mentor, mother, friend
On a hot June day in 2010, a fresh-out-of-college Jason Gonzales worked up the nerve to approach the person seated alone at a desk in a hotel conference room in Denver. This was the popup student newsroom at the annual convening of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, where experienced pros mentor journalists of the future and students report on news of the conference — and Mónica…
In June 2010, a recent college graduate named Jason Gonzales approached Mónica Rhor, a seasoned journalist, in a hotel conference room during a National Association of Hispanic Journalists convention. Rhor, who was later to join the Chalkbeat staff, had an immediate impact on Gonzales, who described her as caring, patient, and kind.
Mónica Rhor Samaniego, a beloved colleague and friend, passed away in November 2021 after a short battle with brain cancer. She was 65 years old. Rhor's legacy included a wealth of stories she told and shaped, careers she mentored, and two daughters who owe their brighter futures to her. Chalkbeat's editor-in-chief, Sarah Darville, noted that Rhor embodied the publication's values of improving journalism and caring for colleagues.
Rhor's role at Chalkbeat primarily involved editing stories from various markets, but she was also deeply committed to mentoring young journalists, especially Hispanic and Latino journalists. Her close association with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) led her to mentor student journalists for years, both at NAHJ conferences and through other organizations for journalists of color.
Rhor's passion for representation and her experience covering schools inspired her to teach high school journalism.
Written by urgent.news from Chalkbeat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
