DITA QUIÑONES
My pen is mightier than a sword.
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST
music + community + culture + politrix
PUBLISHED WRITING
LATINA MAGAZINE | COMADRES: "TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR"
June/July 2015
MY MISSION
Storyteller
“To be an ethical bilingual multimedia journalist. To hold those with power accountable to the voiceless in order to bring restorative justice to our communities.”
Southeast San Diego Hip-Hop
NBC NEWS: "Migrant Children Border Crisis During Pandemic" Cross Talk ft Gabe Gutierrez
Dita Quinones -- Entertainment Reporter Reel-HD
ABOUT ME
Adaptive Leadership through Journalism
Dita Quiñones is an Emmy-winning bilingual journalist who shines in broadcast news, online platforms, and print! Dita truly understands the hurdles many working parents face living in California. She was born in Tijuana to a Mexican mother and Filipino father and moved to the United States at the age of two. Her curiosity and creativity thrived as she captured life through photography and storytelling. A standout student at Mission Bay High School, she led the yearbook as the chief photographer and proudly participated in Adelante Mujer, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to the inclusion of Latina students in pursuit of higher education.
Dita's incredible talent and connections in the hip-hop community opened doors to major advertising campaigns and music lifestyle publications like Wax Poetics and Latina Magazine. Dita is a proud b-girl and a well-respected hip-hop photographer from the east to the west coast. She documented the golden age of hip-hop, photographing all the legends from Ice-T, Nas, Kanye West, and Lil Kim. Dita went on to earn her A.A. in Photography Arts from Southwestern Community College and later graduated from the prestigious Art Center College of Design with a Bachelor's degree in Cinematography. During her studies, she served on the board of Chroma/Contraste, the Black & Latino Student Union at Art Center. Dita has served her community through Parent Voices California, where her leadership was recognized by 79th District Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber. She has also proudly served as vice president for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) San Diego/Tijuana chapter. Dita is more driven than ever to create a brighter future through the power of journalism and communications!
RESUME
D I T A Q U I Ñ O N E S
emmy-winning multimedia journalist
ditaquinones@gmail.com | byditaquinones.com | ghettonewsflash.com
EXPERIENCE
Communications Director | City of San Diego
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Crisis Communications
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Speechwriting, proclamations, and adjournments in memory, reflecting leadership values and community goals.
• Content producer for social media platforms and crafted creative content for public engagement. -
Direct supervisor of Communications Coordinator
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Oversaw website and newsletter management, ensuring consistent branding and information dissemination.
Bilingual Story Producer | Multimedia Journalist NBC/Telemundo
March 2017 - Present
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Produce “Politically Speaking” with Gene Cubbison.
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Gather, write, video-edit, and assemble local news content for TV broadcast.
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Streamlined the launch of Telemundo 20.
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Produce special music, community, culture multimedia news packages with a hip-hop edge.
Reporter/Writer/Social Media Manager | NBC “SoundDiego”
Aug. 2012 – March 2017
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First TV reporter/blogger dedicated to uncovering the best in alt-Latino entertainment.
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Produce exclusive interviews with major music acts.
Writer, Reporter, Online Video Producer | Latina Magazine
July 2007 – June 2017
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Launched Latina.com video channel.
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Produce, shoot, edit exclusive content in politics, entertainment, health, beauty and celebrity news.
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Responsible for writing 3 monthly features: “Comadres,” “My Latina Life,” and “Lip Service.”
Freelance Photographer
Assignments:
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ELECTRICMOYO.COM | NISSAN ALTIMA
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BREAK THE GLASS IN CASE OF ADVENTURE | NISSAN PATHFINDER ARMADA
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ALCHEMIST | WAX POETICS
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MATTHEW (LP) KOOL KEITH | MILLION DOLLAR STORY (LP) CROOKED I
EDUCATION
University of San Diego
RISE Urban Leadership Fellow, Gen V
RISE Diamond Leadership Initiative (DLI) Fellow
San Diego City College
Certificate of Achievement, Radio & Television Broadcast News
Art Center College of Design
B.F.A. Film (Director of Photography)
Southwestern Community College
A.A. Photography Arts
AWARDS
2024 Telly Award People's Choice Winner
"Remembering San Diego Black Panther Party Founder: Shirley Jean Meadors"
2024 Telly Award Winner
"Rivalry Between Two Black Civil Rights Groups Ends with Honoring the Lives of Black Panther Party members: Sylvester Bell & John Savage"
NBCUniversal G.E.M.
2019 “Going the Extra Mile” Employee Achievement
NBCUniversal G.E.M. 2021 “Going the Extra Mile” Employee Achievement
Emmy Award Broadcast News
2020 Outstanding Achievement in Team Coverage: Civil Rights Protestors Clash with Police
2018 Outstanding Achievement in Evening – Larger Market (NBC San Diego)
2017 Outstanding Achievement in Evening – Larger Market (Telemundo 20)
California Legislature Assembly Certificate of Recognition
2017 Early Education and Childcare
SKILLS
English & Spanish bilingual | iNews | Drupal | RedDot | CMS | Final Cut Pro | Edius GrassValley | Photography | Audition | Pro Tools | Adobe CS | SocialFlow | Social Media | Graphic Design | Broadcast News Writing | WordPress | Videography | On-Camera Reporter | Public Speaker | Music & Pop Culture Expert | Hip-Hop Culture Expert | B-Girl | Early Education & Childcare for Working Families Expert | Indigov | Canva
LEADERSHIP
Vice-President at National Association of Hispanic Journalists (San Diego/Tijuana)
National Association of Black Journalist
NBCUniversal Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council Boardmember
Parent Voices, Board Member, Parent Leader
REFERENCES UPON REQUEST