Ángel Nakamura is a multimedia journalist with 18 years of professional experience in Mexico, specializing in the coverage of social issues, the justice system, politics, human rights, arts, public safety, and sports. His work demonstrates proficiency in investigative reporting, copyediting, translation, proofreading, and fact-checking, as well as mentoring and teaching in academic and professional contexts. His trajectory combines journalistic practice with scholarly engagement, particularly in the areas of press freedom, organized crime, corruption, and the challenges of journalism in northern Mexico.

He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas.

Ángel was a Mellon High Impact Scholar Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin from 2023 to 2024, where he researched the challenges of practicing journalism in northern Mexico and shared his expertise with students and faculty. His academic work led him to present at the Moody College of Communication, keynote at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras, and take part in the International Symposium on Online Journalism in Austin. He previously held a fellowship at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, where he worked on research about the hazards of journalism in conflict regions.

Professionally, Ángel has worked with major international outlets including CNN, Bloomberg, and CNN México, where he specialized in breaking news, copyediting, and digital content optimization. He has also collaborated with EnUn2x3 in Tamaulipas, producing investigative pieces on corruption, organized crime, and human rights, as well as contributing to a social media news show. Earlier in his career, he served as Director of Communications for the Asociación de Editores de Periódicos, organized international symposia, and worked as a field reporter and correspondent for regional media across Tamaulipas.

Bilingual in Spanish and English, Ángel combines rigorous investigative skills with a passion for clear, ethical, and impactful storytelling. He is especially interested in how journalism can strengthen democracy, hold power accountable, and innovate through new digital formats. Whether mentoring the next generation of journalists, speaking at international forums, or editing copy under deadline pressure, Ángel continues to push for journalism that informs, engages, and defends the public interest.

As a fellow for the Mellon Foundation for High Impact Scholars at the University of Texas, Ángel Nakamura completed a research project, The Dangers of Doing Journalism in Tamaulipas, which details the challenges of covering organized crime and corruption in northeastern Mexico.

Through cases collected during the winter of 2024, Nakamura presents stories of journalists who rely on self-censorship as a protection and survival method in a country where informing the truth can cost your life.

Scholar Resources

• Conference Presentation (PDF)
• Conference Transcript in Spanish (PDF)
• Conference Transcript in English (PDF)
• Additional Resources (PDF)
• How to Cite (PDF)