Univision Reporter Julio Cesar Ortiz Returns as Emcee of 12th Annual NAMIWalks
Los Angeles, CA, September 15, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Emmy-award winning reporter Julio César Ortiz will be returning this year to emcee the 12th annual NAMIWalks on Saturday, October 11th, held at Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles.
In addition to his duties as a Senior Mental Health Reporter for Univision, Ortiz is a certified therapist through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, and is currently working to receive his license as an MFT. He also hosts the only biweekly mental health segment in Spanish in the US, having produced more than 30 segments since November 2012.
"I am excited to be returning as the emcee for the NAMIWalks this year. We need to continue to have the conversation about the stigma of mental illness and how it impacts our society. It affects everyone in some way regardless of race, age, religion, and economic status."
Julio Cesar Ortiz, Reporter, Univision Los Angeles
“I am excited to be returning as the emcee for the NAMIWalks this year,” Ortiz said. “We need to continue to have the conversation about the stigma of mental illness and how it impacts our society. It affects everyone in some way regardless of race, age, religion, and economic status.”
Oritz has received 41 Emmy nominations and won 20 times, and has also been the recipient of the Edward Murrow Regional Award for best writer. Ortiz has also been recognized four times by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists for his investigative and human interest stories, and was the first Mexican immigrant journalist to receive two consecutive Associated Press awards for writer of the year in the western United States.
NAMIWalks is an annual 5K walk, and is the largest fundraising event for NAMI, which has 12 local affiliates in Los Angeles County. There are over 210,000 members in over 1,200 affiliate groups across the US, the District of Columbia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Somoa, and Guam.
Funds raised through donations and sponsorships ensure that the Los Angeles area local affiliates can continue to provide resources and support groups FREE of charge for people living with mental illness and their families. To learn more about NAMIWalks, please visit the NAMI website.
About NAMI
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI advocates for access to services, treatment, support and research, and is steadfast in its commitment to raise awareness and build a community for hope for all of those in need.
