It was May 28, 2026 when the life of young Santiago Campos changed.
This Latino journalist who will attend Georgetown University sparked a controversy that went beyond its scale. When he stepped onto the stage to receive the Mike Wallace Memorial Scholarship, funded by CBS News and presented at the 47th annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, he was greeted by legendary 60 Minutes journalist Scott Peeler, who introduced him as an honest and brilliant young man, the kind of journalist that is needed at this moment.
Campos looked calm, if he was nervous he did not show it, if he was anxious he did not show it either. He formally greeted Peeler and approached the microphone.
After thanking the award, he continued with a part of his speech that addressed the chaos taking place in the news division of CBC.
“I want to also acknowledge how the recent direction of the outlet stains the legacy of Mike Wallace, the namesake of this scholarship,” he told the crowd.
“As corporate elites take hold over the very pipes through which our information flows, journalism that serves the people becomes increasingly harder to come by, yet ever more crucial. And what the people want is the truth. So if at any time you hesitate to utter the word ‘genocide’, or remain silent in the face of blatant lies, remember to ask yourself: ‘Who is this for?’ I hope you choose us.”
The audience remained silent for a few seconds and then erupted into applause. Peeler approached him and greeted him warmly, repeating that journalists like Santiago are the ones who give hope for the future of journalism.
“I knew it was kind of what I had to do,” Campos said to The Guardian. “I felt like I could not just accept the scholarship and also ignore just how wrong the direction of CBS is going. I was nervous to speak to such a large crowd, but there was never a question about whether I was going to say the things I said or not. I think that was always my plan.”
Campos said his remarks were shared in advance with the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which he said was broadly supportive of his right to share his perspective.
His speech went viral. Everyone was talking about it, how an 18 year old had dared to challenge in this way one of the giants of communication, a corporate entity among the most powerful not only in the country but in the world.
“Everything changed, a lot, I did not expect it. The phone calls would not stop, they were asking for interviews, my dad joked that we now needed someone to take care of my public relations,” Santiago tells Parriva.
His voice sounds the same as his image on television. Calm, calculated, he takes his time to respond.
Campos is a third generation Latino, with a clear idea of what he wants to do and aware of the responsibilities he now carries after that speech.
“With everything happening right now, I think it is a responsibility of all of us to fight from our own spaces,” he says, reflecting his message at the Emmys. “I am lucky to be surrounded by friends who are socially aware of the times we are living in, of the need to tell the truth, to expose injustices, we have the responsibility to fill our standards,” he adds.
Campos passion for journalism began when he took a video editing course in ninth grade. From there, his passion for telling stories was born, including his family story, through those images. “It is our responsibility to be well informed, to have accurate information, to know what is happening.”
Campos acknowledges that he does not follow traditional media, and neither does his generation.
“We have another way of seeking information, other platforms, I do not go on Twitter now called X, I use more YouTube because of my inclination toward video. I do not know many of the traditional figures and programs, I follow other people who are experimenting with other tools, even if they are criticized. One of them is Johnny Harris, who has millions of followers on social media, I like him,” he says.
For Santiago, it is clear that traditional journalism is in decline. He does not see his future following those patterns. Instead, he plans to explore topics in different formats that are visually engaging.
“In media, especially social media, we are fighting for attention. The way to do it is visually, well grounded stories, media is changing rapidly, we have to adapt. We are all responsible for how we use new tools, especially AI,” he says.
Santiago knows he has become a role model for many young Latinos. Being on such an important stage, at such a significant ceremony, and receiving that level of attention was for many the reflection of a young Latino who dared to speak up, who did not negotiate or stay silent.
“I am fine with having become a role model. I think many in our generation are feeling hopeless, but on the contrary, I think it is not the time to be hopeless, we have to fight, we have to fight back, I think we can create great things if we do it together. The clearest example is Minnesota, the way they fought together, how they fought against ICE, what they achieved, that for me is a clear example of what can be done collectively,” he adds.
Many times, this 18 year old wakes up angry, upset, by the things he sees and observes, but he keeps balance. “There are many things that give me hope. I am doing action with my job. I do it in a limited way. I am just a student,” he repeats.
But that student has already gone beyond that. And the way he tries to process it is one step at a time.
After that event, he received several offers to do an internship at various media outlets, one of them among the largest and most recognized. He refused. Now more than anything, he plans to continue defending his composure after what he said at the Emmys. Words like truth, justice, and free choice should not be empty.
“I decided to do what I had planned before. I am working during the summer as a lifeguard, we will see what comes next,” he says.
Perhaps he is as Scott Peeler told him at the end of his speech while the audience applauded:
“Stay here, let’s just soak it in.”
