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Journalism

Morelys Urbano is a bilingual multimedia journalist whose work explores migration, culture, and identity through in-depth reporting and visual storytelling.

A graduate of Morgan State University and current Columbia Journalism Master’s candidate, her reporting has been featured in The Baltimore Banner, Latino Reporter, POPSUGAR, and others. She collaborated on projects that were featured in ID Vice Magazine, Latino Rebels, NBC News, etc. She continues to use journalism as a tool to amplify underrepresented voices and connect communities across borders.

Featured Articles

Explore a featured selection of my writing work below.
Latino Reporter •

Afrolatina journalists embrace their natural hair, connect to a truer version of themselves

In the media industry, hair is never just hair. It’s political. Often, one of the first things viewers notice. A feature that sparks conversations around acceptance and representation. 


Amid online social movements advocating for greater inclusivity, in 2019 California became the first state in the U.S. to outlaw race-based hair discrimination in the workplace and public schools, legislation known as the CROWN Act. While it’s not federal law, 27 states have passed it, providing Black journali...
Morelys Urbano •

Arizona’s Key Role in the 2024 Presidential Election

BALTIMORE, MD - The state of Arizona is a critical battleground in the 2024 presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump. With its 11 electoral votes potentially tipping the balance in the close race, the state is drawing national attention.In the final stretch of the 2024 presidential campaign, Arizona has emerged as a critical battleground. From grassroots organizers to passionate supporters on both sides, Arizona’s voters represent an example of the dividing i...
Adobe Express •

Essential but Overlooked: Workers and the Future of New York Labor

Hundreds of Unions were represented at the New York City Labor Day Parade on Saturday, September 6th. Thousands of members from over 200 unions marched across Fifth Avenue expressing solidarity and pride while also highlighting critical challenges unions face.
The New York City Labor Day parade is the largest and oldest in the nation. Large floats, musical bands, and flyers accompanied New York City workers who demanded basic protections from the city and mayora...
The Spokesman •

Voices of the National Treasure

At Morgan State University, language is more than communication; it’s culture, identity, and connection. With students from over 50 countries, the campus echoes with the sounds of Yoruba, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Spanish, and many more. This project celebrates the voices and languages that shape Morgan’s global story.
Speaking one’s native language, students say, is an act of power and resistance. For many, it’s how they stay rooted while navigating spaces where they feel unseen or misunderstood....
The Spokesman •

Voices of the oft unheard

The morning after Election Day felt unreal. I was only able to sleep for three hours and woke up with a mix of emotions — fear, disappointment, determination. As a Black, undocumented woman, my identity is directly tied to these changes.
It wasn’t just about policies or political leaders. It was about the kind of future America is choosing for people like me and for communities like mine for generations to come.
Navigating the 2024 election season without the right to vote felt like an endless b...
Latino Reporter •

Bookstores take up censorship fight by featuring banned books, art and community

BALTIMORE – Growing up in Atlanta, Robert Stradford filled his bookshelf with titles like “All Boys Aren’t Blue” and “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” books that gave him a lens into the queer Black experience. At the time, the state of Georgia still offered its students a curriculum filled with diverse authors and subjects.


Stradford, 26, said he felt “fortunate” to have been given books that allowed him to discover a language for a feeling he had but could not yet name.


But today, Georgia...
Adobe Express •

Facing Deportation Threats, Undocumented Student Activists Demand Greater Support From College Administrators

As immigration threats intensify under a new Trump era, colleges and universities across the country find themselves in an increasingly challenging situation, walking a fine line between protecting undocumented students and following the rules of the Trump administration.
At the frontlines of this battle are undocumented students, many of whom have become community organizers, demanding more support and protection from their institutions. These student-led campa...
Popsugar •

The Reality of Being Black, Undocumented, and Never Qualifying For DACA

For as long as I can remember, migration has been a part of my story. I was born in the Dominican Republic, a country with a history of US military intervention and deplorable conditions for Black communities. Growing up, I saw my loved ones forced to make hard choices to migrate and leave our home for different places in order to sustain our family. Having to constantly adjust to a different environment led me to struggle to fit in almost my entire life, navigating different educational systems...
Adobe Express •

Redefining School Safety in Montgomery County High Schools

In recent years, the debate over the presence of police officers in schools has intensified, particularly in Montgomery County, where concerns about the school-to-prison pipeline and racial disparities in disciplinary actions have sparked calls for reform.
As concerns persist, the implementation of restorative justice practices in schools emerges as a potential solution to create safer and more equitable learni...
Morelys Urbano •

Fiesta DC celebrates Latin heritage in Washington, DC

BALTIMORE, MD - The festival Fiesta DC 2024 took over the streets of Washington, D.C. on September 28th and 29th, celebrating the rich cultural diversity of Latin America amidst recent political threats.With vibrant traditional costumes, energetic music, and captivating dances, the parade turned the city into a lively representation of Latin American pride. This year’s event gathered participants and spectators from all walks of life, offering a moment of unity and joy for the Latino community....