Editor’s note: In a previous version of this story, a caption misidentified Kim Greene. She is the donor for the Fleischaker-Greene Endowment. The Herald regrets the error
The WKU School of Media & Communication recognized investigative journalist Anabel Hernández with the 2025 Fleischaker-Green Award for Courageous International Reporting on Tuesday evening in the Gary Ransdell Hall Auditorium.
Hernández is one of Mexico’s leading investigative journalists and has dedicated more than three decades to exposing drug cartels, government corruption, human rights violations and abuses of power, according to a press release from the SMC. She has been featured in numerous publications, and her bestseller, “Narcoland: The Mexican Drug Lords,” has become a global reference for investigative journalism on organized crime and corruption, according to a biography shared by Gordon “Mac” McKerral, the WKU journalism program coordinator and event organizer.
Jon Fleischaker and Kim Greene created the Fleischaker-Greene Award for Courageous International Reporting as part of a wider program funding First Amendment issues at WKU, according to the SMC. The prestigious award recognizes a journalist who exhibits extraordinary courage reporting on international issues, often under dangerous circumstances, to protect freedom of speech and lead efforts to better understand underreported populations.
In her investigation, Hernández exposed how Mexico’s former Federal Secretary of Public Security, Genero García Luna – the country’s most powerful police officer – colluded with the Sinaloa Cartel. Hernández had to leave Mexico because of death threats and assassination attempts from García Luna and his associates.
The biography states that García Luna became the first high-ranking Mexican official to be convicted of drug trafficking in the Eastern District Court of New York.
Kim Greene presented Hernández with the award for her courageous reporting on her investigations into the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. Greene recalled a comment Hernández made in a past interview that resonated with her before presenting the award.
Green said Hernández commented in the past interview that while she may not be the best journalist in Mexico, she still wants to work to help her country. Hernández believes good journalism can change things in the world, according to Greene.
“Anabel, Jon and I agree with you that good journalism can make important changes,” Greene said, looking over to Hernández. “We’re counting on that, and that’s why we are so proud to give you the Fleischaker-Green Courageous International Reporting Award for 2025.”
Hernández said being a journalist is the most peaceful way to confront the government. She said that it’s important for journalists to fight to expose the truth because everybody should be able to be held accountable.
“Elites are terrified of what we uncover as a journalist because reporting has brought down those who once seemed untouchable,” Hernández said. “For real journalism, there are not untouchable people. There are not untouchable institutions. There are not untouchable criminals.”
Hernández’s advice to young journalists is to become an expert in the reporting they do. She said that people from around the world ask her for information on the cartel because of how much investigating she’s done into the group.
“Focus in on one issue because if you want to cover everything, it’s impossible to become an expert,” Hernández said. “I have spent all these twenty years investigating the Sinaloa Cartel, and I became, I think I can say, the main expert in the world about the cartel.”
Ty Killen, junior journalism major, assisted McKerral and wrote the press release for the event. Killen said that while some of what Hernández reports can be uncomfortable, it is also encouraging for those in the journalism field.
“I feel like, as all of us student journalists, sometimes we can get a little scared interviewing, reporting and everything,” Killen said. “But I think if we just look at Anabel, look at her work and what she’s done, I think anything is possible.”
Jenna Capps, junior advertising and public relations double-major, said she attended because she was interested in what Hernández had to say about her investigative journalism work. Capps said she thinks anybody could benefit from hearing Hernández’s story
“I feel like a lot of people know what’s going on in the U.S., but not so much outside it,” Capps said. “So, I feel like understanding other perspectives and what’s going on in other places is really important.”
Hernández finished her speech with remarks on the power journalists hold with a pen and paper. She left one final piece of advice for attendees before her departure.
“This is our role and this is our mission, at least for me,” Hernández said. “We must defend society’s right to know the truth.”
