Walterene Swanston-NuevaEspana, 73, of Falls Church, Virginia, died January 19, 2018. She was born August 12, 1944, in Clinton, LA, and as a child she was sent to live with family in Oakland, CA, where she was able to receive a quality education. Husbands David Swanston and Raymond NuevaEspana preceded her in death.

Walt, as she was known by friends and colleagues, was a diversity consultant and the retired director of diversity management for National Public Radio (NPR). She had a decades-long career as a champion of media diversity. For more than 25 years, she worked in Washington, DC, and across the nation with newspapers, and television and radio stations to recruit, promote, train and retain women and people of color. She served as the first executive director of UNITY: Journalists of Color, the joint convention of the Black, Asian, Hispanic and Native American journalism associations.

Walt is survived by her children, Matthew Swanston (Jennifer) and Rachel Swanston Breegle (Shawn), grandchildren Gannon Swanston, Gage Swanston, Marin Breegle and Ainsley Breegle, and a sister, Bettye Snowden. Brothers Rafael “Ray” Jackson and Ruffin Lane “Buzz” Jackson predeceased her.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, February 17, 1:30 pm, at Cunningham Turch Funeral Home, 811 Cameron St., Alexandria, VA. The family requests in lieu of flowers donations in the name of Walterene Swanston-NuevaEspana to the American Cancer Society, or to the scholarship fund of the National Association of Black Journalists.

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