Derrick Toledo is the New Mexico Fellow for the Institute of Policy Studies in Washington D.C. He graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2015 where he studied Multimedia Journalism and Marketing Management. Before arriving in D.C. he was previously the audio engineer for the award winning and nationally broadcasted Native America Calling and National Native News. Derrick established his career in journalism through positions with the Daily Lobo, a news outlet serving the University of New Mexico, the Rio Rancho Observer, a locally owned and operated newspaper in midwest New Mexico, Generation Justice and the New Mexico News Port. He has also worked as a news producer, reporter, and on-air talent for public radio stations in New Mexico at KUNM and KSFR.
Derrick is currently co-producing a documentary with a team of students and professors from UNM. It’s about Grammy Award Winning Native American drum group, Black Eagle, from his home village, Jemez Pueblo where he was elected as a tribal official in 2017. In spring 2017 he was awarded the Large Market Radio Excellence in Journalism award from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association of Broadcasters for one segment of the four-part series entitled “Vulnerable Adults” that he produced in collaboration with then News Director Ellen Berkovitch. During his time at IPS, Derrick hopes to build his writing and digital production portfolio and expertise on indigenous issues. He plans to use his experience at IPS to strengthen his own local and state community in Jemez Pueblo and Albuquerque.
