Luz Mely Reyes

Luz Mely Reyes is a Venezuelan journalist with a distinguished career focused on politics and migration issues. As the co-founder and general director of Efecto Cocuyo, a digital news outlet specializing in human rights, politics, and sensitive topics in Venezuela, she has demonstrated a profound commitment to objective and impactful journalism. As an ICFJ Knight Fellow, she will create resources, connections and opportunities for exiled journalists in the Americas. She will also help coordinate efforts among organizations to provide training, networking opportunities, story collaborations, and more.  

With a strong background as a reporter and editor, Reyes has contributed her insightful perspectives to publications such as The Washington Post in Spanish and collaborated with prestigious media outlets like El País de España. 

Reyes' contributions to journalism have garnered widespread recognition, including the CPJ Award and The German-French Award for Human Rights. Maria Ressa, in her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, named Reyes as emblematic of the journalists who have sacrificed so much “to bring you the truth and hold power to account.”

Reyes was also named a Journalism Guardian by Time Magazine for Person of the Year in 2018, reflecting her enduring impact on the field. As a respected figure in the industry, Reyes serves on several boards, including Premio Gabo, Reuters Institute, IPYs Venezuela, Fundamedios USA, and WOLA, demonstrating her commitment to advancing media integrity, freedom of expression, and human rights on a global scale.

Reyes holds a degree in Journalism from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and a master's degree in Social Communications from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. She has also completed the Entrepreneurship Journalism Program at Craig Newmark Graduate School on Journalism at CUNY. 

She is a teacher at Fundación Gabo and has served as professor at prestigious institutions such as the Universidad Central de Venezuela, Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, and Universidad Simón Bolívar. 

She is founder of Venezuela Migrante, an initiative for covering Venezuelans migration, train journalists, and articulate networking between journalists abroad

Beyond her academic and professional profile, she also loves dancing salsa.