Fortuna Calvo-Roth
Encyclopedia
Fortuna Calvo-Roth is an American journalist, professor and businesswoman.
She was born in Paris
to Sephardic Jewish parents, and raised in Lima, Peru.
She emigrated to the United States in 1952 and attended the University of Missouri
, majoring in journalism
. She returned to Peru to begin a writing career. She was hired as a copy editor at La Prensa, which had been modeled on the New York Herald Tribune
. but after three days was informed by the editor-in-chief that he would not employ women in the newsroom. He offered her a job on the society page but she declined.
A year later she got a job at Vision, a Latin American magazine, as the New York correspondent for the Brazil
edition. On one assignment she interviewed the editor who had fired her who had become Peru's finance minister. He failed to recognize her, but when he asked her why she was not working in her native country (Peru), she quickly refreshed his memory. She remained at Vision for 12 years, rising to editor-in-chief of the Spanish-language edition, but left in 1969, in part to raise her children.
She attended New York University
's School of the Arts, studying film, television and radio. She also studied acting with Stella Adler
, and played "Kitty Duval" in William Saroyan
's The Time of Your Life
.
She taught politics at NYU
and Hofstra through the 1980s and also partnered to form Lima's Channel 2 and Vista, a magazine supplement for Latinos in the U.S. She also co-created, with her son, Stephen, Coral Communications Group, which produces the Nueva Onda audio book label.
She was born in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to Sephardic Jewish parents, and raised in Lima, Peru.
She emigrated to the United States in 1952 and attended the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
, majoring in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
. She returned to Peru to begin a writing career. She was hired as a copy editor at La Prensa, which had been modeled on the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
. but after three days was informed by the editor-in-chief that he would not employ women in the newsroom. He offered her a job on the society page but she declined.
A year later she got a job at Vision, a Latin American magazine, as the New York correspondent for the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
edition. On one assignment she interviewed the editor who had fired her who had become Peru's finance minister. He failed to recognize her, but when he asked her why she was not working in her native country (Peru), she quickly refreshed his memory. She remained at Vision for 12 years, rising to editor-in-chief of the Spanish-language edition, but left in 1969, in part to raise her children.
She attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's School of the Arts, studying film, television and radio. She also studied acting with Stella Adler
Stella Adler
Stella Adler was an American actress and an acclaimed acting teacher, who founded the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City and the The Stella Adler Academy of Acting in Los Angeles with long-time protege Joanne Linville, who continues to teach and furthers Adler's legacy...
, and played "Kitty Duval" in William Saroyan
William Saroyan
William Saroyan was an Armenian American dramatist and author. The setting of many of his stories and plays is the center of Armenian-American life in California in his native Fresno.-Early years:...
's The Time of Your Life
The Time of Your Life
The Time of Your Life is a 1939 five-act play by American playwright William Saroyan. The play is the first drama to win both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play opened 25 October 1939 at the Booth Theatre in New York City...
.
She taught politics at NYU
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and Hofstra through the 1980s and also partnered to form Lima's Channel 2 and Vista, a magazine supplement for Latinos in the U.S. She also co-created, with her son, Stephen, Coral Communications Group, which produces the Nueva Onda audio book label.
Affiliations
- She serves on the Foundation Board of The Graduate Center at CUNY.
- She serves on the Advisory Board of CUNY's Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies.
- She is a former President of New York Women in Communications.
Source
- New York Daily News, "Big Town Big Dreams", p. 28, June 6, 2007.