Semantha Raquel Norris is a Salvadoran American reporter and documentary photographer from Los Angeles, CA. She documents everything from the mundane to socio-political and labor movements, while exploring the complexities of the human experience.
Email: semanthanorris@gmail.com
Instagram: @doldrumphilosophy
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
California Local News Fellow with the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol - 2023-2025
Eddie Addams Workshop XXXVI
The Kalish Workshop 2023
CalMatters Visuals Intern 2023
University of California, Berkeley - M.J., Graduate School of Journalism, Multimedia & Photojournalism - 2023
New York University - B.A., International Studies, Development & Photography - 2011
AWARDS
2025 CA Ethnic Media Awards - American Community Media
Winner - Education
SoCal Journalism 67th Annual Awards - Los Angeles Press Club
Winner - Personality Profile - Newspapers Under 50K
Finalist - Investigative Reporting - Newspapers Under 50K
2024 California Journalism Awards - California News Publisher Association
Winner - Photo Story/Essay - Division 6
Third - Fine Arts Writing/Reporting - Division 6
Finalist - In-Depth Reporting, Labor Reporting - Division 6
2024 CA Ethnic Media Awards - Ethnic Media Services
Winner - The Struggle for Rights in California
SoCal Journalism 66th Annual Awards - Los Angeles Press Club
Winner - Entertainment News or Feature - Newspapers Under 50K
Finalist - Entertainment News or Feature - Newspapers Under 50K
2023 California Journalism Awards - California News Publisher Association
Third - Feature Photo - Division 6
Finalist - Feature Photo, In-Depth Reporting, and Music Writing/Reporting - Division 6
2024 Better Newspaper Editorial Contest - National Newspaper Association Foundation
Second - Best Performing Arts Story - Daily & Non-daily circ. over 10,000
Third - Best Feature Series - Daily & Non-daily circ. 6,000 or more
Third - Best Investigative or In-Depth Story or Series - Non-daily Division, circ. 10,000 or more
FEATURES & PRESS
“Corazón y vida: Lowriding Culture” — National Museum of American History
“ICE is here!” — ForoCAP Foto Concierto 2025
“Three standout stories uncovered by the California Local News Fellowship” — UC Berkeley News