Samuel Mena Jr is a Journalist and Visual Storyteller from Phoenix, Arizona. With a degree in Journalism from the prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Sam started serving the wider Phoenix area as a professional Photojournalist and Video Editor in 2017. His dedication to the industry and talent for Storytelling would see many of his stories featured on national programs such as PBS Newshour and allow him the privilege of collaborating on several documentaries that aired both locally in Arizona, and across America.

In 2022, Sam would join the staff of AZFamily, an affiliate network of CBS, and continue his work as a Photojournalist there. However, after the events of October 7th, in the months that followed, Sam felt a sense of disconnection to not only his own networks coverage, but to American news coverage at large. Initially setting out to create a documentary that would combat the American mainstream medias coverage of the genocide occuring in Gaza, Sam became disheartened by how disingenuous American leadership was to the plights of Palestine in spite of mounting evidence of the genocide. Sam would ultimately decide to march to Washington DC and light his arm on fire, in protest against the American government and in solidarity with the children of Palestine. 

After having now returned home to Phoenix, Arizona, Sam is determined to finish the documentary he hadn’t completed, Having partnered with local production company, Kufi Productions, this team of dedicated filmmakers and journalists now aspire to inform and educate the American public about what really happened on October 7th, and about the tumultuous history of Palestine.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism
• Featured Documentaries on PBS

• Storytelling
• Video Editing
• Photojournalist