Editor’s note: Leading CALÓ News into the future

I became editor of CALÓ News in January of this year, hitting the ground running with a new website and the goal to provide news, stories and commentary on a daily basis. We have increased our content to include videos, a podcast and even going live on Instagram to deliver the election results. 

I feel very honored to lead this newsroom and work on stories that are important to our Latino community this year. 

As we expand the reach of this small but mighty newsroom, I hope that our content has helped our communities by keeping them informed on vital issues that impact lives and touch hearts. 

We have big plans for the coming years and will continue to grow and cover Latino spaces within Southern California and beyond. 

Please continue to read our stories, subscribe on social media and consider donating or becoming a member of CALÓ News.

I have learned a lot about what it means to be a leader in a newsroom and a voice for those who have been historically disenfranchised by mass media. I also believe that being part of a nonprofit newsroom will help us sustain some of the recent attacks that the media has suffered. 

While it is true that many people do not trust the media, now is not the time to give up on communication networks that offer an alternative view. This is our chance to control the narrative and to begin questioning the institutions that have failed us. 

Choosing journalism as a career has been a hard and treacherous road. I burned out after graduating from college. I didn’t know if I was going to continue on this path because it seemed useless. The wrong voices were listening and the people in power were controlling the narrative. 

I spent more than a decade working in a legacy media newsroom that has struggled like all media institutions have since the digital age has broken the advertising business model that generated profit. I could have remained there, despite layoffs, because the union was able to save my job. However, I felt that it was time for me to discover a new path.

It was a scary decision, but I know it was the right one. I learned so much and I’m grateful for all the knowledge and experience I gained and the strength it has given me to take the next step in my journey.

As I now lead a small newsroom that has worked hard to be independent, I know that as winding a road as it has been to work in journalism, I am happy to be here and I’m ready to face this moment. 

Democracy needs journalism like we need air to breathe. It can't exist without it. Now is the time to take a stand and fight for what we believe in, and I believe in journalism.

I must emphasize that I don't believe it's realistic for journalism to be objective, but I do believe in being fair and accurate. That is our duty as journalists, to find the truth, as uncomfortable as it may be for one side or the other. It's not about showing both sides, it's about doing our due diligence and investigating whether our officials and institutions are doing what they're supposed to do for our communities.  

This is why I chose to work at CALÓ News, and why I remain committed to providing fair, accurate and helpful reporting for our communities and our families. 

With gratitude, 

Denise Florez