About Us
Mission
CALÓ News strives to provide interesting, insightful and in-depth reporting focused on Latino/a/x communities. The content is meant to engage our communities and empower them with information that will make their lives better. Our communities are filled with success stories. But those stories and issues are often neglected by mainstream media and we aim to fix that. Parity matters. We promise to seize the moment, elevate our collective communities and offer leadership in moral, political and economic challenges unique to us. We celebrate all cultures and peoples and we just want to make sure Latinos/as/x are not left out.
CALÓ NEWS Staff
Denise Florez is an award-winning bilingual journalist, writer and editor for CALÓ News. She covers entertainment, politics and everything in between. She previously worked at the Los Angeles Times for 11 years and the Press-Enterprise Spanish weekly La Prensa, now named Excélsior. Some of the projects Denise has worked on include digitizing the "Latinos" 1983 Pulitzer Prize-winning series on Southern California’s Latino community and she has also written children's stories for the Storypillar podcast.
Her work has appeared in Hoy Los Angeles, La Opinión, Rolling Stone Mexico, Al Borde Magazine, Revista Zin and was a collaborator in the Spanish book "Diccionario de Punk y Hardcore, España y Latino América."
Denise is a Mexico City native who moved to Los Angeles and received a degree in journalism from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at USC. (Photo by Andres Palencia)
Abelardo de la Peña Jr. is an award-winning journalist and contributing editor for CALÓ News. He has an extensive knowledge of and expertise in U.S. Latino and Latinx culture, community, and communications and is a trusted voice and resource in the greater Los Angeles Latino and Mexican American community on a wide range of interests and issues. As a bilingual and bicultural first generation Mexican-American, Abelardo has participated in, witnessed and documented U.S. Latino cultural activities, trends and behaviors for newspapers, magazines, internet sites, brands, agencies, and the public and private sector. He launched LatinoLA.com in July 1999 as a native user-generated website featuring personal perspectives on Latino arts, entertainment, culture and community in Southern California. It was acquired by the Latino Media Collaborative in 2021.
Jacqueline García is an award-winning journalist with over 14 years of experience covering issues ranging from immigration and politics to health and education. Most of her reporting has focused on issues affecting the Latino population. She graduated from Cal State Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in Spanish language journalism. She recently received her master’s degree in communication management from USC, where she also taught journalism at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
She is a board member of the California Chicano News Media Association (CCNMA) and a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). She also volunteers as a judge with the Journalism Association of Community Colleges and the International Latino Book Awards. She previously worked at La Opinión newspaper, where she won four José Martí Awards from the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP) and in 2020 she won the Aplauso Award with the Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA).
Jacqueline is originally from Puebla, México and is a former DACA recipient.
Brenda Fernanda Verano is a journalist born in Queretaro, Mexico and raised in South Central, LA. She covers social justice, local and community news. Verano is a three-time award winner in the California College Media Association Awards. She is a 2023 USC Health Equity fellow and an LA Press Club 2024 grantee for reporting on systemic racism. She has previously written for the EdSource California Student Journalism Corps. She is an alumnus of California State University, Dominguez Hills, and former editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, the Bulletin. Outside of journalism, she enjoys gardening and poetry.
Amairani Hernandez is a native of Los Angeles and a graduate of the California State University of Los Angeles with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and Television and Film. She is a writer for CALÓ News and focuses on stories about Latinos, including social justice, art, health and culture.
Gisselle Palomera (they/them) is the Local News Editor at Los Angeles Blade, Southern California's LGBTQ+ news source. In this position, they contribute LGBTQ+ Latinx content to Caló News. They are Mexican-Colombian and love to dance on skates at the beach. Gisselle previously worked as a Digital Innovation Fellow at The Wall Street Journal after receiving a reporting grant from the International Center for Journalists. Most recently, they joined a global consortium of journalists trained on how to report with and on Artificial Intelligence after being accepted by The Pulitzer Center.
Michelle Zacarias is an award-winning journalist and Local News Reporter for CALÓ News. She teaches at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and currently resides in Southern California. Michelle is passionate about covering Latine/x issues, anti-racism movements, queer identities, marginalized communities and abolition. She has previously written for Teen Vogue, The Triibe, Latina Mag, People’s World, and more. In 2018, Michelle was awarded the Saul Miller Excellence in Journalism Award for her contributions to the field. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in English and Philosophy at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and her Masters in Studies of Law at USC Gould School of Law.
Gladys Vargas is a multimedia journalist from the Greater Boston area, now living and video-reporting in Los Angeles for CALÓ. Her work is informed by her background as a youth organizer, her friends' and family's experiences with interpersonal violence, and the knowledge that all justice work is related. Gladys has contributed reporting to the Boston Globe, the Bay State Banner, 7 NEWS-WHDH, and various student-run publications at Boston University, where they studied Journalism and Visual Arts. Gladys love espresso, movies, and making their friends laugh.
Martin Albornoz was most recently General Manager of Brehm Communications, where he managed over 20 newspapers and websites across the Southwest. He was also publisher of several wine tourism magazines in Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast. He has worked on the digital teams at the Orange County Register, Las Vegas Review Journal and Southland Publishing. He helped launch L.A. Forward, a pioneering public media website and was the co-founder and publisher of L.A. Alternative and the groundbreaking Frontera Magazine. Born in East L.A., raised in Southeast L.A. and learned punk rock in Hollywood.
Executive Team
Arturo Carmona serves as the Managing Partner of Tzunu Strategies and heads the Latino Media Collaborative. He has appeared in in media outlets such as MSNBC, ABC, CNN, Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Univision, Telemundo, USA Today, NPR, La Opinion, and many others. Hispanic Magazine honored him with the Hispanic Achievement Award. He is the current Sr. Strategy Advisor to ImpreMedia and served as a Digital Media and Strategic Communications Advisor to the Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for President campaign (Mexico) and the Deputy Political Director for the Bernie Sanders for President campaign. He was the Executive Director of Presente.org and as the founding Executive Director of the Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM).
Earlier this year, Esperanza joined LMC as its Managing Director. In this role, she oversees the organization's operations, fundraising, and program development. Previously, Esperanza served as Deputy Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). She has also worked for the offices of U.S. Congressman Jimmy Gomez, Tony Cárdenas, and worked on various electoral campaigns. Esperanza received a B.A. from Stanford University in Science, Technology, and Society and is also a 2012-2013 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange fellowship recipient.
Board of Directors
Benjamin Torres
Presidente y CEO
Benjamin Torres es el Presidente y CEO del Centro de Tecnologías para el Desarrollo Comunitario (CDTech), donde su trabajo aborda temas de desarrollo comunitario y económico en áreas de bajos ingresos de Los Ángeles a través de una lente de justicia social que empodera a residentes y comunidades para reconstruirlas. Benjamin es reconocido como un importante líder de justicia social tanto a nivel local como nacional gracias a su extenso trabajo y experiencia en el desarrollo de liderazgo comunitario y juvenil, asociaciones escolares y comunitarias, así como en la conformación de acuerdos de beneficios comunitarios.
Gabriel Lerner
Ex Editor en Jefe
Gabriel Lerner es el ex Editor en Jefe del diario La Opinión en Los Ángeles y continúa escribiendo editoriales como editor emérito en su columna, Gente de Los Ángeles. También es el fundador y editor de HispanicLA - www.hispanicla.com, un blog colectivo en español que comenzó en enero de 2009. Gabriel también dirige Palabra Abierta, una nueva revista cultural en español en www.palabrabierta.com. Gabriel también ha escrito cuatro libros y es el orgulloso padre de cuatro hijos.
Laura Castañeda
Profesora de práctica profesional
Laura Castañeda, EdD, es una galardonada profesora de práctica profesional en la Escuela de Periodismo Annenberg de la USC, y ha sido miembro de la facultad desde el año 2000. Antes de unirse a USC Annenberg, enseñó en la Universidad de Temple y trabajó como redactora, editora y columnista para The San Francisco Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News y The Associated Press en San Francisco, Nueva York y México. Su trabajo independiente ha aparecido en The New York Times, TheAtlantic.com y en la revista Columbia Journalism Review, entre otros. Es coautora de The Latino Guide to Personal Money Management, que fue publicado por Bloomberg Press en mayo de 1999, y fue lanzado en español por Seven Stories Press en 2001.
Jessica Gonzalez
Miembro de la Junta Directiva
Jessica, abogada y defensora de la justicia racial, promueve la misión de Free Press de crear medios y tecnología que sirvan a la verdad y la justicia. Jessica, ex beneficiaria de Lifeline, ha ayudado a evitar graves recortes de la administración Trump al programa, que subsidia el acceso al teléfono y a Internet para personas de bajos ingresos. Ella formó parte del equipo legal que anuló una decisión de Trump y la FCC que bendecía la consolidación desenfrenada de los medios. Jessica es una líder en la lucha para presionar a las empresas de tecnología para que tomen medidas enérgicas contra el odio y la desinformación. Cofundó Change the Terms, una coalición de más de 60 grupos de derechos civiles y digitales que trabaja para acabar con el odio en línea, ayudó a liderar el boicot publicitario de Facebook de la campaña Stop Hate for Profit y forma parte de la Junta de Supervisión de Real Facebook. Anteriormente, Jessica fue vicepresidenta ejecutiva y consejera general de la Coalición Nacional de Medios Hispanos, donde dirigió la elaboración de políticas y coordinó campañas contra la programación racista y xenófoba de los medios. Antes de eso, fue abogada y profesora en el Instituto de Representación Pública de Derecho de Georgetown. Jessica ha testificado ante el Congreso en múltiples ocasiones sobre temas que incluyen la neutralidad de la red, la diversidad de la propiedad de los medios y el acceso asequible a Internet.
Efrain Escobedo
Miembro de la Junta Directiva
Efraín Escobedo es un líder organizacional y estratega. Durante casi dos décadas, ha trabajado en los sectores filantrópico, gubernamental y sin fines de lucro para avanzar en su misión profesional. Escobedo actualmente se desempeña como presidente y director ejecutivo del Center for Nonprofit Management. Anteriormente, se desempeñó como vicepresidente de políticas públicas y participación cívica en The California Community Foundation.
Cynthia Moreno
Miembro de la Junta Directiva
Cynthia Moreno is an award-winning journalist and communications leader. A first-generation Mexican-American and UC Berkeley graduate, she double-majored in Legal Studies and Religious Studies. Currently the Press Secretary for California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, she is the first Latina to hold the position in two decades. Previously, she served as Communications Officer at Sierra Health Foundation, promoting health equity, and worked with Visit Sacramento on multicultural strategies. Cynthia was also appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California DMV, where she led communications efforts for the REAL ID campaign and COVID-19 safety messaging. Before her appointment, she spent 15 years in journalism as Capitol Political Correspondent for Vida en el Valle, a bilingual publication, and hosted a public affairs show on Azteca America. Cynthia has been recognized as a Sacramento Bee Top 20 Latino Change Maker and was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Sacramento Business Journal. She is also the recipient of multiple journalism awards and is a powerful advocate for Latino representation in policy, communications, and government.
Armando Gudino
Miembro de la Junta Directiva
LAWCN Executive Director Armando Gudino is a public policy professional with more than 20 years of experience focused on public policy and strategic voter engagement. Armando has worked on more than 30+ legislative bills and statewide initiatives including criminal justice reform, harm reduction, immigration, international relations, and drug policy reform. His work history includes extensive experience in media and communications, such as playing a key role in launching the first bilingual Latino television network in the U.S. and serving as the first Latino Program Director for public radio KPFK Pacifica Radio in Los Angeles, where he was instrumental in expanding Spanish-language public radio in Southern California.
Armando has managed multiple public affairs and newsroom operations over the last 10 years and has worked in various countries as a consultant and advisor, including places like Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Most recently, he focused on legislative reform at the state and local level, including issues of Latino voter engagement and drug policy, where he played a key role in the passage of the landmark Proposition 64 regulating cannabis for adults 21 and over. He’s an avid photographer and an amateur astronomer.
Who We Are
CALÓ NEWS is a groundbreaking news initiative of the Latino Media Collaborative (LMC). The Latino Media Collaborative is an emerging non-profit organization that develops high-impact media outreach campaigns in partnership with the Latino media sector to advance an informed and highly engaged Latino community. One of LMC’s objectives is to create quality and accountable news content, making essential information accessible to Latinos/as/x.
CALÓ NEWS’ vision is to become the premier trusted source of news and analysis for Latinos/as/x throughout the 5-county Greater Los Angeles region and California.
CALÓ NEWS champions Latinos/as/x in our coverage of issues. We will increase the breadth and depth of knowledge about our communities by sharing authentic stories, highlighting our accomplishments and bringing light to the topics that mean most to us, including healthcare, justice, education and media presence. We will publish opinion and commentary pieces by Latino/a/x experts and amplify their voices and ideas.
We embrace the Latino/a/x who have lived in the greater LA area and California for generations and pay homage to indigenous, multi-racial, and immigrant peoples while understanding the great contrasts of our stories. On one hand, our collective community possesses a vibrant history, bounty of success stories and rich culture, and, on the other hand, we endure a history of oppression, racism, poverty, poor health and substandard education.
We are an independent news organization. We are built for this moment. We are here to empower and engage our peoples. We are armed with truth, fact and fate.
Values
Challenge Disparities: Give voice to the voiceless; official and community sources are equally valid in serving the greater good.
Accuracy: Our content is factual and provides context. Information is well-sourced, precise and clearly attributed.
Human Dignity: Respect individuals’ dignity and minimize harm. Avoid stereotypes. Engage open exchange of views within the context of evidence-based reporting.
Leadership: Through impactful content, we aim to influence thought & policy leaders to take a course of action that will positively influence our communities.
Cultura: CALÓ is a language created and embraced by the ostracized. We affirm and seek to highlight cultural creatives, social justice leaders, thinkers and innovators.
Authenticity: At its core, CALÓ NEWS is genuine and open, seeking to build strong, trusting relationships with our audience, contributors, and partners.
Ethics
Integrity: Personal conduct —on and off the job—is critical to CALÓ NEWS’ credibility and character.
Independence: The editorial decisions of CALÓ NEWS are not influenced by political, social, or commercial pressure or by personal interest.
Conflicts of Interest: Avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of them. Be transparent with editors and audiences in your reporting.
Distinguish & Label:Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent facts or context.
Prompt Communication:Raise and discuss potential problems of any kind in advance whenever possible, including questions about ethics, possible inaccuracies, sources and coverage.
Language & Imagery: Be conscious of word choice and the connotations some words have and the frames they imply.
Filling a Gap – Why We’re Needed
Latino/a/x make up only about 14% of salaried employees and managers at some of the major, local newsrooms despite being the largest ethnic group by far in Los Angeles County, making up 48% of the population. And their numbers are expected to grow locally and statewide.
Nationwide, Latino/a/x represent just 7 percent of the news workforce, according to a 2019 American Society of Newspaper Editors survey of 428 newsrooms, despite being 19% of the country.
As more news sites continue to exchange owners and downsize, critical coverage takes a backseat and communities lose their voice. In the LA region, this reality has impacted Latino/a/x disproportionately, leaving large swaths of our communities with no local news coverage.
Many sites that once featured local voices now depend on austere financial models, relying on content from outside communities.
Los Angeles County–which has the most Latino/a/x of any U.S. county and region–needs more Latino/a/x stories, and more Latino/a/x journalists to tell those stories. The Los Angeles region’s media sector is not keeping up with changing population needs, which is why CALÓ NEWS has stepped forward: to ensure communities across Los Angeles and California are heard and leaders are held accountable.
Philanthropic Partners
