Editor’s Note: As The Latino Newsletter grows, BA Snyder and Veritas Group are now our official marketing and communications team. Here is their latest media release for us.

CHICAGO  — The Latino Newsletter Founder and Publisher/Executive Director, Julio Ricardo Varela, was honored by the Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA) as the 2025 Journalist of the Year last Thursday at The Drake Hotel. The recognition places Varela among past recipients such as María Elena Salinas, Alicia Menendez, Maria Hinojosa, Ilia Calderón, and León Krauze, a lineage of leaders whose work has shaped how Latino communities are seen, heard, and understood across the country.

The gala also honored civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, whose presence added emotional weight to the evening — particularly for Varela, who opened his speech by acknowledging her impact on his life and work. “Dolores, I think the last time we were in Chicago, we formed a dance circle at an annual Latino social media conference. You inspire me every day. It is truly joyful to share this night with you. Sí se puede. Siempre. Always.”

Varela’s recognition highlights his career and shapes how Latino stories reach the public. Long before the “creator economy” had a name, he was building his own platforms, launching independent podcasts, reporting from within communities, and proving that bilingual, culturally grounded journalism could command national attention. His early digital work laid the groundwork for many Latino creators and journalists in today’s media landscape.

In his remarks, Varela spoke plainly about the climate facing Latino journalists nationwide.

“Full headline: Our community is under attack. We are being treated as if we don’t belong or have the power to create real change,” he said.

Media scholars have noted that Latino audiences are among the most aggressively targeted by misinformation campaigns — yet remain among the least represented in U.S. newsrooms. HPRA National President Sonia V. Diaz said Varela’s recognition speaks directly to that tension. “Long before it was a part of our norm, Julio built one of the first Latino-led independent news spaces online, proving that a small, community-rooted outlet could shape coverage and defend editorial freedom. His ability to invent and reinvent the space over time is both inspiring and critical at a time when inflammatory rhetoric and misinformation are on the rise and local newsrooms are under threat.”

The work positions Varela in a national conversation about democracy, identity, and belonging — one long championed by leaders like Huerta and advanced by the journalists who came before him.

Varela’s recent projects include developing American Colony, a bilingual podcast exploring Puerto Rico’s political and cultural history as the United States approaches its 2026 Semiquincentennial, and expanding The Latino Newsletter’s San Juan bureau. An expansion that has already shown its impact in recent weeks, when the newsroom’s San Juan bureau broke stories exposing alleged federal and state surveillance of social-justice groups in Puerto Rico. That locally rooted, bilingual reporting exemplifies the kind of journalism HPRA’s award recognizes: journalism that holds power to account while giving voice to communities often treated as subjects, not partners.

Closing his remarks, Varela urged the industry to meet the current climate with clarity. “The sidelines are over,” he said. “Support Latino journalists. Read our work. Share our stories. When we uplift each other, we move the country forward.”

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The Latino Newsletter is an independent, no-paywall, newsletter-first newsroom covering the issues shaping Latino life and influence in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Founded by award-winning journalist and media executive Julio Ricardo Varela, the Boston-based nonprofit outlet pairs proximity reporting with national relevance through premium daily coverage. Stories are distributed via newsletters, podcasts, social channels, and open syndication to outlets that seek to amplify Latino voices. The Latino Newsletter upholds rigorous editorial standards and is committed to delivering accessible, high-quality journalism. For partnership or funding opportunities, contact Christina Hernández at [email protected]. Subscribe at thelatinonewsletter.org or on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

BA Snyder, [email protected]

BA Snyder is the founder and LEO of Veritas Group, former Entrepreneur in Residence at the Knight Foundation’s Journalism Program, and co-founder of palabra. She serves as an executive liaison, aligning communications with performance to strengthen institutional credibility and market position.

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North Carolina Update: From our Latino Media Consortium friends at Enlace Latino NC, “Los operativos de control migratorio en el área de Charlotte durante los últimos tres días dejaron más de 200 personas arrestadas, coincidieron con decenas de miles de ausencias escolares y provocaron corredores comerciales vacíos en zonas con alta presencia latina en el oeste de la ciudad, según registros oficiales y recorridos de campo realizados por medios comunitarios.”

This is a translation of that Spanish-language passage: “Immigration enforcement operations in the Charlotte area over the last three days resulted in more than 200 arrests, coincided with tens of thousands of school absences, and left commercial corridors empty in Latino-heavy areas on the west side of the city, according to official records and on-the-ground reporting by community media.”

BA Snyder and Julio Ricardo Varela edited and published this edition of The Latino Newsletter.

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