We’re in the middle of The Latino Newsletter’s 47th week. The last couple of days have been a whirlwind, but the good kind. Besides getting the news of our official IRS nonprofit determination letter (less than a year after this was all not even an idea), the month of April marked the first time in our short startup history when we worked on two independent journalism projects at once.

One of those is the Latino Content Hub, where we joined as a founding member of the Latino Media Consortium.

The other project is our debut podcast episode collaboration with CALÓ News. April was Second Chance Month, and through funding by the Los Angeles County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD), we were able to help bring an important story to life. When the CALÓ team reached out in late March to see if we’d be interested in working together, we didn’t hesitate. This is the kind of work The Latino Newsletter wants to be part of. How do we help amplify community voices and keep exploring the complexities of Latinidad in 2025 and beyond?

The opportunity to independently report and produce the story of Ester Mendez, a JCOD participant, was too powerful to ignore.

Ester is a newly sworn-in attorney in Los Angeles, but before that, she was a defendant in a courtroom. Her story is about survival, transformation, and what it means to be seen by the system that once tried to erase her.

When our podcast producer Joaquin Cotler and I met with the CALÓ team and heard Ester’s story, we were all in. And when both teams agreed that reporters Brenda Verano and Michelle Zacarias should co-host the episode, it felt right. This is the kind of collaboration The Latino Newsletter was built to support.

Ester’s story and the humanity of her life speak to a deeper truth that all of us feel but few of us admit: We are all complex individuals.

“We all go through pain. But when there’s accountability and compassion in the courtroom, there’s a chance to change your path,” she says at one point. “Not everyone gets it right the first time, and some of us never got a first chance at all. I walked in front of that judge carrying everything I’d survived, and I asked for one more shot. That moment changed everything.”

As for Brenda and Michelle, thank you for rolling with Joaquin’s production plan and trusting The Latino Newsletter. The last few weeks have been a joy for all involved. And thank you to the CALÓ News leadership team for giving us the chance to support your mission of uplifting “our community, our narrative, our history.” Here’s to more West Coast-East Coast journalism collaborations.

Finally, I will forever be grateful to Joaquin for being a trusted producer and fantastic creative partner.

Here is the episode. In the next couple of days, we’ll also feature it on our YouTube channel. The Latino Newsletter is on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

This podcast episode is a special collaboration between The Latino Newsletter and the Latino Media Collaborative's flagship news initiative, CALÓ News.

Funding was provided by the ⁠Los Angeles County Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department (JCOD)⁠, established to reimagine and enhance support for justice-impacted individuals and their families across Los Angeles County. To get more information, call 833-LAC-JCOD.

Produced by Joaquin Cotler.

Edited by Julio Ricardo Varela and Joaquin Cotler.

Music by Cast of Characters.

We want to keep The Latino Newsletter accessible without paywalls. To help, you can donate here. Any amount (one-time or monthly) will keep us going.

The Latino Content Hub

Click on the image below or here for the latest from the Latino Content Hub.

What We’re Watching

The Latino Vote Podcast: To keep the podcast vibe going, our friends at The Latino Vote podcast released a new episode with New Mexico Congressman Gabe Vasquez. As the show notes say, it’s “a wide-ranging conversation about family, fishing, and forging political wins in a red-leaning, majority-Latino district.”

Disclosure: Chuck Rocha, one of the podcast’s co-hosts, is a public supporter of The Latino Newsletter. More about our editorial transparency and donor disclosures.

About the Author

Julio Ricardo Varela is the founder of The Latino Newsletter. He is also its current part-time publisher and executive director. Email him here.

Do you believe in creating new journalism lanes for Latinos and Latinas? Do you believe that U.S. mainstream outlets will never understand our community? Consider donating to The Latino Newsletter. Any little bit helps to keep this newsletter free and accessible to all. ¡Gracias mil!