Today we’d like to introduce you to Lourdes Vazquez
Hi Lourdes, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Chicago, it’s there at just four or maybe five years old that I had my first interaction with the news. I was in preschool and Spanish was my first language. Univision came to my school because the bilingual program was on the verge of being shut down. It made a lasting impact on me, even at a young age, that a community’s issue could make headlines; how bringing to the attention of a wider audience could possibly make a change.
That school is now a magnet school.
It wasn’t until I was in middle school that I realized journalism could be a career. I joined the yearbook staff and learned the art of cutting and pasting by hand, typing articles on the computer and printing them, and how to lay photos on the pages. Then we packed it into an envelope for them to be printed for the school.
In high school my parents moved to Garland, TX. I took a journalism class and that’s when I knew what my major would be in college.
Fast-forward to 2005, I made my way Columbia College Chicago for a bachelor’s degree in News Writing and Reporting. I knew I wanted to be a reporter but wanted to stick to writing. I took on a variety of television news internships at both Spanish and English networks as well as at a bilingual newspaper in Chicago’s Humboldt Park.
I’ve been in Texas since 2009, where I worked for the Victoria Advocate, then Al Día, then jumped to Cox Media’s digital platform Mundo Hispanico, and later worked at Univision Dallas and at WFAA.
Today, I work for Spectrum News 1 in Dallas, and have been reporting on the stories of the community since 2022.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a long winding road to get here. Journalism is not always a lucrative career. Starting off, I worked full-time doing quality control for a label company, part-time as an ESL coordinator and on the weekends, I freelanced for Al Día.
It took some time to gain experience and build my portfolio to achieve a full-time job. I’ve gone through layoffs, taken jobs outside of journalism to make ends meet and then have come back. It hasn’t been a straightforward path, but each experience has made me a more well-rounded reporter.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
To me journalism isn’t just my career, but it is part of who I am. I have worked in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for nearly 15 years and have developed strong relationships in the community. I have covered many stories from immigration to education. Being bilingual also has allowed me to bring these stories with me when I have changed jobs.
I have gone from working for an English newspaper, the Victoria Advocate, to a Spanish newspaper, Al Día. I made my way from a newspaper to a digital platform working for then Cox Media who owned Mundo Hispanico. I learned to pitch local stories of national interest because our publication was seen throughout the country.
I never thought I would find my way to broadcast news but after almost three years at Mundo I was hired by Univision Dallas. I worked as their digital content editor. I learned all about content management, ROI, livestreaming, and so much more about technology’s impact on journalism and audience engagement.
I then decided to tackle another challenge, this time in English; I was hired at WFAA as a content editor. I learned even more there about research, storytelling, and breaking news coverage.
But alas, being out in the field, telling those stories, making connections, led me back to my first love – reporting.
In 2022, I was hired by Spectrum News 1 as a multimedia journalist. Here I really try to focus on my storytelling without losing focus on amplifying voices and bringing to light issues facing the community.
Just as I have grown in my career; It has been amazing to see people I once interviewed grow into their own careers.
I recall interviewing Adan Gonzalez, the founder of Puede Network, as a high school graduate. Now he has graduated from college, founded a non-profit focused on empowering the youth, and is a White House fellow.
Many stories stay with me, and I always want to follow-up. Some have touched me because I was there for them in their moment of difficulty, and they allowed me to share their story. Other times it’s joyous moments I have been able to share.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I enjoy the food and friendships I have made here. Learning the history of Dallas and Fort Worth helps put into perspective the “why” of certain things.
I am not a fan of the traffic and construction.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luluvnews/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LourdesVNews
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LuluNews
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LourdesVazquezReporter
