Julio Ricardo Varela
Verified- Co-Host, In The Thick
- Founder and Publisher, Latino Rebels
- Columnist, MS NOW
- Senior Director, Free Press
- Founder and Host, Latino Rebels Radio
- None, American Colony | The Latino Newsletter Podcast
Boston
As seen in:
American Colony | The Latino Newsletter Podcast,
Free Press,
In The Thick,
Latino Rebels,
Latino Rebels Radio,
MS NOW,
Apple Podcasts,
Medium,
MSN,
The New York Times,
HuffPost,
Post Outlook,
The Guardian,
The Washington Post,
USA Today,
Washington Post Opinions
and
Covers:
POC issues, with a focus on U.S. Latino communities, Latin America, Puerto Rico, politics, intersection of sports and culture, commentary
Founder, @latnewsletter (2024), @latinorebels (2011). Sr. Producer/Strategist, freepress.net. @MSNOWNews columnist. Opinions mine & no one else's 🇵🇷
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Contributing reporter at The Boston Globe in 1989.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes
How is social media changing news?
Social media changed news 10-15 years ago. People are just catching up to that now. Welcome to the club.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Don't have one
What does it mean to be a journalist?
You are part of a group that keeps power accountable.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Anything that is digital, social and cloud-based. I have used them all.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
I don't really put much weight into who is following me. I just feel very lucky that people care to follow me and my work.
Why did you become a journalist?
I have a deep love of writing and editing. I also think it is an honor to publish new voices each and ever day.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I just wrote general assignment pieces.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
The Puerto Rico Hurricane María coverage we did at Futuro Media. We moved the needle.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't pitch the bigger outlets only. These are plenty of smaller and impactful digital outlets (like LR) that can get you bylines.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Any pitch that is authentic and real and honest.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Guacamole consumption on Super Bowl Sunday.
What's your favorite drink?
Maker's on the rocks.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
On the soccer pitch.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Washington Post
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That all we focus on is immigration, and that we can't cover any other topic.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.