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Julio Ricardo Varela

@juliorvarela.com
13K followers 622 following 2K posts

Award-winning journalist. Senior Producer/Strategist, FreePress.net. Founder, TheLatinoNewsletter.org (2024), LatinoRebels.com (2011). MS.now columnist. Opinions here are mine only and no one else's 🇵🇷

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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 29/09/2026
So cool of @ajc.com to republish @attorneynora.bsky.social's Pressing Issues piece.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 29/09/2026
The 112th edition of Pressing Issues from @freepress.bsky.social is by @rlivier.bsky.social, who interviews Dr. Kelly Lytle Hernández about her "Racist by Design" book, which examines 2 centuries of U.S. Immigration control & includes history & context mainstream media rarely (if at all) covers.
pressingissues.org
The U.S. Immigration Regime Is ‘Racist by Design’
A conversation with historian Dr. Kelly Lytle Hernández about the historic whites-only system driving the U.S. immigration machine
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 29/09/2026
Amazing news to get for a self-distributed, indie podcast.
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 29/09/2026
The September 28 edition of The Latino Newsletter is via @us.theconversation.com Push for Creole Courses in Schools Stokes Historic Anti‐Haitian Feeling in Dominican Republic It was met with a swift and fierce public backlash
thelatinonewsletter.org
Push for Creole Courses in Schools Stokes Historic Anti‑Haitian Feeling in Dominican Republic
Despite the backlash now, Dominican organizations have developed and offered Creole language courses for decades.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 25/09/2026
The 111th edition of Pressing Issues from @freepress.bsky.social is out. New by @attorneynora.bsky.social The White House Press Pool Is Not a Loyalty Test President Trump’s longstanding attacks on the media have reached a constitutional breaking point
pressingissues.org
The White House Press Pool Is Not a Loyalty Test
President Trump’s longstanding attacks on the media have reached a constitutional breaking point
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 24/09/2026
For the LAST episode of The Latino Newsletter Podcast's second season, guest Felix Contreras of NPR's Alt.Latino talks about how the #BadBunny phenomenon has historical precedent. For this episode, both Felix and Anamaria Sayre joined Season 2 host Michelle Zacarias.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 25/09/2026
The latest update about merger news.
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 22/09/2026
For the LAST episode of The Latino Newsletter Podcast's second season, guest Anamaria Sayre of @npr.org's Alt.Latino talks about how Tiny Desk (#ElTiny) has always had a strong following in Latin America.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 22/09/2026
New from @jgo4justice.bsky.social for the 110th edition of Pressing Issues Attorneys General Cave to Paramount’s Extortion Threats But the growing movement fighting the authoritarian takeover of the media won’t stop
pressingissues.org
Attorneys General Cave to Paramount’s Extortion Threats
But the growing movement fighting the authoritarian takeover of the media won’t stop
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 19/09/2026
My latest opinion for MS NOW Why this Florida Republican just went on the record criticizing Trump’s immigration policies Maria Elvira Salazar called out the president less than two years after winning her district by 20 points.
ms.now
Why this Florida Republican just went on the record criticizing Trump’s immigration policies
Maria Elvira Salazar called out the president less than two years after winning her district by 20 points.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 19/09/2026
20 episodes for the second season of @thelatinonewsletter.org podcast. A fantastic run.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 18/09/2026
Here is @timkarr.bsky.social's latest for Pressing Issues from @freepress.bsky.social about the work @wisconsinwatch.org is doing on the issues of data centers and Big Tech.
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 17/09/2026
Congratulations to @centropr.bsky.social on the launch of their new podcast: The Unheard Tapes of Frank Espada
centropr.hunter.cuny.edu
Series: CENTRO Out Loud
CENTRO Out Loud is a new podcast illuminating often forgotten histories, curating stories from our archives and bringing them to the public. From the stacks to the streets!
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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
JUST IN: A federal judge has barred DHS from threatening to prosecute a man who harshly criticized ICE’s acting director following the fatal shootings in Minnesota. It violates his free speech, Judge Contreras ruled. ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
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Craig Aaron @notaaroncraig.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
When AI Slop meets Sinclair bad things happen in Baltimore. The cartoonists are fighting back. New Pressing Issues by @juliorvarela.com
pressingissues.org
Saying No to AI Slop — and The Baltimore Sun
Certain journalistic lines just can’t be crossed
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Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
"I don’t make any exceptions for AI," award-winning cartoonist @claytoonz.bsky.social tells @juliorvarela.com. "I don’t care how funny you might think it is. But wherever they use AI ... it shows why they’re not professional cartoonists, because the writing is terrible."
pressingissues.org
Saying No to AI Slop — and The Baltimore Sun
Certain journalistic lines just can’t be crossed
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 15/09/2026
How many Hispanic Heritage Month pitches did you receive today from people who have never pitched you before and know nothing about the work you do? Me: At least 20.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 15/09/2026
For Pressing Issues, I spoke with award-winning editorial cartoonist Clay Jones about @baltimoresun.bsky.social's AI slop editorial cartoons, and Clay pulls no punches. A very lively interview. Saying No to AI Slop — and The Baltimore Sun
pressingissues.org
Saying No to AI Slop — and The Baltimore Sun
Certain journalistic lines just can’t be crossed
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 15/09/2026
All I want @thelatinonewsletter.org to be is a place where we publish the next generation of journalists who pitch us good stories that reflect our communities all over the country. I do enjoy editing their work.
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Nora Benavidez @attorneynora.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I just learned that reporter Luis Galeano has been detained in Miami by ICE. This is part of wider trend by the US govt to target immigrant reporters, violating core US press freedom principles. Galeano is from Nicaragua & is believed to have a pending asylum case in the US. I will report more ASAP.
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Shilpa Jindia @jindia.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
It's difficult to put the long shadow of 9/11 into words. We had a choice about how to respond, and we chose violence and retribution. So much death has resulted from US policies, at home and abroad. I hope to always honor the lives lost to the grand schemes of brutal men
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 11/09/2026
Today's edition of Pressing Issues is by @jindia.bsky.social, who writes about the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the lessons learned or not learned.
pressingissues.org
25 Years After 9/11, Have We Learned From Our Choices?
Reckoning with that terrible day and the forever wars, mass surveillance and anti-Muslim hysteria that followed
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Craig Aaron @notaaroncraig.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
New Pressing Issues: Shilpa Jindia reflects on how we're still reckoning with the choices we made after 9/11.
pressingissues.org
25 Years After 9/11, Have We Learned From Our Choices?
Reckoning with that terrible day and the forever wars, mass surveillance and anti-Muslim hysteria that followed
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 10/09/2026
We are back from our break with a new edition Emotional Leadership Is the Skill Latino Men Were Never Taught
thelatinonewsletter.org
Emotional Leadership Is the Skill Latino Men Were Never Taught
Those who can regulate themselves under pressure lead better than those who simply demand compliance from others.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 09/09/2026
"The Census has collected data on race, ethnicity and origin since 1790." www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
Trump administration proposes changes to census that could exclude millions
If adopted, the changes could exclude millions of residents from the decennial tally, reshaping congressional representation in the country.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 08/09/2026
My @freepress.bsky.social colleague Sarah Stone with an excellent summary of all the work Free Press is doing in #Massachusetts to support local news.
freepress.net
What Massachusetts Residents Told Me They Need from Local News
I drove 1,000 miles to learn how the disappearance of local news has affected Massachusetts communities.
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 04/09/2026
The September 4 edition of The Latino Newsletter is by @juliorvarela.com What @pewresearch.org's Newest Research Says About Latinos and the American Dream It can be its own curriculum
thelatinonewsletter.org
What Pew’s Newest Research Says About Latinos and the American Dream
I am a Pew nerd, and once again, they found a way to identify a central tenet of why we should be covering the voices of U.S. Latinos in the first place.
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 03/09/2026
The September 3 edition of The Latino Newsletter is by @juliorvarela.com El Brief and the Audacity of Creating Your Own Lane
thelatinonewsletter.org
El Brief and the Audacity of Creating Your Own Lane
“It’s not about us, the institution, but rather about the people and amplifying their voices.”
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 01/09/2026
New Pressing Issues from @freepress.bsky.social Studios Forsake LGBTQ Representation at Their Own Peril Q&A with @glaad.bsky.social’s Associate Director of Entertainment Research and Analysis Raina Deerwater about the “Where We Are in Film” report By Cristina Escobar
pressingissues.org
Studios Forsake LGBTQ Representation at Their Own Peril
Q&A with GLAAD’s Associate Director of Entertainment Research and Analysis Raina Deerwater about the “Where We Are in Film” report
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 01/09/2026
Via @pewresearch.org Latinos Are Split on Whether the American Dream Is Achievable Yet majorities say their standard of living is better than their parents’ and express optimism about their children’s future
pewresearch.org
Latinos Are Split on Whether the American Dream Is Achievable
Far more Latinos say their standard of living is better than their parents’ (57%), rather than worse (23%). More also say their children’s standard of living will be better than their own (53%) as opp...
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 01/09/2026
Smithsonian changes course, will put Latino museum in existing building via @washingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com
Smithsonian changes course, will put Latino museum in existing building
Regents voted to put the museum in a 145-year-old building instead of constructing a new one, which would require congressional approval.
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Jessica J. González @jgo4justice.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Just coming here to reiterate that the FCC cannot punish broadcasters for speech the president doesn’t like. The First Amendment remains good law. But the threat is the point here, and it has a chilling effect on free speech. thehill.com/homenews/med...
thehill.com
Trump promises NBC’s Welker will be reported to FCC ‘for rebuke or punishment’
President Trump said Sunday that NBC News’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker will be reported to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after she reportedly said that Tru…
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 28/08/2026
Some of the fan notes #AmericanColony
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 28/08/2026
New by me for Pressing Issues: I connected with Richard LA's legal team about the latest in his immigration case and how, even after being detained for more than 300 days, he is still continues to report from his cell in Adelanto.
pressingissues.org
The Longest-Detained Journalist in U.S. Custody Keeps Fighting
Carlitos Ricardo Parias — aka Richard LA — was shot by ICE officials and has been detained for more than 300 days
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Craig Aaron @notaaroncraig.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
In the new Pressing Issues, @juliorvarela.com looks at the case of Carlitos Ricardo Parias -- aka Richard LA -- the California journalist shot by ICE who has been detained for more than 300 days without being convicted of anything. Despite this living nightmare, he continues to report ...
pressingissues.org
The Longest-Detained Journalist in U.S. Custody Keeps Fighting
Carlitos Ricardo Parias — aka Richard LA — was shot by ICE officials and has been detained for more than 300 days
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 27/08/2026
I still believe that @thelatinonewsletter.org has a viable future for a new generation of journalists. We will do our best to see if that happens but if not, it's been one of the most fun projects I have ever created. Like Latino Rebels fun.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 26/08/2026
New @notaaroncraig.bsky.social rant for Pressing Issues from @freepress.bsky.social
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 26/08/2026
Meta to pay up to $18B to settle lawsuit alleging social media harm to children via @washingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com
Meta to pay up to $18B to settle lawsuit alleging social media harm to children
A coalition of state attorneys general had sued Meta, which owns Instagram. The agreement includes a $12.7 billion payment to fund youth online safety initiatives.
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 25/08/2026
We are publishing the full transcript @ms.now shared with media of the interview Puerto Rico governor Jenniffer González Colón had with @aliciamenendez.bsky.social
thelatinonewsletter.org
Jenniffer González-Colón's Appearance on MS NOW (Full Transcript)
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 25/08/2026
Of course I walked into a place where all they are playing are Dolly Parton songs right now. ❤️
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 25/08/2026
New edition of Pressing Issues from @freepress.bsky.social is by @notaaroncraig.bsky.social The Paramount-Warner Bros. deal is going badly — for the billionaires.
pressingissues.org
David Ellison Is Getting Desperate
Politicians and the press shouldn’t fall for Paramount’s bullying tactics and blatant lies
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The Associated Press @apnews.com · 24/08/2026
BREAKING: The U.S. is preparing to rescind up to 200,000 business and tourism visas in the largest mass visa revocation ever, officials say.
bit.ly
US set for largest mass visa revocation in history targeting up to 200,000 foreigners, officials say
The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the United States.
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The Latino Newsletter @thelatinonewsletter.org · 24/08/2026
The August 24 edition of The Latino Newsletter is by Rosanna Marinelli of El Planeta In One of Massachusetts’ Most Latino Cities, a Former Factory Becomes 148 Affordable Apartments
thelatinonewsletter.org
In One of Massachusetts’ Most Latino Cities, a Former Factory Becomes 148 Affordable Apartments
Lawrence Community Works (LCW) plans to convert the former factory into 148 income-restricted apartments, part of a mixed-use development that will also include commercial space and daycare. It is a p...
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 22/08/2026
New Weezer. Am good. Am also a nerd.
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 21/08/2026
An excellent piece for Pressing Issues from A. Rima Dael, CEO of @nfcb.bsky.social, that could not be plainer: "We have a lot to learn from community broadcasters in rural America." Strong data about community broadcasting and why they cannot be ignored in the future of better media in the US.
pressingissues.org
Want Better Media? Start by Listening to What Communities Say They Need
We have a lot to learn from community broadcasters in rural America
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 21/08/2026
Late summer promise to myself: I need to post more here.
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Craig Aaron @notaaroncraig.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
In the latest Pressing Issues, A. Rima Dael of @nfcb.bsky.social explores how asking better questions and actually listening to rural communities create better journalism and civic media. pressingissues.org/better-media...
pressingissues.org
Want Better Media? Start by Listening to What Communities Say They Need
We have a lot to learn from community broadcasters in rural America
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Nora Benavidez @attorneynora.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
It’s really exciting to see your name in print and I am so eager for feedback & shares & debate!
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 20/08/2026
Some @notaaroncraig.bsky.social insights about ABC lawsuit against the FCC
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Julio Ricardo Varela @juliorvarela.com · 19/08/2026
The fabulous @jgo4justice.bsky.social on @democracynow.org this morning.
democracynow.org
Trump’s “Authoritarian Takeover” of the Media, ABC Suing FCC & the Meta Trial: Free Press’s Jessica González
We look at major media news with Jessica González, co-CEO of the advocacy organization Free Press. She discusses the landmark lawsuit against Meta for making its social media platforms addictive for y...
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