Hispanic bloggers are fast becoming a force to be reckoned with and Marisa Treviño, in Dallas, Texas, is one of the more preeminent and a shining beacon leading the way not only in the blogosphere, but is an exceptional role model for Latina journalists as well. 

 As founder and publisher of the LATINA LISTA blog, Treviño’s work affects the lives of nearly 300,000 readers a month. LATINA LISTA (Lista means intelligent, well prepared and ready to go, in Spanish) has been featured on CNN as well as in several Latino and mainstream magazines and newspaper articles. LATINA LISTA is continuously recognized as being among the top Latino blogs in the country and this partly because of Treviño’s vision. She states that she is “making her blog a bona fide media outlet by transforming it into a niche digital news site.”

 Born in Spain to an American mother of Mexican-American/Spanish-American heritage and an American father, Treviño’s writing career began when a friend encouraged her to write. At the time, Treviño was working as a preschool teacher with an Associates Degree in Spanish. Treviño heeded her friend’s advice, took a correspondence course in children’s literature and sold her first assignment piece to a children’s magazine. 

 Treviño found success writing from a parenting perspective, yet was increasingly bothered by the lack of national Latina syndicated columnists. Her wake-up call came when, after submitting a parenting query to the Washington Post Writer’s Group, an editor called her and informed her that although they received numerous similar queries, what they lacked were articles written from a Latina’s perspective, incorporating the culture into the issues. Thus, in the early 1990’s Treviño found her voice for and from the Latino community. This is, in effect, was when the seed for LATINA LISTA was planted.

 Treviño began to write opinion pieces and found her platform at Hispanic Link News Service. Publisher Charles Ericksen “became a supporter of my work and routinely published me.” In 2001, Treviño was awarded the Dallas Press Club Katie Award for Radio/Editorial commentary and was a Katie Award finalist for the Legacy Award for Texas and the Latino Vote.

 In 2004, Treviño launched her blog to “provide a voice for Latinos whom I felt were voiceless in the national dialogue [and] to have more control over how often my voice got heard in mainstream media.” Noticing a lack of Latina voices in the blogosphere, Treviño realized that “a blog would be the perfect solution to all three areas”. In regards to the fabulous name, Latina Lista, Treviño says, “I wanted a name for the blog that would embody what I was trying to accomplish: Relay a smart, intelligent analysis done by a Latina. Also, back then blogs were all about lists-blog roll lists. I was trying to think of a name that encompassed all those elements and it just popped into my head! It couldn’t have been more perfect. It was as if it was divinely presented to me on a silver platter.”

 As Treviño developed her newly founded blog, she was also holding down a job at the International Newspaper Marketing Association (INMA), “I would come home after a long day at work and be re-energized when I sat down to write my blog on issues that interested me and I knew would resonate with other Latina/o readers. I wrote because I wanted to make a difference and educate the mainstream media about the Latina/o perspective on issues.” 

 Although she considers her job at INMA as “the most enjoyable one I ever held”, the newspaper industry started facing challenges from the Internet, citizen journalism, and declining circulation. The position allowed Treviño access to publishers of some of the world’s most respected newspapers and their experiences; however, towards 2007, Treviño was increasingly feeling that “I had done everything I could do at the company”. 

 In 2007, she quit her job to focus full-time on Latina Lista, where she describes her journalistic style as “a combination of opinion journalism where I try to present the facts that support my argument for thinking one way, along with straight reporting.” She states that although her voice is not necessarily neutral, she never asks that her audience agree with her, just that they keep an open mind. What she finds most disturbing, however, is “the lack of empathy displayed by some readers [to whom] everything is either black or white and there is no middle ground”. One stance Treviño stands firmly on is in support of the DREAM Act and granting recognition and a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants in the United States. Her outlook is positive. “I think the President and those in Congress who support and understand why it’s necessary to craft a new immigration policy won’t fail us on these important issues.” 

 Treviño sees the Latino community growing in both economic and political power. “We’ve always contributed to the economy but (have) underestimated our own influence… We are maturing into a demographic that is appreciating our position in the realm of political influence and are learning how to use it to create a more powerful voice in Washington and in local and state politics.”  

 Treviño excels not only in her journalistic capabilities, but as a humanitarian as well. Although she recognizes that Latina Lista falls into somewhat of a niche blog, she does it for a reason. She states, “The most rewarding, and unexpected, result of having Latina Lista is the trust that it has generated between my readers and myself to the point that I routinely field pleas for help… [with] social justice issues that run the gambit from battling a water company to being jailed unjustly to having trouble getting a passport because they were birthed by a midwife. People feel they can trust Latina Lista to either provide them with the information or get it for them.” 

 Treviño has realized that to many people, she is their last hope. This has inspired her to create a non-profit organization. “I’m in the extremely early stages of trying to put this together but I envision it to be a source Latinos can go to get assistance, advice and even a little blogger publicity to help them attain the justice that everyone deserves.”

 Treviño believes we must see the Latino community as part of the mainstream. She believes that ten years from now “the Latino community won’t be considered such a separate entity as it is now… our younger generation will contribute to integrating (into) the community more fully simply because that’s the way life has been for them.” 

 Because of Treviño’s work and passion, that younger generation has a light shining the path towards social justice and excellent journalism. Marisa Treviño sets the standard for the future of journalism and is a source of inspiration for young Latinas, and other under-represented groups, to set their voices free.

 Trevino may be one of a small (but growing) group of Latina bloggers, but she definitely is one that has to be reckoned with not only among Hispanic females, but the blogosphere itself!

http://nilkibenitez.blogspot.com). Nilki is the development director of Blue FlowerMoonDream Productions, the family division of the Los Angeles based production company, “Sancocho Entertainment” (http://sancochoent.com/). She is currently developing Allstarz! a show that highlights the philanthropic spirit of school-aged children. Nilki has also recently launched a blog highlighting all that is beautiful about “Colombia” and is working on a compilation of interviews with prominent Latinos in the Arts and Entertainment.