When I moved to Austin from Guatemala in 2023, I never imagined a newspaper would make me feel at home. Weird thing for a journalist to say, I know. But that’s exactly what El Texan en Español became for me.

As an international master’s student navigating a new city, a new language and life on a large campus, El Texan en Español became my taste of home away from home. It gave me a safe space where the Hispanic part of me could show up fully — and have a blast alongside others with similar roots.

It was also a safe place for a journalist unsure if he had anything to contribute to a different country, and for a student simply trying to belong. Spanish became a bridge, a way to connect with others who, like me, carried culture and stories that don’t often make it into the spotlight.

To Citlali, Max, Iñaki, Diana, Pili, Jessica, Sofía, and Maryella: thank you for your commitment to this department. Your passion and consistency made all the difference. You helped El Texan en Español grow, and you showed up when it mattered most. And most importantly, you made it feel like home. Gracias. 

To Lucero and María, thank you for guiding me long before I ever became director. You showed me what it meant to lead with care and vision. You made the blueprint that I tried my best to follow.

And to my family, thank you for always asking, “How did your week go? What’s going on in Austin?” You will always be my engine. El Texan en Español, my home away from home, reminds me of you.

My time as director is coming to an end, but my love for this department never will. Keep it going. Make it better. Translate more. Write more. Help more people. And I know this place will become a home for others like me.

Un último “update” de su director,
Nico