I am a Chicana journalist from a family of hard-working Mexican immigrants, raised in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. As a proud product of community college, I have completed several internships in broadcast and digital news throughout California, including at CalMatters and CNN. After transferring to UC Berkeley and graduating, I earned fellowships at the San Francisco Chronicle and the Los Angeles Times.

In the early stages of my career, I have concentrated on reporting education and immigration issues through a social justice lens. I’m deeply passionate about California and its diverse communities.

Vanessa is an investigative reporter for Open Vallejo, click here for the latest stories.