The Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA) has named independent media journalist Julio Ricardo Varela as the 2025 ¡BRAVO! Awards Journalist of the Year honoree. Varela will be recognized as a pioneer of independent, Latino-led media for his 20-year career serving as a leading voice on Latino issues and building lasting digital spaces for journalism and community engagement.
HPRA National President Sonia V. Diaz emphasized Varela's significance in the media landscape, stating that he built one of the first Latino-led independent news spaces online before such initiatives became commonplace. His work demonstrated that small, community-rooted outlets could shape coverage and defend editorial freedom. Diaz noted that Varela's ability to innovate in the media space is particularly critical given the current climate of rising inflammatory rhetoric, misinformation, and threats to local newsrooms.
Varela's career trajectory spans reporting, editing, and platform development with a consistent focus on community-centered journalism. He founded Latino Rebels in 2011, growing it into a nationally recognized digital outlet that became one of the top independent Latino digital news sites globally. His subsequent role as President of Futuro Media involved supporting established platforms including Latino USA, In The Thick, and Latino Rebels across both audio and digital formats.
Currently, Varela serves as Senior Producer and Strategist at Free Press, writes as a columnist for MSNBC, and publishes The Latino Newsletter, which launched in May 2024 and has quickly become a daily destination for reporting and analysis through a Latino perspective. His work has appeared in major publications including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic, among others.
The recognition comes at a pivotal moment for media representation and independent journalism. Varela's honor signals the growing importance of diverse voices in an increasingly fragmented media environment where authentic community representation matters more than ever. His previous recognition includes receiving the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' inaugural DALE Award for advancing fair and accurate portrayals of Latinos in media.
Varela will be honored alongside DEI Champion honoree Adrianne C. Smith, founder of Cannes Can: Diversity Collective, and Pioneer of the Year honoree Karina Martínez, cofounder of DRAFTED, during the ¡BRAVO! Awards gala on November 13, 2025, at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. He joins a prestigious group of former ¡BRAVO! Journalist of the Year honorees that includes Alicia Menendez, Ilia Calderón, and María Hinojosa.
The HPRA, founded in 1984, represents professionals working at the intersection of culture, storytelling, and strategy. The organization's ¡BRAVO! Awards, established in 2014, recognize excellence in multicultural communications, highlighting the creativity and cultural fluency driving the communications industry forward.
