SPEL Team | Equipo de SPEL

Christine MacDonald

Executive Director & Co-Founder

Christine is an investigative reporter, who has had a long career writing for top-ranked newspapers, such as the Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News and Washington Post. As the Executive Director, she leads the organization’s Storytelling Program for Experiential Learning (SPEL), a weekly story lab that brings together high school and college interns and young adult fellows to produce articles and special research projects published on the Hola Cultura’s website.

Arts and Humanities Team

Valeria Lopez

Editorial Fellow

Valeria (she/her) is a first-generation graduate from the University of North Texas, where she recently earned her degree in journalism. She was born and raised in Texas and plans to remain in the state to work with its prominent Latine population in the future. She strives to bring quality coverage to the community and hopes to do her part in contributing to a better, more authentic representation of Latine people in the media industry. Valeria aspires to make a genuine impact through her writing, which is one of her biggest motivators as she launches her professional career. She also looks forward to expanding her skill set as she works alongside the Hola Cultura team. During her free time, she enjoys listening to music, watching shows and running.

Audrey E. Baeten-Ruffo

Editorial Intern

Audrey (she/her) is a junior at Phillips Academy, also known as Andover, where she holds multiple editorial positions and has built a wide range of multimedia content experience across journalism, literary arts, photography, video and social media. An aspiring attorney, her interest in civic-minded storytelling extends beyond the classroom. She has served as a UNESCO youth ambassador in the Bay Area and done community advocacy work with queer rights organizations across the San Francisco Bay Area. At school she serves on the editorial board of many publications including The Phillipian (weekly newspaper), Pot Pourri (yearbook), Andover Edition (fashion magazine), and The Courant (literary magazine). Audrey also loves to tap dance, thrift, and get creative whenever the shifting currents of her life allow.

Jessica Mendez-Perez

Editorial Intern

Jessica (she/they) is a fourth-year Calvin Coolidge High School student from Washington, D.C. She is currently enrolled in general studies courses at Trinity Washington University. Once she graduates, she is considering pursuing a career in neurology, with a computer science minor. Jessica has delved into multiple forms of art such as woodcarving, painting, sculpting, etc., but she has taken great enjoyment in creating both traditional and digital art. She also enjoys coding, animation, debate and LEGOs — specifically LEGO Ninjago. In the future, she wants to pursue art part time while working in one of her areas of interest primarily.

Lourdes Parra

Editorial Intern

Lourdes (she/her) is a first-generation Mexican American from the West Coast–LA county area. Her hobbies are traveling, watching movies, telenovelas and shows with loved ones, which led her to see how storytelling connects communities across multiple languages and cultures. She studied Liberal Studies (education) with Public Relations at California State University, Long Beach which allowed her to work in community focus centered roles within education and film while also showcasing her hobbies of reading, film, travel and video editing across her own social media. Lourdes also loves learning and experiencing new things. She is so excited to collaborate with the Hola Cultura team and to gain future skills to further support a career in journalism.

Mazreha Choudhury

Editorial Intern

Mazreha (she/her) is a high school student who grew up in Queens and now lives on Long Island. She has spent the past two years writing and interviewing people for her school’s journalism team. During an internship with the New York Mets, she interviewed players, learned from sports journalists and presented ideas to the Mets executives about reaching more fans through journalism. Mazreha loves traveling and meeting people and hearing how they see the world. Those conversations are often what inspires her to write. Outside of journalism, she enjoys theatre, playing the guitar and piano and following sports like cricket, F1 and soccer. She hopes to become a sports journalist who tells stories people might otherwise miss.

Content Creation Team

Alan Baez

Content Creation Fellow

Alan Baez (he/him) is a digital producer and freelance journalist based in Riverside County, California and has curated a career highlighting creatives in the music and entertainment space as well as documenting digital moments in pop culture and championing voices in Latine spaces. Alan is a first generation graduate from San Jose State University where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication Media Studies. After graduating at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alan started his journalism journey from the ground up, being inspired by entertainment publications to continue his essay writing into online blogs. He emboldens the spirit of D.I.Y journalism and has learned everything from trial and error, demonstrating that anybody with a passion and a strong voice can be a journalist. Alan’s words shed light on the creative forces of today’s left field Hip Hop, Latine Indie and Electronic music. His words are featured in EARMILK, Remezcla, The SoCal Sound, Complex and OkayPlayer.

Natalia White

Content Creation Intern

Natalia (she/her) is from Centreville, Virginia and currently lives in Richmond, Virginia, and is a junior at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her major is graphic design, and she’s studying for a minor in marketing. Aside from Hola Cultura, she also works as a graphic design intern at her university and has experience creating posters, books, magazines and editing video. She spent two years as the social media coordinator for Latinx Fashion Show (LFS), a VCU club established to highlight underrepresented designers. Today she serves as LFS’ treasurer. She enjoys painting, fashion, playing Animal Crossing on the Nintendo and watching new movies and shows. Her mother is from San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador and her father is from Nashville, Tennessee. She is passionate about giving back to the community, specifically in the Hispanic/Latine community, through volunteering and ethical impact. She hopes to become more skilled in educating and promoting stories from different ethical topics and aims to be a professional graphic designer.

Roberto Rodriguez-Paz

Content Creation Intern

Roberto (he/him/his) graduated from Lesley University in 2024 with a BFA in digital filmmaking. During his time in university, he engaged with different aspects of filmmaking, including writing, directing, producing, editing and sound recording. Being born in Boston, Mass., to a Guatemalan mother and Salvadoran father and living within Greater Boston, he wants to bring his experiences and cultural background into different projects while also having fun with multiple genres and forms of content, such as narrative, documentary, commercials, etc. He is looking forward to collaborating with individuals who have similar aspirations while working with Hola Cultura and gaining new opportunities and expertise.

Rocio Gonzalez

Content Creation Intern

Rocio (she/her) was raised in a Hispanic household in Soledad, California. She studied at Brigham Young University, graduating with a bachelor’s in Communication Studies and a minor in Design Thinking. She currently resides in Stockton, California, where she works as a registered behavior technician. Through Rocio’s experience at BYU, she has gained a passion for mass media and digital communications. As a first-generation student, her goal is to use her skills to make an impact in the Hispanic/Latine community. Her hobbies recently include art, graphic design, illustration and photography. She also manages her social media platform and hopes to become skilled at storytelling and expand her opportunities.

Copy Editing Team

Valerie Izquierdo

Copy Editing Fellow

Born and raised in Miami Beach, FL, Valerie (she/her) is a freelance journalist, writer and editor based in Gainesville, FL. With a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida, Valerie has dedicated her craft to advocating for social justice, the environment, and cultural topics, with a focus on human-interest stories. She has written, edited and translated pieces for the Sierra Club, local sustainability-based magazine Frothy, and additional digital and print publications. Professionally, she aspires toward editorial work, hoping to pursue copy editing in print or digital publishing or newsrooms. Valerie also aims to highlight the stories and voices of underrepresented groups and communities to bring unity and awareness toward crucial topics. Her hobbies include pursuing various forms of art, listening to music and being involved in community work.

Alexis Mackenzie

Copy Editing Intern

Alexis (she/her) is a recent graduate from Washington State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Rhetoric and Professional Writing. During her time at WSU, Alexis discovered she loved helping her peers improve their writing, which led to her working towards being an editor. She currently lives in the Tri-Cities, Washington but grew up all over the United States. In her free time, Alexis loves to read fantasy and romance books. She also enjoys painting and baking. Her goal for the future is to combine her love of reading and passion for editing and become a copy editor for fantasy or romance books.

Oral History Team

Madison Forrest

Editorial Intern

Madison (she/her) is a journalist based in Boston. She is originally from Miami, Florida, where she grew up speaking Spanish with her Cuban family. Madison recently graduated from Boston University with a major in journalism and a minor in Spanish. She enjoys writing feature pieces about arts and culture. She also has a jewelry business and enjoys all things creative.

Marvin Juarez

Editorial Intern

Marvin (he/him) is a writer based in the beautiful Bay Area of California, where he was raised. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Davis, majoring in English and Cinema & Digital Media, with an emphasis on creative and professional writing. Now, he tutors K-12 students one-on-one while making time for personal projects and hobbies.

Melody Marichalar

Editorial Intern

Melody (she/her) earned a journalism degree from the beautiful Western Washington University. At the core of her practice lies a deep passion for meeting new people and learning about different cultures. She hopes to take this skill around the world and write about people she meets on her travels. Being raised by an immigrant father has given Melody a deep sense of love and appreciation for her Hispanic culture. During her time at Hola Cultura, she hopes to connect with her culture in a new way while inviting readers to immerse themselves. When she’s not writing, you can find Melody expressing herself through fashion, creating art while listening to vinyls and exploring the natural beauty around her.

Society and Culture Team

Joaquín Selva

Editorial Fellow

Joaquín (he/him/él) is a writer, editor, and web and accessibility professional. His birthplace and fatherland is Nicaragua and his motherland is Wisconsin. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He has co-authored academic papers, written articles for Positive Psychology, Reverb Magazine and Yes! Magazine; and written tabletop RPGs and supplements. He has also edited documents ranging from academic papers and government documents to applications, resumes and fiction novellas. His interests include games, history, language, music, science, sports and all things related to justice. As the editorial fellow for the Society & Culture Team, he is excited to help Hola Cultura tell essential stories that often go untold while simultaneously learning from the journalists who will shape today and tomorrow’s narratives.

Belen Mendoza Cortes

Editorial Intern

Belen Mendoza Cortes (ella/she/her) is a junior at Yale University. Originally from Woodburn, Oregon, she is dedicated to using her passion for social justice and writing, along with experience in grassroots advocacy, to fight for human rights. During her time as an undergraduate, she has worked with organizations such as the ACLU in Portland and Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), Oregon’s Farmworker Union. At school, Belen is a member of Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Yale and Matriculate as a college admissions counselor. Likewise, her dedication to writing has earned her recognition with awards and honorariums at various organizations, including Literary Arts and the Pulitzer Center, reflecting her commitment to honoring her Oaxacan roots and ancestors through her poetry. When she is not crafting verses or advocating for change, you can find her indulging in her love of cooking or reading a book, surrounded by cherished friends and family.

Benjamin Mack

Editorial Intern

Benjamin (he/him) is a senior at Jackson-Reed High School in Northwest Washington D.C. He is bilingual and in his free time he enjoys spending time outside and playing sports. Aside from that, he also enjoys traveling and meeting new people. Growing up in D.C. Benjamin has learned to value the importance of reporting and fact-based journalism – specifically as it pertains to politics and society. He currently is taking a wide variety of Advanced Placement classes and additional classes at American University. He is a state champion in entrepreneurship and has competed in the 2026 National Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Benjamin loves learning languages and uses his language skills to further appreciate and interact with the distinct cultures and societies he sees in his city, something which has led to his desire to study international relations and business in college.

Eva Leon

Editorial Intern

Eva (she/her) is from Oneonta, New York, and is currently studying journalism and world languages at Ithaca College. Her passion for journalism and storytelling stems from a love of connecting with people and hearing about their unique experiences. Having grown up traveling often to Lima, Peru, and living with her grandparents, Eva became fluent in Spanish and established a deep connection to her Hispanic heritage. One of her biggest career goals is to serve Spanish-speaking communities across the United States by continuing to work in bilingual journalism. Outside of writing and reporting, Eva enjoys playing her guitar, dancing salsa and spending time in nature.

Maya Kumar

Editorial Intern

Maya (she/her) is a junior at Jackson-Reed High School in Washington, D.C. She was born and raised in the United States, but her parents are both immigrants. Her mother is from the United Kingdom, and her father is from India. She is currently taking five Advanced Placement classes: English Language, U.S. History, Precalculus, African American Studies and Psychology. She enjoys traveling, as it allows her to see the beauty of different countries, explore new cultures and try new foods. There are a few fields that she is interested in including business, marketing, finance and international studies. She hopes that in college she will be able to study abroad in Spain for a semester, as she really enjoys the culture and would love the experience of living in a Spanish-speaking country.