Julio Ricardo VarelaSpeaker and Booking Agent Information

Julio Ricardo Varela is an award-winning Puerto Rican-American journalist, media entrepreneur, and nonprofit leader. Born in Puerto Rico in 1969, he graduated from Harvard College and became a prominent voice on Latino issues, culture, politics, and journalism. He founded Latino Rebels in 2011, a pioneering independent digital outlet focused on Latino perspectives, and later The Latino Newsletter. He previously served as President of Futuro Media, home of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Latino USA, where he led editorial and business operations and co-hosted the podcast In The Thick. He is currently Senior Producer and Strategist at Free Press, a nonprofit advocating for media equity, public media, local journalism, and Spanish-language efforts. Varela is also an MS NOW columnist and frequent commentator. Recognized as a trailblazer in Latino-led media, he received the 2025 ¡BRAVO! Journalist of the Year award and was named to the ALX100 list of leading Latino changemakers in Massachusetts. His work emphasizes equitable storytelling, independent journalism, and the amplification of underrepresented voices in U.S. media.