Our Mission

Altavoz Lab uplifts, funds and mentors community journalists working in small publications. These trusted messengers do more than write about their audiences — they write for them. Our fellows gain access to a nationwide mutual-aid network, connecting storytellers with peers through our cohorts and with industry leaders across the country. We empower community journalists with mentorship, fair pay, and editorial support — ensuring vital stories reach the communities that need them most and that fellows are positioned for a successful career in journalism.

Our Fellowships

Since 2022, we have funded and supported eight community journalists from Florida, California, Puerto Rico, New York, Texas and Illinois. They were hosted by publications like Todas, Epicenter, Borderless, Diario las Americas, Intempnews, India Currents, and more. As Altavoz Lab grows, the number of fellowships we offer grows. This year we will launch six fellowships and ask for your help to create one more. 

Meet Nick Oza

Originally from Mumbai, India, Nick worked in Illinois, Georgia and Mississippi. His images were part of the Biloxi Sun Herald’s Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation in Biloxi, Mississippi.

In 2006, Nick arrived in Phoenix with his family to work for The Arizona Republic. In 2017, he and the team at The Arizona Republic won a Pulitzer Prize for their reporting on the border wall during the first Trump presidency.

Clearly, Nick was a rising star. But tragically, on September 27, 2021, Nick died due to complications from a car accident earlier that month. He was 57.

"Nick liked to tell me that photography was a gift to future generations, and he mentored many young photographers. He was also an inspiration for many writers like me," said Valeria Fernández, Altavoz Lab's founder and executive director. "Nick knew how to build long-lasting relationships with his sources, especially within our immigrant community in Arizona."

Valeria worked on many assignments with Nick during her years as a freelancer, and over time, they became close friends. "He had a way of giving so much of himself that people were naturally drawn to trust him," said Valeria. "This is why I felt so compelled to honor his memory with a fellowship — to help carry forward the spirit of his work and the human connections he nurtured so beautifully."

Learn more about him in a single photograph .

With your help, Altavoz Lab will launch the inaugural Nick Oza Visual Journalist Fellowship to honor a beloved and impactful community photojournalist. We want to support a photojournalist rooted in their community and passionate for documentary style photography like Nick, s omeone who is eager to receive mentorship and excited to be part of a cohort of community journalists where we emphasize mutual-aid. 

 How to Support the Nick Oza Visual Fellowship

Make a cash donation by clicking the "donate to fellowship" button Participate in the campaign by clicking the "register" button register as an individual create a team join a team The more we fundraise, the closer we'll reach our $25, 000 goal. Because of our generous donor matching all gifts 1:1 up to $5,000, your $10 gift is matched with another $10. All your donations are tax-deductible. Together, we can create an opportunity for a new generation of community-focused visual journalists like Nick. Please promote the campaign by spreading the word with your friends, family and colleagues.   Thanks for your support and stay tuned for updates on the campaign! Please contact valeria@altavozlab.com if you have any questions or ideas.