Chips Quinn Reporter Spotlight: Angelica Perez
Posting: Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Angelica Perez, Eastside/La Semana Reporter for the Tulsa Local News Initiative, brings an early and steadfast passion for storytelling to her coverage of Latino communities in Tulsa. Born and raised in Houston, TX, Perez knew by age 14 that she wanted to pursue journalism, driven by a love of uncovering people’s passions, sharing their struggles and holding officials accountable.
Before joining TLNI, Perez worked at the Houston Landing, a nonprofit newsroom where she covered education, environmental issues and community stories. Her reporting often examined how public policies affected everyday people, with a particular focus on equity and accountability. One of her most notable stories investigated how a Houston-area district improved two schools through a turnaround strategy but failed to expand the program to dozens of other struggling schools. The story highlighted systemic challenges in education reform and its impact on students.
Angelica Perez
Chips Quinn Reporter
Perez credits her experience at IRE (Investigative Reporters and Editors) as one of the most influential moments in her career so far. The training sessions not only deepened her investigative skills but also connected her with a network of journalists equally committed to watchdog reporting.
Pictured: Perez out in the field interviewing Carlos Mauricio, a former resident of Colony Ridge, a town on the outskirts of Houston.
Now based in Tulsa, Perez is passionate about covering issues that affect Latino communities, a population she believes has too often been overlooked by traditional media. She views her role as both a responsibility and an opportunity to amplify the voices of people whose stories deserve attention. When she’s not focused on reporting, she’s usually enjoying live music, a good documentary or going on a walk.
Why Apply for the Chips Quinn Reporter Fellowship?
Perez applied to the Chips Quinn Fellowship as an early-career journalist looking to grow her confidence and combat impostor syndrome. She values the program’s emphasis on long-term mentorship and sees it as a way to strengthen both her investigative skills and her personal resilience in the industry.
Through the program, Perez hopes to sharpen her investigative and data reporting skills while also developing the confidence to trust her instincts and voice. She believes that becoming a stronger reporter means not only improving technical skills but also learning to navigate the industry with authenticity.
Advice for Aspiring Journalists
Perez’s advice is rooted in her own experience as a young Latina in journalism: “Be yourself.” She recalls advice from a veteran Latina journalist who encouraged her not to hide her identity in professional spaces—whether that meant wearing her hoops, letting her curls flow or speaking with confidence. For Perez, authenticity is not just personal but a professional strength.
Pictured: Perez’s last week with one of her first print editions with the Tulsa Local News Initiative and La Semana.
Message from her Mentor
"Angelica is a curious and thoughtful reporter. She is driven to authentically connect with people in East Tulsa, and to elevate their stories in an impactful way.“
Lauren Gustus
CEO and Executive Editor at The Salt Lake Tribune
Started by Freedom Forum, the original Chips Quinn program helped put college interns into newsrooms across the country. Since its beginnings in 1991, the program has reached more than 1,400 people, many of whom are now in leadership positions for local and national newsrooms. Today, the program aims to offer support to early-career journalists already in their respective newsrooms through a 1:1 mentorship by leading members in the journalism field as well as alumni from the program. Thanks to continued support for the program from Freedom Forum, each Chips Quinn Reporter receives a $10,000 stipend..
About Freedom Forum: Established on July 4, 1991, by USA TODAY founder Al Neuharth, the Freedom Forum is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to fostering First Amendment freedoms for all. As the nation’s foremost advocate for First Amendment freedoms, the Freedom Forum engages thousands of Americans each year in classes, conversations and celebrations of these essential rights, including through the Power Shift Project, the annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, the Chips Quinn Scholars Program for Diversity in Journalism, the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media, the Free Expression Awards, the annual “Where America Stands” survey, the Journalists Memorial and Today’s Front Pages.
About JFP: The mission of Journalism Funding Partners is to strengthen the depth, diversity and sustainability of local news by building and shepherding relationships between funders and local news organizations. JFP is a recognized nonprofit that acts as fiscal sponsor, allowing foundations and individual funders to contribute directly to local news, regardless of the news organization’s business model. JFP manages the funds feeding numerous news initiatives, including more than a dozen Climate reporters in the Southeast, an Equity Desk at The Sacramento Bee, an Education and Economic Mobility Desk in California’s Central Valley, the Investigative Fund of The Miami Herald and for Inclusivity and Investigative funds at the Associated Press.
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Media Contact: Rusty Coats, Executive Director | rusty@jfp-local.org | (813) 277-8959
