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Nicole Macias Garibay

@nicolee.macias

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🇲🇽 | transborder journalist | @journalismfp chips quinn fellow |@latimes @delosangelestimes 💚 | @vocesmag founder
✍🏻 @telemundoaz @calonewsaz @lavozaz

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NOLA dump ⚜️✨

Spent the last few days hearing war stories from the newsroom titans who opened doors for us, and meeting the generation shaping what comes next.

Huge thanks to @officialnahj for having me on stage, and to @newsterrier for moderating such a thoughtful book talk on “El Paso.”

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Spent an incredible four months at @latimes this year, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience.

As a reporting intern on the @latimesfood team, I helped cover L.A’s diverse culinary landscape — from the iconic cemita sandwich from Puebla, Mexico to a growing Puerto Rican food scene. I covered historic communities and core pockets of L.A., including nearly century-old businesses struggling on Olvera Street and a plan to revamp Downtown Inglewood’s Market Street. I wrote about how Persian restaurants served as a third space for Iranians to gather amid an ongoing war, and how one heirloom bean empire was dividing the industry with a controversial trademark.

Thank you to my editors for your constant support and encouragement, to the Food team for welcoming me with open arms, and to everyone who trusted me to share their story.

I truly believe the L.A. Times produces some of the best journalism in the country, and I’m honored to have played a part. 💛

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It’s my one year anniversary of working at the LA Times. The top picture is me June 24, 2025, and the second was today. Just thought I’d make a post to recognize how much growth the year has brought since I first started as a summer intern in June 2025- I only realized when I walked into the office and the new summer interns had begun their first day!! So full circle.

So grateful to the De Los team for giving me a home at the paper, Angel and Anh for advocating for me to stay and my first LAT editor Elisa for seeing the vision in my work! Through the De Los podcast, Image fashion shows, losing the grill of my car while doing breaking news, social media standups and a few front page appearances, I’m still excited to be here :)

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Ahead of the World Cup in L.A., these two Latino designers, @retrofittedla and @miesha.gfg are reimagining fútbol fashion.

By upcycling and screen-printing soccer jerseys, they’re creating pieces rooted in identity, community and their love for the game. 🌎⚽️

🎥 @nicolee.macias

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🌟PLS SLIDE THRU ALL 20 PHOTOS IT TOOK ME LIKE 3 HOURS TO PUT THIS TOGETHER LMAO 🌟

I tend to focus on things that hurt/make me angry and I think that is reflected through most of my page/art but as I always tell people I dont want us to be trauma bonded… I want hope and love to be the strongest bond between us!💌🌈

SOOOO here are some beautiful things that have happened in my life between April and May that I havent shared bc Ive given a lot of time and energy to my struggling moments❤️‍🩹

Every struggle I have experienced in LA is preparing me for the life I deserve I TRULY FEEL IT & TRUST MY ANGELS💌🌈🙏🏽🌟🐎

💌🌹GRACIAS POR SER PARTE DE MI VIDA ESTE PASANDO POR COSAS LINDAS O DIFÍCILES LES KM💌🌹🌈

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For drag kings, who are usually assigned female at birth but play masculine characters, the art form is more than just a performance; it’s how they defy gender and cultural norms.

“[Drag] is my escape,” said 81-year-old El Daña, a Mexican American daughter of farmers. “When I’m onstage, I forget everything else. I feel I’m a star and I kill it every time.”

In a world where mainstream audiences seem more captivated by the glitz and glam of drag queens, as a more masculine performer, El Daña has often felt pushed to the sidelines. Within the queer performance scene, she said, drag kings have often received little recognition, fewer opportunities and less monetary gain despite contributing greatly to the art form and the LGBTQ+ community.

👉 Head to the link in our bio to read more.
✍️ @nicolee.macias
📸 @arianadrehsler

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More later on a whirlwind past few days. But thank you to the @latimesfob for having me! Here’s a glimpse.

Saturday
Reunited with my former LAT editor, Steve Padilla, whose writing tips still live in my yellow Moleskine. He led a sharp conversation with chingonas @carstensenjeanne (A Greek Tragedy) and @mailielou (Leave If You Can) on how we write about people who cross international waters, deserts, and borders.

Also had the honor of meeting @larissa_mercadolopez (The Selena Reader), @jmaddenmass (Bittersweet Lane), and @samquinones_author (The Perfect Tuba). If it touches Mexicanos or Mexican immigration, Sam has been there—early, often first.

(On a side note: Funny coincidence, at my signing, a reader showed up holding both my book and Madden’s.)

Sunday
Shared the @delosangelestimes stage with poderosas @andypandycandy5, our excellent moderator, @crisalx (Dreaming of Home), and @ramirezmarla (Banished Citizens). Different angles to our work, same gravity: the detention and deportation machine — its origins, its architects, its purpose. We traced its fingerprints across our families and identities as Latinas. And we asked a hard question: what does it mean when a broken system is working exactly as designed?

Sold out of books at both signing tents!

Some pictured, many not: All the amazing people who came out. Thank you, thank you, thank you. @turytoofly @miriamjordan778 @melmason @latseema @lidillon @christianarana23 @orlmayo @jeanguerre @nicolee.macias !! ❤️‍🔥

#latimesfob #bookchella #booksonbooks

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Viral social media trends like “Instapoetry” and #poetrytok have allowed Latinos to not only access literature that resonates with them, but to feel empowered to become writers as well, said Patrícia Lino, an associate professor of poetry and visual arts at UCLA.

“The death of poetry has been declared many times throughout history, but it’s always transforming — and recently, it has transformed due to social media,” Lino said.

With poetry no longer being confined to academic journals or classrooms, Latinos have been able to break through in the publishing industry, where they make up 7% of writers and authors.

✨ @nicolee.macias talked to poets @yesikastarr, @diaryofaromantica and @vianneyharelly about their poetry journeys at the link in our bio.

🎨: @spacehoes

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Karol G's historic set at Coachella paid homage to regional Mexican music, with help from the Latin Grammy-nominated ensemble, @mariachireynadelosangeles.

“Karol G knew that when people would see us up on that stage, that they would feel immense pride,” said Crystal Hernandez, a violinist and vocalist in the group, who hails from Newport Beach. “She knew bringing Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles would be an empowering move for women, Mexican culture and mariachi.”

And at “Karolchella,” the first all-women mariachi ensemble in the United States demonstrated what female empowerment can look like, despite performing in a historically male-dominated music genre.

👉 Head to the link in our bio for the full story
✍️ @nicolee.macias
🎨 @spacehoes

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Now in its fourth year, and presented by Esperanza Community Housing and L.A. Grit Media, the South Central Film Festival invited Indigenous, Black, Brown, LGBTQ+, immigrant and disabled filmmakers to submit their work, including those in a language other than English. The festival, which took place March 27 and 28, featured over 40 short films, animation and experimental works.

Halpern Ibrahim says that as an anti-displacement-driven organization, Esperanza Community Housing is all about investing in the communities who have long lived in South-Central L.A., especially Black and Latino residents affected by gentrification due to private investors’ efforts to build luxury housing and USC’s expansion of student dorms.

“People who are born and raised in South-Central L.A. feel very strongly that’s the name of their neighborhood, which is being replaced by south downtown or USC-adjacent names that make the neighborhood friendly for developers, who are part of the difficulty that we have here,” said Halpern Ibrahim.

👉 Head to the link in our bio for the full story
✍️ @nicolee.macias
🎨 @spacehoes

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Since opening in 2020, @lopezurbanfarm has used the space to grow fruits and vegetables, which are given out for free to Pomona residents. In doing so, it has helped address food insecurity in the area, which especially affects low-income residents, undocumented immigrants, seniors and unhoused community members.

What began as a space that grows produce has turned into a place that hosts a weekly farmers market, offers bilingual yoga classes that make wellness accessible and provides educational programs that equip college students with farming skills.

👉 Head to the link in our bio for the full story
✍️ @nicolee.macias
📸 @ethanswopephoto + @garycphotos

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