Honoring Carmen González: A Voice for Boyle Heights

Boyle Heights Beat lost an important member of our family last weekend. Carmen González, 24, has been part of our organization since 2017. In her young life she has been an activist, a reporter, a radio host and producer, and the mentor to young student journalists. After graduating from CSULB earlier this year, she became a full-time student journalism manager for us. We will miss her greatly.

Carmen's journey with us began when she was just 16, a high school student who saw an opportunity to earn a laptop by writing articles. What started as a practical decision quickly became a life-changing calling that would define her career and her character.

Her first article was about a homeless community college student—a story she said "changed my life" and "solidified the fact that I wanted to be a journalist and tell these stories." From that moment, Carmen understood that journalism wasn't just about reporting; it was about connecting with the community and amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard.

As a youth reporter from 2017 to 2019, Carmen fearlessly tackled societal issues and co-hosted our beloved Radio Pulso podcast. She brought community members on air because, as she put it, "it feels nice because I get to hear what Boyle Heights is through their eyes." The work transformed her into someone who could bridge differences and build understanding. "I think it's made me a more empathetic person," she once reflected. "I can actually sit through someone talking on a viewpoint that's not similar to mine."

After graduating from Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez High School in 2019, Carmen's talent and dedication took her to KCRW, the UCLA Labor Center, The Corsair, and CalMatters. But she never forgot her roots. When she graduated from Cal State Long Beach earlier this year, she came home to us as our full-time student journalism manager, ready to guide the next generation of young reporters.

Carmen embodied everything we believe in at Boyle Heights Beat: that young people have powerful stories to tell, that community journalism matters, and that listening with empathy can change both the storyteller and the audience. She made people feel heard, stories feel important, and voices feel amplified.

Whether she was interviewing politicians, mentoring teenage reporters, or hosting radio segments, Carmen approached every interaction with authenticity, courage, and deep love for her community.

Carmen was taken from all of us far too early. Please help her family cover funeral costs and expenses by making even a small donation. Your contribution will help us honor a young woman who gave everything to serve her community and whose impact will be felt for years to come.