I am the Latin America Editor of Global Voices. I also write Undertones, Global Voices’ Civic Media Observatory's newsletter.
These past few years I have been a freelance journalist covering Central America, religion, human rights and the environment for different international media. I also founded the newsletter Central American News.
Latest posts by Melissa Vida
‘Defending life:’ Indigenous way of life imperative to solving climate crisis
“Defending life means protecting the living conditions of biodiversity in order to continue to exist," Nahuatl journalist Miryam Vargas says.
Mexico in crisis with eight journalists murdered so far this year
So far in 2022, eight journalists have been murdered in Mexico, raising alarm among media workers as well as national and international organizations.
Not just the U.S.: Residente portrays all of America in ‘This is Not America’
With millions of views on Youtube, Puerto Rican rapper Residente makes a case for Latin America's struggle for human rights.
Francia Márquez: The Afro-Colombian leader making a groundbreaking run for president
Despite death threats, this Afro-Colombian leader is writing a new chapter in the history of her country.
The Latin American feminist songs powering Women's Day protests
A selection of Latin American feminist anthems and songs to get you inspired on the International Day of Women
Karate: A path to non-violence in Colombia
Karate for peace, a practice recognized by Unesco as valuable for the training of children and young people, is practiced in a department hit hard by violence in Colombia.
10 stories on Black and Indigenous identity from Latin America in 2021
See these 10 stories on Black and Indigenous identity, concern for the environment, and representation online.
Not just ‘Jingle Bells:’ Listen to these Christmas songs from Latin America
Listen to the songs played in Mexico, Cuba, El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru and Brazil.
‘Bitcoin City’ in El Salvador seen through local memes
Most memes highlight the stark contrast between the government's over-the-top efforts to attract foreign investors and its limited investment in lowering crime rates.
In Guatemala, ancestors are remembered with food, marimba, and ‘flowers of the dead’
Despite the fact that visits to cemeteries were restricted, people did not stop celebrating life.
LIVE on August 25 (in Spanish): How COVID-19 fueled the protests in Cuba, Guatemala and Colombia
From Cuba to Colombia to Guatemala—countries with very different political contexts—people have taken to streets in recent times to demand change. What do these countries have in common?
From Mexico to Australia, Indigenous youth reimagine the internet for their languages
The internet plays a role in imposing hegemonic language, but young people are using it to carve space for their languages.
Women in Chile create thriving community through radio
"Many people think ham radio is dead because of the Internet, but that's not true."
Hacker group Anonymous leaks Colombia's police and army files amid protest crackdown
The police data leak was in retaliation for "aggressive and cruel repression to the demonstrations of popular and democratic power," a member of the Anonymous group told Global Voices.
#YoTeCreoVZLA: The movement that breaks the long silence on sexual abuse in Venezuela
A new wave of accusations has given rise to Venezuela's #MeToo movement.
‘The Mermaid Project’ highlights Mexico’s gender violence problem
"It is vital that men take an active and critical role in the fight against the systematization that perpetuates violence against women."
Latina organizer: The word we need is ‘Thrive’ not ‘Survive’
"I'd love to see a future in which women's leadership is centered, that the idea of leading 'with' and not 'over' becomes the norm and not the exception."
LIVE on April 7: The other health crisis—breaking the taboo on abortion
Unsafe abortions result in 30,000 deaths each year. Join us to hear women from Uganda, Thailand, Brazil, Pakistan and Poland talk about the reproductive rights situation in their countries.
What International Women's Day looked like around the world in 2021
"Although COVID-19 dampened participation in many countries, women still raised their voices on the streets on different continents, especially as the pandemic has worsened inequalities faced by women."
LIVE on March 9: Will Argentina's ‘green tide’ on abortion rights spread throughout Latin America?
The session, which will be conducted in Spanish, will be live-streamed on Facebook Live, YouTube, and Twitch.
Guatemala's ‘La Llorona’ fuses horror and politics to tell a haunting tale of the civil war
"La Llorona" is the first Central American film to ever be shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the Golden Globes, which will be held on February 28.
