Mayra Becerra: Mayra Becerra is a writer and co-founder of The Ivanhoe Sol. A lifelong resident of Ivanhoe, Mayra is a longtime community advocate and is the president of The Ivanhoe Community Council. She currently works as a teacher and loves to write about schools, education and youth services.
Esmeralda Garcia: Esmeralda Garcia has lived in Ivanhoe for most of her life and currently works for Visalia Unified School District. She helped launch the Sol in 2020 and enjoys writing stories about community life. Esmeralda is passionate about sharing news in both Spanish and English to keep neighbors informed and to celebrate their accomplishments. She writes, “I plan to keep making positive changes and help set a good example for my teenage son and the entire community.”
Olivia Henry: Olivia serves as the Sol’s assistant editor. Olivia has a background in journalism, having worked in communications, outreach and community engagement roles with the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, KALW Public Radio, San Francisco Public Press, the Institute for Nonprofit News and Mother Jones. Olivia recently completed a master’s degree at UC Davis focused on worker- and audience-owned news organizations.
Pedro Hernandez: Pedro is a founding member of The Ivanhoe Sol and currently serves as the newspaper’s editor in chief. He was born and raised in unincorporated Fresno County and has spent his career teaching and fighting for environmental justice in the San Joaquin Valley. He received his Bachelor’s degree with honors in Latin American and Borderlands History from the University of California, Berkeley. Pedro says his favorite part of editing the Sol is learning about the Ivanhoe community.
Connie Vela: Connie is a 25-year resident of Ivanhoe and serves as the Sol’s volunteer bookkeeper. She is also involved with the Ivanhoe Community Council. Connie says her favorite part about the Sol is the opportunity to share positive and meaningful stories about her town. She welcomes any ideas or feedback that contribute to a better Ivanhoe.
Kristopher Paul: Kristopher is a regular contributor for the Sol, writing fictional stories that take place in and around Ivanhoe. He is a father, husband, teacher, writer, film maker, and amateure musician. He is a Valley native and is committed to improving life for all.