As his three-year fellowship comes to a close, we celebrate Larry Valenzuela’s impactful work as a CatchLight Local fellow covering California’s Central Valley. During his time at CalMatters, he brought visibility to communities often overlooked by mainstream media—farmworkers, small rural towns, and families navigating environmental disasters and housing insecurity. His perspective as a Central Valley local made all the difference.
“I’ve lived in the Fresno area my whole life,” he said. “I think people appreciate when someone from their community is the one telling their story. They open up a little more.”
That trust translated into access that many journalists can’t achieve from the outside. During the 2023 floods in Tulare County, Valenzuela saw firsthand the impact of local journalism — not only on how residents see themselves, but on how broader audiences view the region.
“I just walked through the community and got photos of people shoveling mud from their homes,” he said. “One man told me, ‘I really appreciate that you’re out here because they don’t really cover us. They’re not going to cover what’s happening out here.’ That stuck with me.”
Through the fellowship, Valenzuela also gained a deeper understanding of both his craft and his home. “It definitely changed the way I look at photojournalism — how I see my community and how much coverage gets done in the Central Valley versus what more could be done.”
Now a full-time visual journalist at CalMatters, Valenzuela continues to use his skills to fill long-standing gaps in coverage. “Visuals are very important,” he said. “They tell stories in a different way and bring emotion and impact that writing can only do so much for.”
His advice for future CatchLight Local fellows? Stay rooted.
“Just go out and talk to people,” he said. “Even if you’re not shooting photos, get to know your community and build relationships. That’s where the work starts.”