This Arizona-raised immigrant combines love of journalism, community to tell migrant stories
Telling people's stories, especially those of immigrants living in Arizona, is a passion that has led Pita Juárez to do great things, both in journalism and advocacy work.
Born in Guatemala and raised in Arizona, Juárez has been able to make a name for herself by sharing the voices of immigrants like herself.
“During my time as a reporter, I began to see the people I interviewed as friends. Later I realized that I could use that talent to tell stories. I wanted the community to see us immigrants not as victims, but as the leaders that we are,” said Juárez, storyteller, filmmaker and national director of communication and creative strategies for CHISPA, a Phoenix-based organization that promotes civic engagement and environmental justice in the Latino community.
As a journalist, she has left her mark, but in her new role as a filmmaker, she has managed to send a message to her community and the world about the importance of protecting the environment, with a focus on immigration and civic engagement.
Among her films are "You Racist, Sexist Bigot," an award-winning documentary feature film produced alongside Matty Steinkamp, which examines prejudice, racism and intolerance across the U.S.
In 2022, she was named part of the Grist 50 Fixers for Arts & Media, a prestigious recognition given to people working toward climate justice and sustainability via arts and media.
A storytelling dream fulfilled
Juárez was a 6-month-old baby when in 1989 she and her mother made their way to the U.S. from Guatemala, in search of new opportunities in Phoenix. She recalled growing up in a neighborhood near Seventh Street and Indian School Road.
"Since I was little, I have loved talking to people. That's why my relatives were not surprised when they found out that I wanted to be a journalist. Since I was very little I was already interviewing people," Juárez said.
She graduated in 2005 from Phoenix's Washington High School, and went on to earn a degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School at ASU.
"My love for the cameras began in college. I began doing professional internships very early. I really wanted to be the nosy one in the media," she said.
While studying at ASU, Juárez cleaned houses with her mother, a job that allowed her to pay for her studies.
Her mother, Lilian Aracely Juárez, said Pita Juárez set very clear goals for herself from a very young age, which is why trusting and supporting her daughter's process was essential.
That process involved a 20-year-old Juárez walking into the South Phoenix-based Univision station in 2008 — while out to buy tortillas in her neighborhood — and landing an internship on the spot.
"I never doubted her great ideas... supporting our children and seeing their dreams come true is the best feeling for a mother. She has always been a person with a purpose in her life," her mother said.
After Univision, she interned with Telemundo Arizona and worked in other outlets such as Mixed Voces, a Spanish-language news portal for La Raza Development Fund, as well as local host Mary Rábago's digital community show.
Journalist turned community activist
Juárez was tasked to cover stories during the era of SB 1070 in Arizona, the raids orchestrated by then-Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the protests in favor of raising the minimum wage and during the time of President Donald Trump.
Although journalism was her passion, Juárez said that certain assignments generated an identity conflict for her, especially when she was sent to cover pro-immigrant protests in which she had to tell both sides of the story to keep her stories neutral.
“I am an immigrant. I have an undocumented family. I am a woman. Everything these people I am interviewing are fighting for is the rights of my family and me,” Juárez said.
It was then that she decided to work for a local organization and apply that innate talent of talking and connecting with people in order to help her community.
From 2013 to 2018, she worked for ONE Arizona Coalition, an organization that works to improve the lives of Arizonans, especially people of color and youth, by building a culture of civic engagement.
“There I worked with a lot of undocumented kids and people, helping them how to tell their story, training people how to use their story for political power, whether it's on video, for a newspaper or a newscast,” she said.
She then worked for a campaign in Arizona that sought to expand clean energy by 50% from 2020 to 2030. “That was the first time that I stepped away from immigration and the community to contribute to the environment, and that was the moment when It made me want to continue working on this topic, as we do today with CHISPA."
For Nuvia Enríquez, who has known Juárez for more than five years, Juárez is a very moved and talented woman who pursues her dreams until she fulfills them.
“When I met her, we were both producing in radio. I have always seen her as a highly motivated person and everything she imagines, she goes after it and achieves it,” said Enríquez, deputy communications director at CHISPA.
Combining her passions to make films
Already an experienced storyteller, Juárez transferred all her knowledge to the production of films, which has made her stand out locally and nationally.
“One of the things that I like the most in my stage as a filmmaker is that we can have videos of people talking. Getting people to tell their own story in a comfortable way is key to the development of documentaries," she said.
Something that strikes Enríquez is the way Juárez blends her passion for environmental justice, immigration and community.
“She is interested in telling our stories, and the great thing about having someone like Pita is that she is part of the community, she knows the history of migrants and that paired with her talents make her projects interesting," Enríquez said.
“My Vote, My Community” is one of her most recent works, which was presented to the media in Phoenix June 26. This documentary portrays the life of Masavi Perea and his long journey as an undocumented immigrant. He emotionally recounts how he became a citizen with the goal of registering to vote and becoming a representative voice for his community.
From undocumented to registered voter: Documentary narrates journey of immigrant Arizona activist
“We have seen many negative stories from our people... We should raise our positive messages and show the good things that are happening, like the story of Masavi,” Juárez said. "There is a lot of pain in the fight, but there is also a lot of joy and many good things that must be shown to the world."
To date, she has produced eight documentaries, which have addressed issues around immigration, climate change, art, racial discrimination, civic participation, among others.
“Last month, at a film festival I thought it was interesting to see that they presented documentaries about killer whales, plastics. And I was there with films of undocumented people,” said Juárez. “I care about animals, and plastic, but I care more about the humanity of the people, and if we are telling those stories on a national platform so that we can find solutions, unity and support, that is worth twice as much,” Juárez said.
"La Morena," a film based on Phoenix muralist Lucinda Hinojos, and "Community Power Arizona: En Nuestrxs Manos" are short films produced by her, showcasing local Latino and Indigenous talent and their advocacy work.
Reach La Voz reporter and editor Javier Arce at javier.arce@lavozarizona.com or on Twitter @javierarce33.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pita Juarez combines her love of journalism, community to create films
