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Antonio Nevarez

Antonio Nevarez is a national award-winning journalist and sophomore journalism major at Seattle Pacific University. He began studying journalism at the age of 15 through NPR/KUOW's RadioActive Youth Media program, which allowed him to learn the basics of producing radio journalism. Since then, he has gone on to produce stories for other KUOW shows, including Soundside and Seattle Now. Currently, Antonio serves as a production mentor at RadioActive Youth Media, assisting youth producers in high school, college, and post-high school as they learn how to make radio stories for KUOW 94.9. 

Alongside his continued work with KUOW, Antonio writes for SPU's student newspaper, The Falcon, as the designated audio editor and producer for podcasts and audio stories. Additionally, Antonio serves as a podcast producer and newsroom writer at Ground Zero Radio, where he primarily covers pop-culture related topics, often covering comic and anime conventions, alongside news in the world of video games and entertainment. 

In 2022, Antonio won a national award for his story "How The Pandemic Gave Me Courage To Explore My Femininine Side" from NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists

My Journalism Portfolio:

The Falcon •

When existing is exhausting

Note: This story talks about mental health and suicide. Take care while listening.

For many people, it can be hard to open up about how they’re feeling and what they’re thinking, even when life gets exhausting. However, conversations regarding mental health are becoming increasingly more common, thanks to efforts made by professionals and organizations

One of these organizations is Active Minds, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults. To achi
Ground Zero Radio •

Artists, Fans, and Cosplayers Define Another Successful Year at Rose City Comic Con 2023

An overhead view of RCCC guests near the floor entrance, many of them on their way to pick up convention passes on Sep. 23, 2023. (Photo/Dash Pinck)

Rose City Comic Con (RCCC), hosted at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon, brought together pop culture fans nationwide to cosplay, meet independent artists, and interact with their favorite actors and comic creators from Sept. 22-24, 2023

Upon entering the show floor, attendees were met with RCCC’s artist alley, a designated space co
Ground Zero Radio •

Meet The Person Who Hand-Painted a Video Game for Seven Years

The player character in “The Master’s Pupil” is surrounded by vines. (Courtesy Image/Pat Naoum).

It took seven years for the indie game "The Master’s Pupil" to finally be released in July 2023. It’s due to the fact that the game was primarily hand-painted by Sydney-based developer Pat Naoum. With the game’s release two months behind us, Ground Zero Radio’s Antonio Nevarez shares the story of how Naoum worked endlessly for nearly a decade to bring us a one-of-a-kind game

If you’re a fan of simp
The Falcon •

End of the rainbow

NEVAREZ:

For years, the office windows at Seattle Pacific University were full of posters and promotions. But over the summer, that changed when a new policy outlawed any non-approved displays on an exterior window in employee offices. This policy, simply titled “SPU Display Policy,” set new guidelines for staff and faculty to follow when it comes to posting around campus.

As of fall, many posters, signs, and art projects are still on display, including pride flags and symbols signaling queer
Ground Zero Radio •

ICYMI: Nintendo Brings Joy and Wonder to Seattle for Their First Live Event in the United States

Luigi uses his hat as a parachute in front of a poster advertising Super Mario Bros. Wonder at Seattle's Nintendo Live 2023 event. (Photo/Dash Pinck)

From Sept. 1 to Sept. 4, Nintendo offered fans of the video game company an in-person opportunity to attend . The inaugural Nintendo Live event took place in Kyoto, Japan in 2018, with the subsequent events occurring in Japan. However, Nintendo Live 2023 took place at the Seattle Convention Center Arch building, making it the first event in the se
The Falcon •

Dr. Porterfield: “Women lead differently than men… I’m going to lead differently.”

On January 26, 2023, Seattle Pacific University announced its newest president, Dr. Deana Porterfield, who would officially take office over the summer. With the start of a new school year, Porterfield is prepared to lead the SPU community as the first permanent president in 2 years.

The Falcon’s Antonio Nevarez spoke with Porterfield to get to know her more as a person and to find out how she plans to engage with the community.

Dr. Deana Porterfield is SPU’s 12th president in the university’s
Ground Zero Radio •

ICYMI: A Weekend at Day In Day Out

On Aug. 12, 2023, Day In Day Out attendees sitting on the grassy area of the venue, with a large DIDO 2023 sign in front of them. (Photo/Antonio Nevarez)

For the third year in a row, Seattle music lovers were treated to (DIDO), a two-day music festival at Seattle Center. The festival, organized by Daydream State, took place on Aug. 12 and Aug. 13, with roughly sold out for both days.

Festival-goers had the opportunity to see over a dozen artists perform over the weekend, with the headlining ar
KUOW Public Radio •

‘Weirdos who play music together’: The importance of ‘third places’ during the pandemic

‘Weirdos who play music together’: The importance of ‘third places’ during the pandemic

It can be easy to slip into a cycle of going to work or school, and then coming home, day in and day out. You might feel the need for another place to go, to get away from that routine. But during the pandemic lockdown, there were suddenly a lot fewer of these "third places." RadioActive’s Gideon Hall looked at one of his ‘third places’ — a Seattle music organization — and how they’re coming back from being
Ground Zero Radio •

Unlock the Con Brings Fan-Forward Comic Cons to an Auburn Outlet Mall

Carla Perez (in the middle of the back row) poses with the Unlock The Con staff after a signing event she did for the grand opening of the store's new location, including Ashley Weaver on the left, and Barry Weaver to the right. Picture taken in 2023. (Photo/Courtesy of Barry Weaver.)

Unlock The Con, a collectibles store in the heart of the Outlet Collection Seattle mall in Auburn, is a treasure trove for local collectors to find new, discontinued, and even autographed collectibles. Entering th
KUOW Public Radio •

Public transit is now free for King County youth. But what happens when you turn 19?

Public transit is now free for King County youth. But what happens when you turn 19?

Last fall, King County Metro and many other Washington transit agencies made fares free for youth 18 and under. Fabian Hernandez-Angel is one of the young people who uses this program to get to and from school. But he’s turning 19 soon, meaning he’ll no longer be eligible for the program. RadioActive's Colin Yuen has more.

[RadioActive Youth Media is KUOW's radio journalism and audio storytelling program for y
The Falcon •

Provost Hartley fired by Interim President Menjares, no cause announced

On May 23, 2023, the decision to terminate Laura Hartley from her position as provost of Seattle Pacific University was announced to faculty during a senate meeting. The decision was made directly by Interim President Pete Menjares, with no cause attached. Hartley’s last day at SPU is June 2, 2023.

The announcement came as a shock for many SPU faculty members. Christopher Hanson, assistant professor of music, could not believe the news when he first heard it. Hanson reflects on what this seemin
The Falcon •

How SPU students are preparing for the upcoming 2024 presidential election

With most high school seniors graduating at the age of 18, it is common for new voters to vote for the first time when they attend college. The most recent presidential election being in 2020, it is almost time for voters and presidential candidates to prepare for the 2024 election. The upcoming election marks an exciting step into adulthood for some Seattle Pacific University students.

Gail McMillan is a first-year psychology major. McMillan was not old enough to vote in the 2020 election, but
The Falcon •

Faculty responds to impending program cuts: “Are we still a liberal arts institution?”

For the third year in a row, Seattle Pacific University is met with a budget deficit. For the duration of the 2022-23 school year, a committee of faculty members from all six of Seattle Pacific University’s schools has been tasked with making decisions to cut SPU programs and lay off faculty members, all in an attempt to return SPU to a financially stable status.

Patrick McDonald is a philosophy professor and has worked at SPU since 2001. McDonald is set to take a sabbatical after this academic
Ground Zero Radio •

Seattle Filipino-American Community Advocate to Save Class from Budget Deficit

The Filipinx-American U.S. history class on a field trip at the Filipino Community Center. (Photo: Tianna Andresen)

Editor’s note: Some students in this group photo have chosen to have their faces blurred for safety and privacy reasons.

With Seattle Public Schools (SPS) facing a $131 million deficit, the district is evaluating which programs to cut. One of these programs, a virtual Filipino-American history class, is at the stake of being cut. However, members of the Seattle Filipino community
The Falcon •

Decision day prepares future falcons for new adventures at SPU

May 1, also known as “National College Decision Day,” is meant for high school seniors to formally accept admission to the college of their choice. With new students set to attend Seattle Pacific University this fall, the admissions team is prepared to help incoming students find their way in the first steps of life after high school.

Xavier Smith is an incoming student with a plan to major in economics and is preparing to graduate high school this spring. Since committing to SPU, Smith has bee
The Falcon •

Gwinn safety is ‘okay’ according to King County inspection

Gwinn Commons dining hall, the primary source of meals for many Seattle Pacific University students, was inspected by Public Health – Seattle and King County on April 11. While the dining hall has received higher scores in previous years, this particular inspection resulted in an unsatisfactory rating, marking the fourth time in a row that Gwinn Commons failed its health inspection.

The food safety rating system is ranked on a scale of four different scores based on the number of safety violati
The Falcon •

What SPU is doing for the environment, how you can help

On April 20, Sodexo and Seattle Pacific University’s sustainability club worked together to create a vegetarian-forward dinner at Gwinn Commons, an event to celebrate Earth Month.

At this dinner event, Gwinn guests were able to choose from a variety of vegetarian and vegan menu options, ranging from ‘Impossible’ burgers to mushroom risotto; with only one meat option.

The sustainability club’s president, Eli Westbrooks, a third-year political science major, played a part in planning the environ
Ground Zero Radio •

Sakura-Con 2023 Unites Fans, Artists, and Anime Community in its 24th Event

Cosplayer Williow, dressed as Inkling Girl from Splatoon, on April 7, 2023. (Photo: Antonio Nevarez)

Sakura-Con returns to Seattle’s Convention Center to host a variety of shows, shops, and panels, among several other activities to bring anime fans together. Attendees had the opportunity to enter cosplay contests, interact with voice actors from their favorite anime, and even attend a concert by the Japanese rock band, FLOW.

Considered to be Seattle’s most popular anime convention, Sakura-Con
The Falcon •

Nearly 60 years old, Ashton Hall will close down this fall for renovation

Since its grand opening in 1965, Ashton Hall has been a temporary home for Seattle Pacific University’s incoming students. Capable of housing 400 people, Ashton Hall is SPU’s largest residence hall. But due to its age and need for renovation, Ashton is set to be closed indefinitely starting this fall.

The idea of closing Ashton Hall for renovations has been around since at least 2017. The final decision to close the residence hall for the 2023-24 school year was made near the beginning of March
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