So, I had planned and packed this bag secretly, and I walked out the door, and my wife was like, “Hey, I know that bag!” Instead of blowing up at me and getting mad, and saying, “Hey, what are you doing, you have kids.” She understood, and she’s like, “Wow, go Nick!” Then I got home, and my mom was like, “Go, Nicholas!” Those are the “God shots” and the affirmations that I needed to say, “Okay, let me go see what I can do to help.” I have had millions of views because several of these clips have gone viral. 

What other topics are you looking to cover as an independent journalist on Nick Valencia News? 

I have a story where I spent the day with migrant farmers, undocumented migrant farmers in Delano, California, and they were very chatty with me, which was remarkable. I have this exclusive story coming up where I spent the day with pickers who make $16.50 an hour under triple-digit temperatures. I have this report coming up on the student athletes who pick in the mornings for 8-9 hours a day. These kids are picking in the fields, and then in practice, they play varsity football. They have practice at night to train, and they’re pretty good. They’ve won a regional championship. Mixed into all this is the granddaughter of Cesar Chavez, whom I interviewed as well. She cried on camera because she feels like she’s falling short of her grandfather’s legacy and sees how it’s being muted out and the visibility of it is being washed away.  

This is also a chance for me to appeal to people to help fund it. Right now, journalism matters more than ever, and I think independent journalism matters especially. In order for that to continue, in order for me to be able to continue to do the stories that I’m doing, it’s going to take the people to help fund it. Support journalists like me. Let me go into these communities, have these conversations for you, and bring this to you.