May Member Of The Month, L. Caroline Suarez

Caroline first heard about PhillyCAM not on a set or in an activist space, but in a university classroom. It was the fall of 2022 when, during her Master’s in Communication for Development and Social Change at Temple University, she read about this community media outlet. Although she was quite familiar with the concept, it was the first time she envisioned herself on the other side—not just producing, but representing. Not behind the scenes, but as the face and voice of a historically marginalized community.

After graduating, she applied for a summer 2024 internship and was selected as a community reporter for Voices and Atrévete. “A dream! Working with and for the Philadelphia community, alongside such high-level team,” she recalls.

Two decades later, behind the camera in Colombian television, she was now starting from the ground in front of it in the U.S., embodying Latino talent and advocating for self-representation.

PhillyCAM offered more than just a camera—it offered a sense of belonging. She reported on a wide range of topics, from art and community repair to gun violence and Latin poetry. It was after interviewing the co-founder of the Philadelphia International Poetry Festival when she decided to volunteer to make possible the first livestream of the event.

Beyond the lights and microphones, Caroline experienced something deeper: communication as social and intercultural transformation—but above all, as personal transformation.