Top 5 Sí Se Puede Austin Moments in 2025 

From ICE raids and deportations to economic pressures and political uncertainty, we watched our comunidad endure stress, fear and deeply trying moments in 2025. Yet through the challenges, we saw how so many of you stepped up for our community, kept pushing forward and reminded us que sí se puede!

At Austin Vida, we make it a priority to uplift and celebrate our gente making big moves through our Sí Se Puede features sent directly to subscribers in our regular email newsletters. Below are some of our favorite 2025 highlights from local Austinites accomplishing grandes cosas, breaking barriers and bringing light, pride and possibility to our comunidad and our stories. 

Austin Woman Magazine’s 2025 Change Makers List

Austin Woman Magazine released their 2025 Change Makers List in January, which featured many Latinas shaping Austin’s community in a positive way. Below are some Austin Latinas who made the list from each category. Felicidades y gracias to these Latinas and all the other Change Makers for the work they’re doing to support and uplift our communities in Austin. To view the full list, click here.

• Artistic Curator – Recording Artist and Performer Gina Chavez & MAS Cultura Founder Monica Maldonado 
• Change Advocate – Community Organizer and Nonprofit Leader Carmen D. Llanes & Community Leader Johanna Moya Fábregas, PH.D. 
• Corporate Power Player – Co-Founder Realty Austin, Culture Queen Yvette Flores 
• Entrepreneurial Architect – Environmental and Sustainability Activist Reza Cristián & Siete Foods Co-Founder Veronica Garza
• Fearless Game-Changer – The Latina Foundation CEO Bessy Martinez & Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce CEO Monica Muñoz Andry 
• Flavor Visionary – El Naranjo Chef/Owner Iliana de la Vega & Kerbey Lane Chief HR Officer Rose Ann Garza

Highlighting our Arts Accomplishments 

Austin is home to a vibrant community of talented Latine artists, and at Austin Vida, we are dedicated to amplifying and celebrating the creativity of nuestra gente. We are proud to highlight two Latine creatives who achieved significant recognition in their respective fields from the Academy Awards to the GLAAD Media Awards. Felicidades to:

• Adrian Quesada, originally from Laredo, for his song “Like A Bird” featured in the film “Sing Sing,” which received an Oscar nomination in the Music (Original Song) category in this year’s Academy Awards. Quesada is an Austin-based Grammy and Latin Grammy award-winning musician and co-founder of Black Pumas. His most recent solo album “Boleros Psicodélicos” blends the stylings of 1960s and 1970s Latin American balada with contemporary influences.

• Chelsea Hernandez, a Mexican-American filmmaker, for her nomination for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary for her film “Breaking the News.” Co-directed with Heather Courtney and Princess A. Hairston, this documentary follows women and nonbinary journalists at The 19th and their efforts to amplify voices typically overlooked and to challenge the status quo of mainstream media.

Food & Wine’s 2025 Best New Chefs Feature and Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center 2025 Awards of Excellence

Austin’s own Mariela Camacho, pastry chef and founder of Comadre Panadería (1204 Cedar Ave.), was been named one of Food & Wine’s 2025 Best New Chefs! Her East Austin bakery has become a favorite of our comunidad, blending nostalgia and innovation with baked goods like masa cookies, pink cakes, y conchas that honor tradition while pushing pan dulce into new territory.
At Comadre, Camacho stays true to her roots while centering sustainability. From sourcing heirloom grains to keeping her space welcoming for toda la gente, her bakery is a home for cultura, resistencia, y joy. Make sure to stop by and say felicidades to the team at Comadre Panadería! 

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center honored its 2025 Awards of Excellence recipients recognizing Austinites who have made lasting contributions to our cultura. Felicidades to this year’s recipients:

• Courtney Enriquez (Emerging Artist) – Austin artist whose work reflects cultura, spirituality, y comunidad. Earlier this year,  her Lotería art displayed at La Peña gallery.
• Claudia Chapa (The Arts) – Acclaimed mezzo-soprano and advocate who expands nuestras voices in opera.
• Chuy Chacon (Service) – Longtime Artistic Director of Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folklorico, who preserves and shares folklórico traditions.
• Walter Guzman (Arts Education) – Founder of Guzmán Ballet Folklórico, who mentors youth through global performances y cultural pride.
• Fred Cantu (Lifetime Achievement) – Beloved Texan broadcaster and anchor who brought Tejano music and local news to the airwaves.
• Daniel Llanes (Lifetime Achievement) – Artist, organizer, y environmental advocate whose work blends poetry, music, dance, and community action.

National Spotlight on Austin’s DJ Kick It

Felicidades to Austin Latina DJ and motivational speaker DJ Kick It for being named the official DJ for the Peacock reality series “Married at First Sight.” The premiere of Season 19 kicked off Oct. 23 and can be streamed today on HBO. 

It all started after someone saw her do an amazing gig a local bar. Karla “DJ Kick It” Rendon, who Austin Vida interviewed earlier this year on the Hip Hop Hooray show, said on a social media post, “You never know who’s watching. You never know who’s listening. Whether you’re a DJ, creative, entrepreneur, or just someone grinding toward your goals, always give it your all. Because the day you do might just be the day everything changes.”

Gracias DJ Kick It for reminding us que sí se puede! 

Celebrating our Comida

Last year, Michelin debuted their Michelin Guide Texas where eateries from across the state earned various stars and awards. For the second año in a row, nuestra comida received the spotlight through these esteemed awards!

Join Austin Vida in saying felicidades to:

MERCADO SIN NOMBRE for receiving a 2025 Bib Gourmand award, which Michelin describes as “restaurants that offer the best value for money.”

•  Located at 408 N. Pleasant Valley Road serving café y all our desayuno favorites!

NIXTA TAQUERIA for receiving a Michelin Green Star in addition to last year’s Bib Gourmand award. A Michelin Green Star highlights restaurants “at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices.”

•  Located at 2512 E. 12th St. serving Mexican y regional comida.

Felicidades a todos!