Draft:Stephanie Mendez

Stephanie Mendez (born August 26, 1989) is a journalist and producer. She is Mexican American from Indigenous P'urhépecha descent.

Mendez is known for her upbringing and contributions in the Los Angeles and Orange County punk community, which she began documenting at the age of 18 for Big Wheel Magazine.

Early life and education
Mendez was born in Anaheim, California, and raised in Santa Ana, California. Her father is an Indigenous P'urhépecha from Michoacán, Mexico, and her mother is Mexican from Baja California.

Mendez received her Bachelor of Arts in English literature and journalism in 2013 and her Master of Arts degree in 2017 at California State University, Long Beach.

Career
Mendez has written and produced content for ABC News, Good Morning America, 20/20 (American TV program), TODAY, E! News, 20th Century FOX, Los Angeles Times, SPIN, and more.

Mendez was part of the ABC News Uvalde 365 team that covered the aftermath of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022. Her time in Uvalde was included in the narrative for "One Year in Uvalde: A Story of Hope and Resilience." Mendez was a producer on the 20/20 (American TV program) two-hour special, It Happened Here -- A Year in Uvalde.

In 2023, Mendez was awarded "Latina Journalist of the Year" by the California Chicano News Media Association.

Personal life
Mendez is a punk rock musician and community organizer active in Los Angeles and Orange County, California.

In 2013, Mendez was filmed as a subject for the Vans series "Living off the Wall", and she was also featured in its subsequent 2016 full-length documentary, "Los Punks," which was directed by Angela Boatwright.

In 2015, Mendez performed at "It's Not Dead Yet Fest," which was organized by Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman.