Summary: Oral History of Nora Lopez, Metro Editor at the San Antonio Express News Page: 2 of 4

                                
strengthen their other paper. That's when Lopez headed to the Dallas Morning News, another pa-
per she had on her journalism bucket list. She covered the police and education beats there until
2000 when the San Antonio Express News offered her a job.
At the Express News she went from reporter to editor, helping her staff and the paper become
one of the best in the country. Today she is the metro editor. She oversees metro, sports, feature
and the business sections of the newspaper which covers city hall, school courts, and specialty
beats. Lopez is one of a few women, and Latinas, who holds such a prestigious position at a
newspaper. "It feels empowering and I think back at this paper as a little intern writing obits and
weather stories and now here I am, making the calls on what will be page one tomorrow," Lopez
said.
Lopez also accomplished something else aside from a strong career, she became an American
citizen in 2008. It was something she didn't see a need to become because as she put it, "I al-
ready feel like I'm an American." As the political landscape changed in the U.S., Lopez decided
it was time. Her colleagues surprised Lopez and a co-worker with a private citizenship swearing
in at the Express News.
Even though today she is a manager, Lopez wouldn't mind going back to the streets to report.
She loves the energy and the empowerment of telling a good story. But she also wouldn't mind
becoming an editor-in-chief one day. Lopez knows she has the background and confidence to do
it. "I didn't plan to suddenly be second in charge at the paper and the decision making that goes
along with that, but now I think, 'Why not?"'