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Originally, Austin Vida was formed as a promotional company in January 2007 by Brian Stubbs to help support Austin's Latin rock scene. In March 2007, Austin Vida teamed up with Unreal Entertainment to put together its first Latin music festival. The festival was designed to bring live Latin music to the downtown area and create cultural awareness that seemed non-existent in the center of the Live Music Capital of the World. Austin Vida continued to promote shows until 2008, when Brian Stubbs sought out professional opportunities in another city. Not wanting the Vida brand to die, Stubbs passed along ownership rights to a young and motivated group of Austin Latinos, led by Ian Morales.
The new Austin Vida online magazine launched in January 2009 and was created to enhance lifestyle opportunities and create awareness of Austin's growing Latino culture. Austin Vida's focus is primarily on the American-born Latino, while still being accessible to people of all cultures and ages. The online, English-language publication's goal is to feature the best of Austin's local Latin music scene, Latinos in Austin bands, national and international touring acts playing in Austin, the local Latino arts, music reviews, blogs and news from the community in a section called "Our Ciudad". Austin Vida also features exclusive videos of live performances and video interviews.
Austin Vida Staff
 Editor in Chief: Ian Morales
Ian is a graduate of Round Rock High School and attended St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas to study international business and communication. After working for a few years in the corporate world at Golfsmith, he became a professional club-maker. Khaki pants and a polo everyday did get old to Ian after a while.
Ian left Golfsmith to work for In The Flesh Tattoo Studio in Austin, Texas. At In The Flesh, he served as both the marketing manager and events coordinator. In 2008, Ian and his friend/business partner, Chris Villarreal, founded Gwizsk Design. He served as the marketing manager and as Gwizsk’s social media marketing consultant. In summer 2008 he joined the team at Double Stereo (formerly CD Fuse) as their new Blog editor, where he reviews concerts and albums for the popular music site. On any given night of the week, he can be found in downtown Austin on 6th Street and the Red River live music district.
More from Ian: Ian's Music Blog, Double Stereo Blog
Managing Editor: Ajay Miranda
Ajay Miranda grew up in California's San Joaquin Valley, where he was raised on an eclectic diet of ranchera, gangsta rap, and Buck Owens. In high school, he got political to the tunes of Dead Kennedys, he got weird with the Pixies, and he learned to shout righteously with the aide of At The Drive-In records. An Austinite for five years, Ajay mostly sticks to the local music scene because, frankly, he thinks the national scene is crap right now. Ajay hones his videography and literary skills on his blog 'NITES, a blog dedicated to local live music in Austin. He has a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin and has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Denver Post, and Laredo Morning Times. He is also an aspiring filmmaker.
More from Ajay: 'Nites: A Blog for Austinites, Double Stereo Blog
Senior Editor: Angela Maldonado
Angela Maldonado hails from Selena Town, aka Corpus Christi, but has made Austin her home since 2002.
When not contributing for Austin Vida, she’s a producer for NPR’s Latino USA. In her stint with the show, she’s been lucky enough to interview some awesome bands and a have nice chat with Joan Jett.
In her previous life as a media gypsy, Angela wrangled huge inflatables on radio remotes, ran live broadcasts, promoted books and worked as an editorial assistant at the Austin American-Statesman. She loves coffee, so you could find her checking out the mochas at Epoch, Spider House or the occasional Italian soda at Little City. When she’s feeling plucky she dabbles in raw food, sprouting grains, nuts and the like. If she’s really motivated she’ll break out her dehydrator for her favorite morning muffins. But that takes, like, 10 hours, and sometimes that’s just too long to wait for muffins.
Angela loves music, books, travel, lip care products and 25 cent gum balls. If you’re around her, you should carry quarters.
More from Angela: She Writes...From Angela Maldonado
Senior Photographer: Mari Hernandez
Born in San Antonio, Mari Hernandez began photographing in Austin in 2003. She studied at Charles University in Prague and earned an undergraduate degree in photo communications at St. Edward's University in 2008. Her work has been featured at The Parish, The Pump Project and the St. Edward's University Fine Arts Gallery. She has worked on various promotional, documentary and creative projects with Mishnoon Productions, Rock y Roll Radio, In the Flesh Tattoo and other local and international groups and individuals. She currently shoots for Austin Vida and Red River Noise.
More from Mari at http://hernandezmari.com
Staff Writer : Sarah Vasquez
Sarah Vasquez has been writing about the music scene for 6 years with her website SoManyBands.net and for various other publications such as Austin Community College’s The Accent, Austin Sound and whoever else will take her. When she’s not writing, she’s studying at ACC to finish up her basics before she transfers to another four-year university towards a journalism degree. At live shows, she may seem standoffish but really, she’s just shy. So if you see her, just say hello.
More from Sarah: So Many Bands
Staff Writer: Alysha Hernandez
On the verge of a quarter life crisis, Alysha jumps into the Austin Vida fray. During hermetic fits, she is known to trudge away on half-written screenplays that are truly works of (f)art. Obsessed with bobby pins and field recordings of old folk music, she finds joy in chihuahuas, micheladas, sleazy political culture and fancy word-of-the-day e-mails.
More from Alysha: No mamas, guey!
 Staff Writer: Eugenia Vela
Eugenia Vela was born and raised in Monterrey, México with the frustrated ambition of becoming a writer. Now in her twenties, she is working for her degree in Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and looking for new adventures around the Live Music Capital of the World. She is in love with words, fashion, Steven Tyler, early Dylan, late Beatles, and anything Jack Nicholson, Johnny Depp and Cameron Crowe related. She has a slight obsession with Peter Pan and if you give her a jar of Nutella, you’re golden. While not busy with schoolwork or Austin Vida, she dreams of becoming the next Chuck Palahniuk (only with a few less issues).
More from Eugenia: That's Me Inside Your Head
Staff Photographer: Chantel Clopine
Chantel grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, where she graduated from Weslaco High School in 2005. She collected and experimented with film cameras and became serious about pursing photography late in high school. Her proximity and family ties to Mexico greatly influenced everything from her taste in music to her motive as a photographer. Currently she is seeking a degree in Spanish Literature at the University of Texas and another in photography at Austin Community College. When she's not contributing to Austin Vida, she's out exploring and photographing Austin and its vicinity.
More from Chantel: Ojosauro
Contributing Writer: Christina Garcia
Christina was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and she recently completed her bachelor's degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. When she's not downtown searching for the dirtiest, most danceable beats in the city, she is writing about them for Austin Vida. On many nights, she is lso known as DJ Steena.
More from Christina: Austin Dischord
Contributing Writer: Sarah Martinez
From the time Sarah learned how to hold a pencil, she could be found writing and illustrating tiny books from her home in Houston. Fittingly, she received an English degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008. Sarah is excited about providing Austin Vida readers insight into the writings of Latino authors through her book reviews and interviews. In addition to writing and drawing, Sarah is a passionate mental health advocate.
 Contributing Writer: Maira Garcia
Maira Garcia is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. She has produced content for MTV's Choose or Lose, the Associated Press and Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Garcia has an M.A. in new media and a B.A. in print journalism and political science from Texas State University-San Marcos. Music, running, the Internet and little dogs are among her favorite things. She also has good taste in music as showcased here on Austin Vida.
More from Maira: Maira Garcia Blog, Maira Garcia website
Contributing Photographer: Carlos San Miguel
Carlos was born in Corpus Christi,Texas, in a building that has since been torn down. Raised on Judas Priest, Hank Williams and The Request Doug Sahm, his listening taste changes from breakfast to dinner. Very confusing but it keeps the day interesting. Shooting photos since high school, he moved to Austin in '89 to be in the thick of the IT world. After a long hiatus,he started shooting with his brother in 2002. Got hooked up with Los Lonley Boys in 2003 and hasn't considered slowing down since. He has photographed bands from LLB to Brooks and Dunn, Tom Petty (his fave), Cold Play, and Korn. Entrenched between the band and the audience, feeling the power and the energy flow back and forth... it's the best seat in the house! And Austin is THE place to be.
More from Carlos: www.sanmiguel.org
 Contributing Photographer: Marcos Molina
Just as an anthropologist would live and play among his subjects in order to gain insight, Quito infiltrates hipster haunts six nights a week all for the sake of creating a virtual scrapbook for future generations to ponder and emulate. His commitment to archiving Austin’s nightlife stems back to his pursuit (and passion) in Diriamba, Nicaragua studying a rare species of bird known as Tranky. During the cataloging he would spend hours observing the neon colored "aves" known to overindulge on a plant that secretes liquid causing the same effects as binge drinking, he later noted. His research was lost when Tranky became extinct due to logging and erosion. When he’s not out shooting pictures with his trusty ol' Nikon, you can find him operating power tools at the local Home Depot (his best friend’s a lesbian and he likes holding heavy metal in his long fingered hands), chugging copious amounts of apple cider vinegar (he read somewhere it would help retain lifelong virility and get rid of toe fungus), or reading the Mad comics he found in the first house he squatted in after he swam across the border 18 years ago.
More from Marcos: Subcomandante Quito
 Contributing Photographer: Hanlly Sam
Hanlly Sam was born and raised in the craziest city in the world, Mexico City. Living in a city with few opportunities Hanlly moved to Austin, Texas in 2008 to major in graphic design. Although designing has always been her passion life has led her to photography. She started shooting for The Accent newspaper as a staff member a year before she became the photo editor. As she became more involved with photography she started taking it more seriously and not just as a hobby. She has taken photo classes at ACC and has been trained by photographers before. But nothing comes better as experience as she has shot many music festivals and bands within a year and a half.
Once Hanlly found herself shooting the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s in the photographer’s pit during ACL, she just knew that was what she wanted to do the rest of her life.
More from Hanlly: http://shownd.com/hanlly
Founder/Former Editor: Brian Stubbs
Brian has worn many hats throughout his career and has been involved in customer service management, new product development, and coordinating investor funding. Brian aims to create these same relationships across his network to drive the success of those around him. Brian has also been involved in various entrepreneurial projects for the technology, magazines, retail, production, fashion, and in the music industry. Brian was chosen as a talent scout for Tony Parker's (San Antonio Spurs) music video. His deep roots in the Latin culture drew him to create Austin's Latin Fest and Austin Vida. Although no longer owner of Austin Vida, Brian will be bringing his "Stubbs Barbacoa" Blog contributions exclusively to Austin Vida for your reading pleasure.
More from Brian Stubbs: Gorilla Idea
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