GITZEL PUENTE: working for Tulsa's Hispanics
Puente is highly respected both by viewers and her fellow journalists, so the news that she was leaving her television job was met with more than a little sadness. But television’s loss is the city’s gain, as Puente has accepted a new position in the City of Tulsa’s Communications Department.
La Semana visited with Puente about her role with the city as she embarks upon a new chapter in her life. She will still be providing Tulsans with valuable information, only now it will be as part of the mayoral administration on which she previously reported.
Puente’s origins are entirely Mexican, but she is first generation American, and with the best of both worlds, the city government realized she could become the secret weapon needed to reach the Hispanic community and make Tulsa a more welcoming city regardless of where our birth certificates were issued.
With almost 100,000 Latinos in town, the government hired Puente to translate every promotional spot, press conference and official statement so that everyone could have access to precious information. “I am currently working with the translation of everything related to Cares, the federal Cares Relief Act that provided Tulsa with 30 million dollars to fight COVID 19, trying to get the message across to the Hispanic community,” she explained.
Even if she has been in office for just a month, she finds her responsibilities exciting and ones of duty, and she is delighted to work with G.T. Bynum. “He really loves what he does and loves Tulsa,” she said.
Puente has the charisma, the will, and the perfect skills for her job, and promises to do her best to reach out to the Hispanic community, so that they are an active part of our society.
“A way of including them in the City’s affairs is by sharing information,” she explained, “and now what I am trying to do is to translate all the briefings, videos and news from the city government and send it to the Spanish media in Tulsa.”
Puente has been in the city for almost six years and is convinced Tulsa is one of a kind. “I’m delighted with this community,” Puente said. “[Tulsa] is very welcoming, we have different nations represented, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, they work hard and are very loving.”
Her new job will continue to help her seek her one and only goal, to democratize news, so that everyone can make better decisions with accurate information. “I want every member of this city to be able to be informed just like any other American, regardless of the language they speak,” Puente said.
The former news presenter had one last message for the community: “Keep social distance, wash your hands and use your masks,” she urged, because in times of COVID 19, taking care of our community is the most important thing. (La Semana)