Today we’d like to introduce you to Nere Vargas-Ortega.
Hi Nere, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I left Venezuela, I thought I knew exactly what my future would look like.
I earned my degree in Architecture, and like many immigrant parents, mine dreamed of seeing me continue that career in the United States.
But life—and God—had a different plan.
Like so many immigrants, I arrived with little more than hope and a willingness to work hard. I took every job I could find, learning technical English along the way and discovering that every experience, no matter how different from my education, was preparing me for something bigger.
Ironically, one of my first jobs in Nashville was cleaning the offices of an architectural firm. I remember thinking, “I studied to work inside these offices, not to clean them.” Looking back, I now realize there is dignity in every honest job, and each one taught me something I would later use in my own journey.
Two hurricanes changed the course of my life. Hurricane Frances first brought me from Fort Lauderdale to Nashville, and I immediately fell in love with the city. Then Hurricane Wilma forced me to leave Florida once again. In June 2007, I made the decision to move permanently to Music City, and Nashville has been home ever since.
Although I became an architect, my passion for marketing and advertising actually began when I was 15 years old, working during school vacations for Venezuela’s National Association of Advertisers. I had no idea those early experiences would become the foundation for my career in the United States.
After moving to Nashville, I worked in Spanish Yellow Pages before joining the graphic design department of a bilingual magazine. There I discovered how much I loved media, storytelling, community events, and helping Hispanic-owned businesses grow. I also realized there was a tremendous need for marketing and advertising within our community.
When two of my children were diagnosed with autism, working a traditional full-time schedule was no longer possible. So I started my own printing company and marketing agency, building my business one client at a time while raising my family as a single mother. That entrepreneurial journey eventually led me into local media, where I managed a Hispanic newspaper before deciding that instead of buying someone else’s publication, I wanted to build something of my own.
That dream became Extrema TN.
We launched in 2011 as an online radio station—long before streaming media became mainstream within our local Hispanic community. The road wasn’t easy. We later transitioned to traditional radio, where I unexpectedly became an on-air personality after our host returned to Mexico and left me alone with a radio booth, live contracts, and no choice but to learn. What started as necessity became another passion.
In 2019, together with my husband, we relaunched Extrema TN as an independent digital news media outlet serving the Hispanic community in Tennessee. We began covering local news, community stories, sports, and live events while embracing the power of digital broadcasting and social media. Today, Extrema TN has been recognized with a local Raíces e Impacto award as a Digital Platform, and we are proud to be the only local Hispanic digital news media outlet that provides 24/7 music programming through our website and mobile apps while producing original news, sports coverage, and live programming. Over the years, our work has taken us far beyond Tennessee, allowing us to cover FIFA events, IndyCar, NASCAR, MLS, Concacaf competitions, and major sporting events across the United States.
One of the projects closest to my heart isn’t journalism at all. Since 2013, we’ve organized Posadas TN, bringing the traditional Mexican Christmas Posadas to families across Middle Tennessee. Every December we host community celebrations that help children connect with their cultural roots, and on December 23 we provide toys, a holiday meal, and a celebration for families in need. More than anything, we want children to understand that Christmas is about generosity, family, and giving without expecting anything in return.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, after nearly losing my husband to the virus, I realized our family needed another source of stability. That led me to create Tu Boda en Tu Idioma, where I now officiate bilingual weddings throughout Tennessee. It’s work that allows me to celebrate love while honoring different cultures, and it has become one of the most rewarding parts of my life.
Today, I wear many hats: journalist, entrepreneur, media director, digital strategist, wedding officiant, and community advocate. But above all, I am a mother who never stopped believing that every setback could become a new opportunity.
If my journey has taught me anything, it’s that success isn’t about following the path you originally planned. Sometimes the greatest blessings come from the doors that close, because they force you to discover the ones you never imagined opening.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. In fact, some of the hardest moments in my life happened long before anyone knew my name or recognized my work.
Like many entrepreneurs, there were times when I honestly didn’t know how I was going to pay the bills. I experienced financial hardship that few people ever saw. There were moments when I lost my home because I simply couldn’t afford the rent. Those experiences were painful, humbling, and at times overwhelming—but they also taught me resilience in a way success never could.
Building a business while raising children wasn’t easy, especially as a single mother of two children with autism. Every decision carried extra weight because failure wasn’t just my own; it affected the people I loved most.
Starting a digital news outlet brought another set of challenges. We had to earn trust in a space where many people believed traditional media was the only form of “real” journalism. We didn’t have the resources of large organizations, so we relied on consistency, credibility, and hard work. Every interview, every story, every live broadcast became another opportunity to prove ourselves.
The pandemic was another turning point. My husband became critically ill with COVID-19, and for a while I wasn’t sure if he would survive. That experience changed the way I look at both life and business. It reminded me that no achievement matters more than the people you love.
Today, people often see the awards, the credentials, and the events we cover. What they don’t see are the sacrifices, the sleepless nights, the uncertainty, and the years of believing in a dream before anyone else did.
I’ve learned that success isn’t about avoiding obstacles. It’s about refusing to let them define your future.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Extrema TN?
Extrema TN is an independent digital news media outlet created to inform, represent, and serve the Hispanic community in Tennessee. We produce original journalism focused on the stories that directly affect our audience, including local government, public safety, immigration, business, community affairs, culture, entertainment, and sports.
What sets us apart is that we do more than report headlines. Our goal is to provide context, accuracy, and responsible information so our audience can understand not only what happened, but why it matters. We have built our reputation by staying close to the community, listening to its needs, and covering stories that are often overlooked by larger media organizations.
Sports are also a fundamental part of who we are. Through Palco Extremo, we produce the only local Hispanic sports show dedicated to covering local, national, and international sports. Tennessee has an incredibly diverse sports landscape, including the Memphis Grizzlies, Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Nashville Sounds, Nashville SC, the Music City Grand Prix, NASCAR, professional wrestling, college sports, and many other major events.
Our sports coverage includes both on-site reporting with official media credentials and original articles produced by our sports team. Our work has also taken us beyond Tennessee to cover major competitions and sporting events across the United States, including FIFA events, Concacaf competitions, IndyCar, NASCAR, MLS, and other national and international events.
Extrema TN also produces original live programming and is the only local Hispanic digital news media outlet offering 24/7 music programming through its website and mobile apps. This allows us to serve our audience through news, sports, entertainment, culture, and music in one trusted digital space.
Beyond journalism, community service is an essential part of our identity. Since 2013, we have organized Posadas TN, a cultural and charitable Christmas initiative created to preserve Hispanic traditions, teach children about their roots, bring families together, and provide toys and a community dinner to children and families during the holiday season.
We are proud to have received local recognition through the Raíces e Impacto Award, where Extrema TN was honored in the official category of Digital Platform. We are also proud of the access and credibility we have earned through years of consistent work, including official media accreditation for major sporting events.
However, our greatest achievement is not measured only by awards, credentials, or audience numbers. It is measured by the trust our community places in us. That trust is something we work to earn every day through honesty, respect, accuracy, and a genuine commitment to serving Tennessee’s Hispanic community.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
People are often surprised to learn that I was trained as an architect, not as a journalist. Looking back, I realize I never stopped being an architect—I simply changed what I build. Instead of designing buildings, I now build businesses, media platforms, community initiatives, and opportunities that bring people together and create a positive impact.
Raising children with autism taught me resilience, patience, and purpose. It changed the way I see leadership and reminded me that every project should exist to improve someone else’s life, not just to become successful.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that, despite working in media, I’m naturally a very private person. I enjoy telling other people’s stories far more than talking about my own. My passion has never been being in front of the camera—it has always been building something meaningful that serves the community. Whether it’s Extrema TN, Posadas TN, or a future project, my greatest satisfaction comes from creating ideas that leave a positive impact long after they’re built.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.extrema-tn.com
- Instagram: @extrema_tn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExtremaTN
- Twitter: Extrema_TN
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ExtremaTN
- Other: threads @Extrema_TN
