Carlos Hernandez Builds LGBTQ Visibility in Houston News

Carlos Hernandez’s path to journalism was not exactly linear. He started with a dream rooted in acting before discovering a different way to tell stories. “I started off like any theater kid. I wanted to go into acting and television,” he says. “My oldest sister sat me down during my senior year, and she said, ‘Okay, let’s be realistic here. Let’s get a job that is going to have some financial security.’”

That moment led him to Texas State University and, ultimately, to a career in real-world storytelling. It was there, through a mass-communication learning community, that everything clicked. “My Intro to Mass Communications course just sold me,” he recalls. “I was like, ‘Okay, I think I know what I want to do.’”

More than a decade later, Hernandez has built a career that spans producing, reporting, and now serving as a multi-skilled journalist for Great Day Houston on KHOU 11. And if there is one thing that defines his professional identity, it is versatility. “The running joke is that they call me the Swiss Army Knife of the newsroom,” he says.

That title is not far off the mark. In any given week, Hernandez is reporting, producing, editing, and managing multiple aspects of the show. “I feel like no day is ever the same,” he reveals. “I’m grateful to have learned all these skills because now, in this industry, you kind of have to learn every skill possible just to survive.”

That foundation has shaped how he approaches storytelling today. Before stepping in front of the camera, Hernandez spent nearly a decade producing. “Understanding what it takes to produce a show,” he says, “makes me a stronger reporter because I know all of the back-end work needed to represent the front end.”

But his real goal is not to be a skilled technician, but to actually make an impact. “I think what stands out to me are the stories where I’ve been able to just make an impact through storytelling,” he says. He recalls profiling Vortxz, a local band, and also interviewing Houston drag artist Cyn City. “We see drag on television or we see them performing, but we don’t always get the back story of it,” he explains.

In addition to his on-air work, Hernandez has taken a leading role behind the scenes in shaping LGBTQ storytelling in Houston. For the past two years, he has executive produced Great Day Houston’s “Great Day Pride” feature, curating guests, themes, and conversations that highlight voices across the community. “Some of my proudest moments include interviews with leaders like Avery Belyeu, Annise Parker, and Kim Ogg,” he says.

In another defining moment, an interview with Dorothy Gibbons, longtime CEO of The Rose, shifted his perspective. “She responded to one of my questions by saying, ‘Wow! In my 30 years of being in this role, no one has ever asked me this question,’” Hernandez recalls. “I just try to have genuine conversations with people, and for her to give me a compliment like that really just brought me some clarity as a journalist.”

As an LGBTQ journalist, that clarity and sense of purpose inform his thinking about what and who to highlight. “My goal is to kind of be a voice for the voiceless,” he says. “I’m trying to see if there’s something that I could help shine a light on, in a way.”

That commitment to the community comes at a time when representation in local media has evolved significantly. Hernandez points to a shift in both visibility and audience reception. “Now I think it’s almost like, if you’re gay you’re cool,” he observes. “It definitely has changed in the media.”

Audiences are no longer looking for a single, polished archetype. “People don’t want to see that cookie-cutter anchor,” he says. “They want to see the sass. They want to see that representation.” He points to moments like openly gay on-air personalities Derrick Shore and Frank Billingsley being embraced by audiences—something that would have never been seen on television 20 years ago.

Still, Hernandez is clear that progress is uneven. “I’m sure in smaller markets there are anchors and reporters and people in the business who are not allowed to speak up because, again, they’re afraid that they’re going to lose their credibility,” he admits. That is part of what makes his leadership role with the Houston chapter of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists so important.

In fact, becoming the chapter’s president became a turning point. “That was really the first time I spoke about my identity publicly,” Hernandez confesses. “So it really pushed me to say, ‘Hey, you need to just embrace this.’”

The Houston chapter itself is still in its early stages, with a small but growing membership. Building it has required Hernandez to take on nearly every responsibility. “I’m the president, I’m the social-media person, I’m the secretary, I’m the treasurer. I’m doing it all,” he says.

The challenges are real, from securing funding to encouraging participation. But so are the wins. “I was able to get three different stations to participate,” he says of a recent event. “For me, hell yeah, that’s a win!”

At its core, his vision for NLGJA Houston is about creating access and belonging. “I just want to make a space that’s comfortable for everyone,” he says. “Whether you are part of the family or maybe just an ally, this is a safe space, regardless.”

That includes expanding the definition of who belongs in the room. Hernandez emphasizes that journalism is a collective effort that goes far beyond on-air talent. “When people think of journalists, they just think of one department. They just think of anchors and reporters,” he points out. “It’s more than that.” He also hopes to expand membership beyond on-air talent to include the full spectrum of media professionals, including freelancers, across various media platforms.

He is also working to shift the industry mindset from competition to collaboration. “Let’s help each other out, so we could just call a friend and say, ‘Hey, can you help me get this interview?’ That’s really what I would like to inspire and build with this local organization.”

For Hernandez, the stakes are clear. In an era of layoffs, shifting media models, and disinformation, community is not optional. It is essential. “I think now is the time when organizations must come together to really support each other,” he says.

That belief carries through to his advice to the next generation of journalists. “Go into this industry because you are passionate,” he says. “You want to make a difference, and you really  want to be that voice for the voiceless.”

Looking ahead, Hernandez is focused on growth, both for himself and for the organization he now leads. His goals include expanding membership and eventually creating scholarship opportunities for aspiring journalists. “If we can provide scholarships ​​to some of the local or statewide universities—because this is also the only NLGJA chapter in Texas—then I will be very, very happy,” he says.

For now, the work continues—one story, one event, and one connection at a time. And if Hernandez has his way, the future of journalism in Houston will be more collaborative, more representative, and more human than ever before.

“We’re here,” he says. “There’s a community, and we’re here to help out.”

Catch Carlos Hernandez on Great Day Houston weekdays at 9 a.m. on KHOU 11.