Hi!
I'm Vanessa Martínez

I'm an assistant editor on the Data and Graphics team at the Los Angeles Times. As a data journalist, I analyze data and build visualizations. I also design and develop visual stories.

My Work

Illustration showing the current and proposed congressional districts. Select to go to article.
How California’s proposed redistricting map compares to current congressional districts
Developer (Mapbox)
Election-related icons. Select to go to the Los Angeles Times' live results landing page for the 2024 general election.
Live results: 2024 General election
Developer (Svelte, AWS, API)
Screenshot of interactive element in which a user can build their own all-star U.S. Women's National Team roster. Select to go to article.
Build your dream U.S. Women’s National Team
Reporter / Developer (Svelte, Canvas)
Screenshot of landing page for Shape Your L.A. There is an element for entering you address on the left-hand side. On the right, an illustration of people boarding a bus. Select to go to website.
Shape Your L.A.
Developer (Svelte, Mapbox, API, Canvas)
Bar chart showing the National Women's Soccer League's growing fanbase since 2013. Select to go to article.
Women’s professional soccer is back in L.A. Here’s why Angel City FC is ready to thrive
Reporter
Screenshot of top portion of the page for the Los Angeles Times' 2022 digital día de muertos altar page. In this screenshot, the words 'Día de Muertos' is surrounded by papel picado and marigolds. Select to go to article.
Our digital Día de Muertos altar celebrates your loved ones (2022)
Developer - Building off of the previous year's digital altar, I wrote a Python notebook to make the process of uploading and managing submissions easier with a GitHub Action.
Screenshot of the top of the Los Angeles Times' 2021 Día de Muertos digital altar page. There is an illustration with marigolds and monarch butterflies. Select to go to article.
Our digital Día de Muertos altar celebrates your loved ones
Designer / Developer
A screenshot of the top of the page from an article titled 'A brutally honest history of Latinos in Hollywood' with a photo illustration of entertainment artists and characters. Select to go to article.
A brutally honest history of Latinos in Hollywood
Designer / Developer
Awards: Society for News Design: Award of Excellence, Infographics: Features
A line chart titled 'As population grows, Latino movie roles remain stagnent from an article on Latino representation in film. Select to go to article.
Long underrepresented in film and TV, Latinos are falling further behind
Reporter
A waffle chart visualization with the words '150 million vaccines have been administered. 0.005% may have resulted in a serious side effect.' Select to go to article.
The COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Here’s what the data shows us
Reporter / Developer
Awards: Society for News Design: Bronze, Infographics: Health
Screenshot of top of article titled 'How toxic fumes seep into the air you breathe on planes.' There is a still from a video shown with cloud renderings in the background. Select to go to article.
How toxic fumes seep into the air you breathe on planes
Designer / Developer
Awards: Society for News Design: Bronze, Story Page Design; Gerald Loeb Award: Explanatory
Screenshot of top of article, showing an example of Spanish-language ads from Joe Biden and Donald Trump campaigns. Select to go to article.
Biden and Trump offer Latino voters different visions of America — and of each other
Designer/Developer/Reporter
The Chicano Moratorium: 50 years later. Select to go to article.
The Chicano Moratorium: 50 years later
Designer / Developer / Reporter
Awards: Society for News Design: Award of Excellence; Society for Features Journalism 2021: Features series or project, first place
Screenshot from article titled 'Rise of the dancefluencer' shows a still from a video where two people are dancing.
Rise of the dancefluencer
Designed the page and contributed reporting on how much money influencers can make.
Awards: Online Journalism Awards, Feature; Society for News Design: Award of Excellence, Story Page Design ; CNPA: First Place, Arts & Entertainment Coverage
Screenshot shows a still from drone footage over several oil wells behind the the article title 'The toxic legacy of old oil wells: California's multibillion-dollar problem.'' Select to go to article.
The toxic legacy of old oil wells
Designer / Developer
Awards: Barlett and Steele, Silver
Photo illustration with players from LAFC and LA Galaxy. Select to go to article.
El tráfico showdown
Reporter
Collage of images from 1968. Select to go to article.
1968: A timeline of anger, grief and change
Designer / Developer
Illustration of Seattle mayoral candidates Jenny Durkan and Cary Moon with the Space Needle at the center. Select to go to article.
Seattle mayoral matchmaker
Designer / Developer
Illustration showing a few of the neighborhoods in Seattle. Select to go to article.
Quiz: Find your neighborhood in Seattle
Designer / Developer/ Reporter
Illustration of hiking boots. Select to go to article.
Guide to Washington's hiking trails
Designer / Developer / Illustrator
Illustration of interactive element showing Seahawks players that missed games due to injuries, by week. Select to go to article.
Tracking Seahawks’ injuries in 2016
Interactive developer
Annotated image of Pike Place Market. Select to go to article.
360-degree views at Pike Place Market
Interactive developer

About Me

Vanessa

Hi! I'm a journalist at the Los Angeles Times, where I mostly help tell stories visually through the use of code and design.

Before joining The Times in 2017, I was a homepage producer at the Seattle Times, and prior to that, I was a page designer and copy editor at the Southern California News Group.

I served as a board member of the California Chicano News Media Association from 2015 to 2020. I am a graduate of the ASNE Emerging Leaders Institute and the New York Times Student Journalism Institute.

I studied journalism and Spanish at California State University, Fullerton. After graduating, I took web design and computer science courses at my local community colleges.

In my spare time, I like to draw and paint.

Want to see more of my work? Get in touch and view my résumé, or see my latest published work.