HOUSTON \u2013 She\u2019s not a reporter in the traditional sense. No press pass, no newsroom and no deadlines. But when something happens in Houston\u2019s streets, Griselda \u201cGrizzy\u201d Castillo often first to the scene. <\/p>\n
She\u2019s with just her phone and a voice that booms her signature opening line: \u201cWhat\u2019s up with it, Hood News Peeps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grizzy has built a million-strong following by turning raw, real moments into community journalism that feels more like family than news. <\/p>\n
What started as an empty-nester\u2019s hobby has become Houston\u2019s most unconventional and undeniably influential newsroom..<\/p>\n
An accidental journalist<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an accident. It wasn\u2019t supposed to be the Grizzy\u2019s Hood News that people are aware of today,\u201d Grizzy told KPRC 2\u2019s Gage Goulding. <\/p>\n
What began in summer 2019 as a way to fill time after her daughter left for college has evolved into a full-time commitment to community journalism.<\/p>\n
Griselda “Grizzy” Castillo, an independent in Houston, TX, on the scene of a homicide investigation in Houston. (Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
Initially covering Slab Sundays and lowrider shows, Grizzy\u2019s approach was purely entertainment, comical at times. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just me having fun with the phone,\u201d she says. \u201cI was just having fun mimicking reporters.\u201d <\/p>\n
The turning point came when a lowrider club reached out, asking her to help amplify a Crime Stoppers fundraiser for a boy who was murdered in Houston. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt very fulfilling,\u201d Grizzy remembers. \u201cI\u2019m like, \u2018Oh my gosh, this felt so good to use this platform to bring awareness to what happened to the little boy and to also try to get some justice for him.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Quitting her 9-5<\/p>\n
Before becoming Houston\u2019s go-to source for breaking news, Grizzy worked for a forklift company and held a corporate position. The transition to full-time community journalism wasn\u2019t immediate. She initially juggled both roles.<\/p>\n
\u201cHood News was always happening all the time. And I was trying to juggle both things,\u201d she explains. \u201cAnd I\u2019m like, you know what? Let me bank on myself.\u201d <\/p>\n
She gave herself a year or two to make it work, willing to use her 401 (k) if necessary. <\/p>\n
The gamble paid off.<\/p>\n
A day in the life<\/p>\n
Nine years later, Grizzy receives between 500 to 700 messages daily across various platforms, though she primarily manages Facebook. <\/p>\n
She\u2019s sometimes covering up to seven scenes in a single night, spending about $46 on gas each time she fills up her tank. (She does that three times every week) <\/p>\n
Her coverage area extends from Lake Jackson to Polk County, and she\u2019s even flown to Lubbock for stories that needed attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes I\u2019m in the shower putting videos together,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes things don\u2019t get posted because of not being able to keep up. It\u2019s a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turning a second chance into a calling<\/p>\n
Perhaps what makes Grizzy\u2019s story most compelling is her own journey of redemption. <\/p>\n
She openly discusses her past, including time served in prison for aggravated robbery charges. <\/p>\n
\u201cI just kind of veered off into a life of craziness,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
After her release, she re-enrolled in school, earned her associate\u2019s degree, and found a new purpose.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want everybody to know that their past doesn\u2019t dictate their future,\u201d Grizzy said.<\/p>\n
Now, she uses her experiences to connect with both victims and perpetrators, bringing a unique perspective to her reporting.<\/p>\n
What sets Grizzy\u2019s Hood News apart is the trust she\u2019s built across all segments of Houston society. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got rich peeps, we got poor peeps,\u201d she said. \u201cI have a community of followers that are homeless and they share their journeys with me. I just tell people just, you know, have fun. Don\u2019t take it too serious but also try to help where you can and be as truthful always.\u201d<\/p>\n
The million member mark<\/p>\n
The platform\u2019s growth has been remarkable. From just around 20,000 followers in its first year to over 1.3 million and growing today. <\/p>\n
Grizzy has developed relationships with law enforcement, government officials and community leaders, though she maintains her independent spirit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a need for what I\u2019m doing,\u201d she reflects. \u201cI think I\u2019ve inspired others to do it too and I think it\u2019s pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
The future of the Hood News<\/p>\n
Despite health scares and the demanding nature of her work, Grizzy says she\u2019ll be telling stories for years to come. <\/p>\n
When asked if she\u2019d ever consider selling Grizzy\u2019s Hood News, Grizzy laughed before pausing to think. <\/p>\n
She admitted it\u2019s something she\u2019s considered, especially after recent health scares, but said her family isn\u2019t interested in taking it over.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot anytime soon,\u201d she said with a smile. \u201cI\u2019m gonna be an old lady. I\u2019ma die with it first.\u201d<\/p>\n
She echoes Houston legend Mattress Mack: \u201cH-town till I drown.\u201d<\/p>\n
Authentic. Real. Relatable. <\/p>\n
Beyond breaking news, Grizzy has become a maternal figure in the community. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s like an auntie kind of situation where \u2018Tia Grizzy\u2019 can help out,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n
She\u2019s particularly proud of stories that lead to positive change, like helping reunite families or bringing attention to overlooked issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, all these different hoods, it\u2019s all one struggle, whether you\u2019re rich, poor, whether it\u2019s River Oaks or Fifth Ward,\u201d Grizzy explained. \u201cThere\u2019s a little bit of everything everywhere and the one thing that unites us in Houston, we\u2019re Houston strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 She\u2019s not a reporter in the traditional sense. No press pass, no newsroom and no deadlines.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":46945,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[294,5893,1551,27172,27171,23315,405,56,58,57,27174,27173,251,702],"class_list":["post-46944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-crime","tag-facebook","tag-feature","tag-griselda-grizzy-castillo","tag-grizzy","tag-grizzys-hood-news","tag-harris-county","tag-houston","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news","tag-independent-journalist","tag-journalist","tag-local-news","tag-social-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46944"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46944\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}