WACO, Texas (KWTX) – Karla Castillo, 23, is the first Telemundo Central Texas bilingual news reporter based in Waco.
The Houston native covers counties in Central Texas and the Brazos Valley, telling the stories of local Spanish speakers.
Castillo is an only child born to Salvadoran immigrant parents.
She said her mother would tell her, “Si tu naciste sola, tu puedes hacerlo sola,” which translates to “If you were born alone, you can do it alone.”
Karla Castillo(Courtesy Photo)
Early interest in journalism
Castillo said she did not initially understand what journalism entailed.
“I just knew I wanted to do it. It’s something that sparked my interest, and I know I was doubted, but if you dream big enough, and if you just keep pushing toward that dream, if anything is possible,” Castillo said.
Hurricane Harvey shaped her mission
Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Castillo’s hometown, in 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and displacing tens of thousands of people. Castillo said non-English speakers were among those calling for help.
“All you saw on TV for 2, almost three weeks straight was straight non-stop news coverage, and I remember seeing this one reporter. Her name is Daisy Rios, and she still works there to this day, she was crying at the George R. Brown convention center, hugging Hispanic families and just trying to take it all in of everything that was happening because it was a lot for the Houston community. That’s kind of when it all clicked for me. And it all just really, really hit once I started doing it in college,” Castillo said.
Connecting with the community
Castillo meets people at outreach events, including the annual Telemundo Central Texas backpack giveaway, the KWTX News 10 Food for Families massive one-day food drive, among other events to share their stories.
Digital growth
Castillo said the station’s social media reach has grown alongside her work. When she started at Telemundo in 2025, the station’s Facebook page had 18,000 followers. That number is now about 52,000. Instagram has grown to 56,000 followers, and numbers are also up on X.
“It feels amazing that I can go out and do an interview and somebody’s like, oh, wow Telemundo exists. And to this day, I still get that same question that and I’m always so excited because I’m like, yes, we do. We’re here, we’re bringing you local news in the time that it matters. You no longer have to wait,” Castillo said.
Hispanic Heritage Month
KWTX is spotlighting leaders making a difference in Central Texas in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Castillo said being Hispanic means showing others they can succeed regardless of color, language or background.
“Sometimes all people want to do is be heard,” Castillo said.
Fun Facts
Castillo is a graduate of North Texas University.She credited her mother for making her learn and speak Spanish at home. Her mother would read her books in Spanish, and she learn from reading the bible. So, she knows a lot of words you would not normally use on a daily basis. When Karla visits El Salvador she enjoys the pupusas that her aunt makes and a special drink that she likes to fill her luggage with to bring back to the states.
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