Documentary Storytelling
from the world’s most dynamic border region
Press Pass International is a bilingual, bicultural video production and visual storytelling company based in San Diego, California.
We specialize in producing documentary storytelling that’s original, compelling and brings underrepresented voices to the forefront.
producer laura castaÑeda
When Chicago native Laura Castañeda arrived in Tucson in 1990 to work as a reporter and fill-in anchor for KGUN-TV, her eyes immediately opened to the beautiful and complex dynamics of life in the U.S.-Mexico border region.
For decades, she’s dedicated her life to telling that story with a healthy mix of curiosity and compassion. Her techniques are simple and time-tested: she talks to real people on the ground and lets their words and stories guide her reporting.
In addition to her extensive career in producing documentaries, Castañeda is Deputy Editor of the Opinion team at The San Diego Union-Tribune and is President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, San Diego-Tijuana chapter. These roles allow her to ensure these critical stories and voices stay at the center of coverage for future generations.
laura’s latest
Since 2020, Castañeda has helped lead The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Opinion team, where she currently serves as Deputy Editor. Her work on the Editorial Board brings voices into the pages that historically haven’t been represented.
Her contributions to the newspaper’s magazine program, “Nuestra Voz Today,” provided a wide-reaching platform to tell stories about the preservation of Kumeyaay culture and the challenging and precarious conditions migrants face at the U.S. - Mexico border in Baja California. Her coverage was recognized with a NATAS-Pacific Southwest Emmy Award in 2023.