WIIH Co-Anchor Featured in Indianapolis WomanCarolina Pimentel

<a href=www.wishtv.com>Reference March 28, 2003 - 5:02 pm

It's been almost two months since the launch of WIIH, Indy's first Spanish speaking TV station. Its nightly newscast, which is broadcast right down the hall from our WISH-TV studio, debuted more than three weeks ago. Now, one of its co-anchors is featured on the cover of April's Indianapolis Woman magazine.

This is a story of achievement when it comes to living the American dream. Carolina Pimentel spoke no English when she came to the Indianapolis. Now, she's bilingual and one of the newest news anchors in the circle city.

Carolina Pimentel is one of the pioneers behind "Noticias A Las Once," the first Spanish language newscast in Indianapolis. "It's still a little different, a little weird; you know, seeing yourself, talk and being so serious,” said Pimentel.

Behind the scenes, Pimentel knows how to balance work and fun. Born and raised in Venezuela, she says her hometown is similar to Indianapolis. As a young girl, she wasn't shy. Pimentel comes from a family of lawyers. Her father, who passed away when she was 12, mother, her older brother and sister are all attorneys.

Pimentel got the idea of learning English when she was a college student in Venezuela. In 1997, she came here to take an English course at Butler and later graduated with a degree in business management from IU.

During that time, she met Miles Nelson. They married last year in an interfaith ceremony in Venezuela. "I can only imagine what it must be like trying to get through college where English is your second language,” said Nelson.

As the Hispanic-Latino population continues to grow in central Indiana, Univision, the number one Spanish TV network in the United States, has become a source for information. "It's a work that will allow me to be with my community and to feel related to them everyday,” said Pimentel, who reports on stories from home to national issues without missing a beat.

Pimentel will always have ties with Venezuela but Indianapolis is now home. "She definitely keeps her culture alive and strong, especially in this house,” said Nelson. "I have the American dream. I'm definitely taking advantage of it and I want to do it in such a way that I would thank America for the opportunity that they have given to me,” said Pimentel, who calls herself a Latina-Hoosier.

The April issue of Indianapolis woman is already on newsstands.