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Meet Your Neighbor: Maria Silva

By Callie Thomas

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt.

It is most likely that growing up, 89144 resident Maria Silva never dreamed she would become the first news anchor, reporter and executive producer at Univision Las Vegas, a Spanish-language television station. But she did. It is also most likely she obtained that position through hard work and determination, becoming fluent in two languages and letting her powerful need to make her family proud guide her to the successful career she has today.

Silva is a nearly native Las Vegan (a resident for almost 30 years) and is currently part of Fox 5’s MORE team. “I’ve been in the business more than 11 years now,” says Silva. “I’ve been fortunate to start my career at Univision in Las Vegas and continue my career at Fox 5. I used to say I was an entertainment reporter trapped in the body of a hard news reporter. Now I’m doing entertainment news! The best part of my job is that it allows me to get involved in the community as a whole. Las Vegas is my home!”

Silva is an active supporter of many local organizations, including Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Shade Tree, Safe Nest, Salvation Army, Goodwill, Opportunity Village, Adams Place for Grief and Extended Hands Cancer Ministries, to name a few. There are some, though, that have struck a chord with Silva on a personal level. One is the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network.

One of Silva’s close friends, Stacey Escalante, former news reporter at KSNV and skin cancer survivor, has encouraged her to become involved with the Action Network. The group directly advocates the goals of the American Cancer Society. Efforts are targeted at specific cancer-related issues including Access to Healthcare, Cancer Research Funding, Tobacco Regulation, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and Judicial Advocacy Initiatives. Silva will assist by participating in events and making time to support initiatives. “It will be a special way to honor my beautiful Mama’s memory,” says Silva. “I lost my amazing Mama to cancer November 9, 2007. She was my biggest supporter and I miss her advice. I still live to make her proud.”

Another favorite organization is Kids to Kids. The nonprofit group collects new and gently-used books and gives them to at-risk students. Some of the children have never owned their own book. “Laurie Porter and her crew have done such an amazing job putting books into the hands of deserving kids. I’ve been fortunate enough to emcee some of their fundraising events,” says Silva.

Maria especially enjoys helping organizations that help kids. She has also supported the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra by emceeing several of their fall concerts. “I hope to do more for them–they are about to lose their rehearsal location.”

She also co-founded an organization called Si Se Puede Education Foundation with her close friends, mom and daughter team Nora and Chelsea Campbell, to help Hispanic children learn English as a second language. Unfortunately, the project was stalled after each of the founders had lost loved ones, but they hope to start the program up again in the near future, adding services for not only Hispanic children but other non-English speaking children as well.

Maria Silva remains part of a large family. Her family at home–which includes two brothers, four sisters, six nieces and four nephews–as well as her community family both inspire her to be a better person within the community. She is proud to serve as a positive role model for our children. “I tell them about my family’s struggles and hardships. We didn’t have much growing up. We’ve overcome so much adversity. I was the first in my family to graduate from college, UNLV. I make sure to tell kids, ‘If I can do it, so can you!’”