On the morning of Monday, April 10, 2023, AL DÍA News lost its matriarch Elizabeth Guaracao.

For the last 29 years, together with Hernán, her husband, with whom she arrived from Colombia and with whom they created a family 36 years ago, they have turned AL DÍA News into the longest-running and most reputable bilingual English-Spanish news brand in Philadelphia.

The story of AL DÍA’s founding out of the Guaracao family home in Olney, North Philadelphia is a favorite of Hernán’s to tell any new recruit to the AL DÍA family.

It’s the story of an American Dream. Full of ups and downs no doubt, but a dream fulfilled nonetheless.

The key cog in that entire journey — from Olney to 1835 Market — was Elizabeth.

She supported the family by going to work during the day and helping Hernán with AL DÍA when she got home, and eventually became its CFO.

But Elizabeth was so much more than a CFO. 

To Hernán and daughters Anna and Gabriela — who are receiving all our thoughts and prayers right now — she was a loving wife and mother. But that same love carried over to all who ever worked at AL DÍA.

Elizabeth worked with us, sure, but she also cared about us more than most of us likely ever knew. She laughed with us, cried, celebrated, nurtured, and fed us on more than a few occasions. Elizabeth was the human side of this whole operation. 

That humanity is also what we will forever carry forward in her honor — in the stories we’ll continue to tell and to create a place full of love, encouragement and empowerment for the next generation of journalists in Philadelphia and beyond.

Elizabeth’s Spirit is now more alive than ever. Thank you for absolutely everything.