About Vic Vela:
Vic Vela is an award-winning journalist who worked for Colorado Public Radio for nearly a decade. He is a five-time Edward R. Murrow award-winning broadcaster who created and hosted “Back from Broken” – a podcast about recovery from drug addiction. Vic was born and bred in Colorado.
A Hispanic, HIV+, gay man, he overcame addiction to alcohol and powder and crack cocaine nine years ago and has remained sober to this day. After overdosing and nearly dying several times, Vic turned his life around at Colorado Public Radio and used his painful history of substance use and mental health crises to help and support countless listeners struggling to overcome addiction, saving the lives of many and helping others to thrive. His podcast continues to be one of the most frequently downloaded narrative podcasts for Colorado Public Radio, with hundreds of thousands of downloads.
Vic was terminated in 2024 after complaining about temporary triggers at work to management, and requesting support and accommodations for his disability so that he would not relapse. Sadly, he no longer has the right to produce his vital podcast. But Vic continues to serve as an inspiration, lecturing at community events, forums, and conferences on addiction and recovery as he rebuilds his journalism career at a more supportive institution. Read further about Vic’s case in The Colorado Sun and access other stories and interviews about his case here:
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