Graysen M. Ocasio, Publisher

Graysen M. Ocasio is the Publisher of The Rainbow Times. His extensive experience as a seasoned journalist, Editor-in-Chief, Assistant Editor, and Business Consultant for various media companies, including Springfield’s The Republican, has earned The Rainbow Times multiple awards under his leadership. A journalism and publishing veteran with 25 years of experience in the field, Graysen was also the sole-proprietor of El Reportero, Alabama’s only bilingual newspaper, serving the Latinx community in 3/4 of the state in the 90s. As a result of the newspaper’s success, he was featured in several mainstream state publications, including the special TV broadcast titled “Hola Alabama.”

Graysen currently serves as a board member of the City of Salem’s No Place For Hate Committee, Salem’s Race Equity Task Force, and the Latino Leadership Coalition of Salem. He has participated in various community-based initiatives to better assist marginalized communities. His relentless dedication has earned him titles such as the Gilmore Volunteer of the Year Award (AIDS Action Coalition) and other community-based awards such as the Boston Latino Pride 2010 Honoree-LGBT Community Member designation.

Under his direction, Graysen has helped secure awards for The Rainbow Times such as a citation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ House of Representatives for “10 years of providing inclusive news coverage of the LGBT Community” and providing donations to local nonprofits, the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition’s Sylvia Rivera Community Award, Promise Place School’s “LGBT Champion in Media Award,” and Boston Latin@ Pride’s “Solidaridad/Solidarity” Award among many others.

Formerly, Graysen has served on the board of directors for various organizations such as the former Northampton Pride, Connecticut Pride, Moonshot Inc., and the AIDS Action Coalition (Huntsville, Ala.), among others.

As a fully bilingual and bicultural individual, who is proud of his indigenous heritage too, Graysen was also the original visionary and one of two co-founders of the LGBT Coalition of Western Massachusetts and currently of Project Out. He is also a passionate advocate to empower marginalized youth. When his schedule permits he has been a guest speaker at higher institutions of learning such as Williams College, and has given career and motivational speeches to Springfield City Schools for at-risk youth, and presented at Salem High School’s career day, among others.

Graysen holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Marylhurst University and is also a graduate of Temple University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is a member of the International Honor Society in Business, Management, and Administration, Sigma Beta Delta, in recognition of high scholastic achievement (summa cum laude). Graysen can be reached at publisher@therainbowtimesnews.com.