Southwest Voices was born before I got here. I showed up two months later. I am an astrology nerd and love doing people’s birth charts. So, yes, I did the birth chart for Southwest Voices.  

We have a Libra Sun, a Virgo Moon and our rising sign is Scorpio.

Information for this article includes my own astrological knowledge and a birth chart reading from Cafe Astrology. To do your own birth chart you need the location, date, and exact time of birth. For Southwest Voices, I chose the time that we sent out our first newsletter.

Libra Sun

This is the sign that people will say that they are. Sun signs reflect your persona.  For example, I am an Aquarius. So what are Libra folks like?

“People who have their sun sign in Libra are generally thought to be sociable and somewhat intellectual souls. Libras have an almost innocent way about them that makes them very approachable. Generally quite eager to cooperate, Libras spend a lot of their time trying not to rock the boat,” reads our chart from Cafe Astrology.

As a news organization, we should rock some proverbial boats, especially with people in power for which we instill our watchdog ethos, but it is also our job to report the news without creating news. In other words, we report stories in a grounded manner that informs without sensationalizing. We also love, love, love to meet our neighbors and connect with them, so yes, we are sociable.

“In theory, Libras are peace-loving. In practice, they can quietly stir up all sorts of trouble with their ways. Because Libra enjoys balance in their lives, they seek the middle ground. In the process, they may end up trying to be everything to everyone.”

I find our Libra sun to be perfect for us. We do seek balance in our reporting–that’s the goal of traditional journalism. One thing that we always grapple with is the amount of stories on our plates. We wish we could do more, for everyone, all the time.

“Libras like to mix with people and seek partnerships. They like and respect justice. They approve of society's values. They are level-headed and assimilate quickly.”

We do love a good partnership. We collaborate with neighbors, small businesses, and local organizations all the time. We do not report in a vacuum, that’s for sure.

Due to our birth time, our Libra Sun is in the 11th house, which is basically “the house of friendship” with very heavy Aquarius vibes. For us that means we are a humanitarian collective that aims to treat everyone as equals. Southwest Voices seeks to be unique and original, and we do our best to avoid bias and prejudice. This is literally what our birth chart says, no lie. Can you turn a birth chart reading into an organizational mission statement?

Virgo moon

A Moon sign reflects how a person feels deep down inside, whether or not they express it to the outside world. If the Sun sign is your persona, then the Moon sign is your inner-self.

“Lunar Virgos find security in the little things in life. They feel most content when they've straightened out all the details of everyday life.”

It’s our job to straighten out the details of our community. We collectively do not feel on top of things without our work organized into spreadsheets.

“Many Lunar Virgos are quite practiced at nagging and complaining. As long as they are appreciated, however, these people will help you take care of your life, too. They are at their best when they feel useful and needed. If somebody needs help, they are generally the first to jump up and take on the task.”

Ok, we do not nag and complain about our readers. Our nagging and complaining are purely internal and we do both with love.

We absolutely love to feel useful and needed–that is a core tenant of being a journalist. Nothing makes us happier than springing into action when a neighbor has a question that we can answer with our reporting.

“Some of the most skeptical people are Lunar Virgos. They can't help but poke holes when faced with others' blind faith.”

I mean, if that isn’t the definition of an investigative journalist…

Scorpio rising

Rising signs are fascinating to me. Your rising sign is what others see you as. It’s like your front-facing sign. For example, I may feel like an Aquarius, but people see me more as my rising sign–Gemini. But back to Southwest Voices.

“Scorpio Ascendant [rising] people have a lot of presence. There is something about them that tells the world that they are not to be pushed around. Their manner commands respect, and in some cases, fear.”

Well, our goal is never to make people fear us, but we understand the power of reporting stories and the impact it can have on people. Have people been worried about our coverage? Of course–it happens at every news organization. We get how walking into a room with a press badge on can change the dynamics.

“Scorpio rising people can be quiet or loud, but they always seem powerful and determined. You either love or hate Scorpio rising people-- they are rarely people who go through life unnoticed.”

You could replace “Scorpio rising people” with “journalists” and not be wrong. Try it out.

“They seem to look right through people, seeing through superficiality. This can be quite intimidating to some, and intriguing to others. Scorpio rising people, in their dealings with others, look for answers by reading between the lines. Surface details are discarded when they are getting a feel for people and situations around them.”

Again with the definition of an investigative journalist…

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And there you have it. Our birth chart, out in the open for all to see. Remember, these are innate characteristics and we cannot do anything to change them, so we shall continue to honor them.

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