​Publisher and editor Blanca Hernandez first conceived of Viva Magazine when she took over the organizational newspaper of the Houston Coalition of Hispanic Women and decided to broaden its reach. On September 1, 1989, she launched the magazine from her home, handling all aspects of production herself—from selling ads to writing articles. Her personal mission was to dispel the myth that ​Latinos were a dormant minority by highlighting the many achievements of Latinos in the greater Houston area.
Viva Magazine’s primarily English-language content focused on education, community affairs, entertainment, cuisine, electoral politics, immigration, health, sports, culture, arts, history, and business. In September 1990, Blanca partnered with the Houston Post to distribute Viva as a Friday supplement, growing its circulation from 50,000 to 200,000 by 1991 and 300,000 by 1993. Viva was the first Latino magazine in Houston to be published and edited by a Latina. ​