Speak out. Speak up. Toma la ventaja del momento – Take advantage of the moment
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Who speaks for Chicago’s Latinos and what are they saying?
And who is telling their story?
That’s what we talked about the other day at our gathering of Chicago’s Latino press and community organizations.
We met at the National Museum of Mexican Art and there was very good news on top of the talk. The folks at Radio Arte (WRTE 90.5fm) announced a new partnership with Vocalo – 89.5 fm, public radio for and by the people. This a deal that will boast Radio Arte’s presence across the Chicago area.
We talked about the need for community organizations to decide how they are going to tell their message. Don’t just try to get your story in the mainstream news media, said Tania Unzueta of Radio Arte. Think of the Latino news media and the independent new media.
But don’t give up on the mainstream news media. Let them know what your story is and let them know you want them to cover it. That was the message of Teresa Puente, an assistant professor of journalism at Columbia College and who writes a blog – chicanisima for Chicago Now.
Fabiola Pomareda, a reporter at La Raza, suggested holding the news media — Latino and mainstream – accountable by studying what they cover and how they cover stories. Armed with the results, community organizations can then go to the news outlets, she said, and ask them to do a better job or a job that tells all that matters to the community.
Gerardo Cardenas, the editorial director for Contratiempo and the head of communications for AARP of Illinois wondered if it is correct to say that the the Latino community is too polite and too poised to speak up and tell the news media what it wants to see covered and what stories it needs to hear about.
And Tony Martinez, who is pictured above and who is news director for Telemundo Chicago – WSNS – agreed heartily.
“We have to be more demanding,” he said.
Si, se puede.
Stephen
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