One year ago, the Latino News Network pivoted its coverage to focus on local Hispanic / Latino communities’ relationships and involvement with democracy.
In the United States, a rich history of inaccessibility and general distrust between communities of color and governmental systems has led to exclusive representation and participation within democratic processes.
Our newsroom is committed to actively listening and building trust with the diverse communities we serve so we can provide relevant, accurate, nonpartisan, and in-depth coverage year-round that civically informs and motivates underrepresented and underserved residents.
All six digital news and information outlets under the Latino News Network have also taken a collaborative approach to motivate and support communities through solutions-focused reporting rather than problem-focused coverage.
We will continue this work by practicing collaboration, inclusion, and transparency:
- We have partnered with trusted organizations to accurately inform the public and expand the reach of our coverage to combat misinformation.
- Our team continues to actively listen to our audiences through surveys and events rather than assuming what communities need or would like to know.
- LNN’s democracy coverage will follow the interests, concerns, and needs of voters throughout the year — rather than solely focusing on the candidates or a single day (Election Day).
Across all six digital outlets this year, we have partnered with Be The Ones (a national grassroots organization dedicated to civically informing and engaging residents), produced statewide voter guides, and examined active or proposed legislation relevant to our audiences.
As our reporting and civic engagement efforts continue, it is crucial for us to adjust and adapt our work to meet the needs and interests of the communities we serve across the East Coast and Midwest.
Our newsroom sees these communities as more than just our audience; they are our collaborators. Community insight and feedback continually shapes our work.
Please take a moment to answer the short questionnaire below. We want to hear from you—What issues would you like to see reported on more? How can we improve our coverage or community engagement?
A few of our practices—including active community listening, emphasizing transparency, and collaborating with trusted organizations—have been adopted from NH Latino News and RI Latino News’ participating in the Democracy SOS Fellowship. Run by Hearken and the Solutions Journalism Network (SJN), the initiative looks to build understanding, trust, and engagement between U.S.-based newsrooms and the communities they cover.
