By Monica Carrillo-Casas
Photo used from Wix Images
It's interesting growing up in a small, predominantly white town. Community members striving for more collaboration between communities, hoping for support from all areas of the valley. But in the end, its undeniable they usually reach out to their comfortable bubble of people and always get the same decision in the end.
It took a Donald Trump presidency and volunteer community work for it to finally settle in for me.
According to the 2020 Census data, there are estimated to be 62.1 million Latinos living in the United States. And most importantly, are only 12% of the media workforce, even though they make up 18% of the workforce.
With organizations like Voces Internship, Hispanic Public Media and The Futuro Media Group, the Latino community is ready to confront head on the lack of representation through internships and job openings that specifically ask for a member of the Latino community.
Since the early 2000s, Hispanic Public Media has been bringing together the beauty of art, culture and music through a Spanish-speaking radio station.
As they grew in listeners throughout the United States, Canada and even Latin America, they grew the team as well through internships.
This internship allows for students to have the opportunity to live in the newsroom 10-20 hours a week, going live internationally and getting real professional experience.
The Futuro Media Group is an independent nonprofit organization with a similar focus to Hispanic Public Media but with a strong message: "a critical voice to the diversity of the American experience."
With a newsroom full of Latino voices and with the hope to build aspiring Latino journalists, it is clear that they are more than just another newsroom. They are part of the change.
The Future Media Group gives young students the chance to apply as an intern, but it is uncertain of when that takes place. If interested, regular checks to the website would be needed.
Lastly, Voces Internship is a new addition that started in 2022 and since, has amped up interest in journalism for students in Idaho.
Without needed experience or a degree pursuing journalism, this program allows for Latino students to write for a newsroom or work under a newsroom in what could be photography, film or radio.
In addition, within the time you are interning at the program, a stipend is given for the months you work while under the program, making it a paid internship.
Although I may be bias and a former Voces Intern myself, I found that many became interested in journalism after seeing this new founded program.
It could be because there is no needed experience but it could be because they aren't afraid to give you the chance of experiencing something new, in a new field, regardless of your background.
It had been indicated by research that many Latinx students don't consider certain careers because of fear (or experiencing) discrimination in that profession.
This program has made students feel confident and secure of their culture and that their voice matters in this industry.
Although I haven't experienced discrimination that others have through the media, seeing it on the television screen and posts on Instagram is enough to confirm that 12% of Latinos in the media are not enough.
Would you agree that these internships and newsrooms have helped amplify the voices of the Latino community? What other media internship opportunities for Latino students do you know about?
Comments