Published: March 06, 2006 04:14 pm            

La Conexion publication helps connect English-speaking, Spanish-speaking communities

ENID — Deadlines are a problem and finding sufficient stories also is challenging. Most small circulation newspaper editors and publishers would identify with those problems, but this Enid publication is slightly different. It’s in Spanish. La Conexion is published by the Enid News & Eagle. It is a result of a request made by the Hispanic Outreach Council a few months ago to have the newspaper publish back-to-school information in Spanish.

“We saw a need and we started with a newsletter,” said Managing Editor Cindy Allen.

The Hispanic Outreach Council led the way, and the newspaper received a grant from the United Way to help pay for translators.

In August, September and October the newspaper published a newsletter format and began to sell some advertising.

Response from advertisers was good, and La Conexion began publication in newsprint in November.

Another challenge is finding people who can find and write stories in Spanish. The paper now publishes church news, calendar of events and photos. They continue to look for good story ideas.

La Conexion has a distribution of 4,500 copies, which are dropped off at areas where Hispanic readers will see them, Allen said. They also are inserted in single copy editions of the News & Eagle. Publication is the second week of each month.

The idea is to connect people to the community and to bring Latino people into the community and to notify them of services people use every day. This publication is a way to let the Hispanic population know about all the services and opportunities that are available.

Allen said the newspaper has had a positive response from several companies that employ a large number of Hispanics, as well as from grocery stores, restaurants and car dealers.

“Advertisers are looking for a way to reach the community,” Allen said.

The publication would not be possible without the cooperation and participation of the Hispanic Outreach Council.

Further challenges arise in translating a language with several dialects.

“It’s not the same Spanish,” Allen said.

Existing translation software is a very formal form of Spanish, similar to old English. Allen said that is used as a baseline and is cleaned up by translators.

“It’s a challenge putting out a publication I can’t read. But, I’m learning some expressions, and I’m learning to read a little,” Allen said.

Allen expects the newspaper to grow in content and circulation, as well as frequency of publication, possible even becoming a regional publication.

“We want to know about events and activities for La Conexion so we can cover them,” she said.

The Spanish-language newspaper La Conexion has been a desire of the Hispanic Outreach Council for several years with the eventual goal to improve communication with Enid’s Hispanic population.

“We have been trying to look at the needs of the Hispanic community,” said Allan McCobb, a member of the council and President of the United Way of Enid and Garfield County. “We’re discovering translation is a challenge.”

There are many components that must come together to keep the newspaper going and the Hispanic Council had to “get its act together,” McCobb said.

Among the challenges was finding information on a regular basis, and as a monthly newspaper, keeping that information current. The goal is to get information to the community about things like how to apply for a driver’s license and find English as a Second Language classes.

“Better informed people are better for the community. Part of the goal is to help Hispanic people learn to speak English,” said McCobb an original member of the Hispanic Council.

The Hispanic Council has had the goal of publishing stories in both Spanish and English, and that has been accomplished in the February edition.

“Several articles in February La Conexion appear in both Spanish and English, and we think that will add to the value of the publication,” Allen said.

When the Hispanic Outreach Council started, its best guess at the Enid Hispanic population totaled 5,000 to 6,000. Some of that population is bilingual.

Hispanic children in Enid’s school system have a better chance to learn English than adults, because they are exposed to it every day.

The council also established a Spanish helpline because they realized a need for it.

McCobb hopes to make Hispanics more comfortable with the English language. He said that will increase their chances for better jobs, better education and a better life.

“There is just so much open when you know the language,” he said.

Another member of the Hispanic Outreach Council said she has heard good things about La Conexion from the Hispanic community.

Tillie Sewell said the newspaper has been well received by Hispanics who need to know some of the information contained in the paper. Seeing the information in their language helps make them feel part of the community, she said.

The newspaper started featuring members of the Hispanic Outreach Council, and also local agencies that offer Hispanic services.

Various members of the Hispanic Council began delivering newspapers to places frequented by the community. The Department of Human Services, Garfield County Health Dept., and Community Development Support Association all place regular information in the paper.

Sewell takes papers to Lahoma, to local laundromats and hands them out following the Hispanic service of St. Francis Catholic Church.

Hispanics in Enid have complimented Sewell on the paper and stated they wanted to see positive news in it.