Launching an independent outlet is not just about offering alternatives to legacy media. Here at Indiegraf, we know that indie publishers are looking to build trust with their communities, to offer them a space to have their voices heard — to have their stories told in their own words. That is why we are so proud to partner with La Esquina TX and Conecta Arizona, our first-ever Spanish outlets.
La Esquina TX is a fast-paced online publication that pledges to produce high-quality journalism to empower Spanish speakers in Houston, Texas, and surrounding areas. They expose the stories of immigrants through transparent and responsible independent journalism.
Conecta Arizona is a community-built outlet that began as a cross-border lifeline in the pandemic. Led by Martitza L. Félix, Conecta Arizona has since grown from a WhatsApp group to a full-blown border media outlet with multiple broadcast lists, a weekly radio show and a thorough newsletter.
In recent months, our Indie Tech team has worked tirelessly to build our first two Spanish-language websites, a new challenge we were more than happy to take on. While we wanted to support Spanish for a long time — and had even explored a few options with bilingual outlet The E’ville Good, it was only recently that we gained the capacity (and the opportunity) to do so. And we must say, we are very pleased with the results!
We are also especially excited because these partners are among the first Indiegraf publishers to use our recently launched newsletter platform. Both news outlets offered Indiegraf a great opportunity to prove how we can meet publishers where they are, with the tools they need, at the right time — all while keeping their audience top-of-mind!
This is a huge milestone for Indiegraf. Not only because it allows us to work with a wider variety of independent publishers; it also enables us to expand our impact and contribute toward a more diverse and equitable independent news ecosystem. After all, what better way to celebrate diversity than language? What better way to serve communities than having a conversation in familiar words? How else to ensure democracy, if not by having everyone participate in the conversation?
“In Arizona we have only two Spanish-language TV stations, Univision and Telemundo, but very few local media outlets that cover what is happening in our cities, in our neighborhoods, and that look and speak like us. It is a great disadvantage that in a state where Latinos are one of the most important economic drivers, there is no information that is not only bilingual, bicultural and in Spanish, but that has this perspective of migration, of resilience, of so many things that we as Latinos have,” shares Maritza L. Félix.
It is this ongoing effort for equitable coverage and representation that we are proud to be a part of. And the best part is being able to do so within the independent journalism sphere, thus ensuring that local news stays in local hands — and truly serves the needs of local communities. Providing high-quality, independent journalism in Spanish is important now more than ever.
“The vast majority of existing Spanish-language media outlets (or those that have achieved a certain level of success) are owned by large corporations that have other corporate interests. It is not wrong for them to bet on a thriving community and speak to it in its language, but they must coexist with independent publications that echo the voices of their respective community members who perhaps experience the same abuses but need different solutions to achieve the same purpose: to be heard — and published — in their own language,” shares La Esquina TX.
As we celebrate today, we also thank La Esquina TX and Conecta Arizona for their patience and support during this process. It is thanks to their kind guidance that we are now able to offer a seat at the Indiegraf table to other Spanish outlets in the US and Canada. Because, as Maritza L. Félix puts it, “The present and the future of journalism must be collaborative, independent and bilingual.”
Are you an independent Spanish-language outlet interested in working with Indiegraf? Connect with us today to find out how Indiegraf’s tech, audience and ads services can help your publication grow.
