The Adelante Community Journalism and Education Foundation was created in December 2002 to support and promote the bilingual newsmagazine Adelante and other related community journalism projects. Its mission is the same as that of the publication: Building community among the Spanish-speaking people of the region and those who are interested in Latin culture.

The publication Adelante was launched in October 2000 and has published continuously since that time, thanks to the volunteer efforts of a broad-based network of Hispanic and non-Hispanic volunteers throughout the United States, Spain and Latin America. The foundation’s Board of Directors is a diverse group drawn from the Latino and journalism communities of Central Missouri.

The volunteers who produce Adelante believe that the Latino and multicultural community is as needful of excellence in journalism as is the population at large, but that the national media frequently fall short in providing that excellence. We are dedicated to the principle that we are one community, and as a community, we are weaving the fabric of our lives together: Latino and Non-Latino, black and white and brown, English-speaking and Spanish-speaking, U.S. citizen and foreign national. We are many and we are one, and Adelante is dedicated to reinforcing and celebrating that reality.

We believe this project that has the potential to make a real difference, in our community and in the world community, as we train the next generation of journalists to go out into the world and raise awareness wherever they go.

In just a little over two years, Adelante has already accomplished a great deal:

• Provided the only printed source of local and regional news to the growing population of Spanish-speaking newcomers in at least ten counties throughout Central Missouri;
  
• Established a website that is being read in 27 countries on six continents, with a searchable archive and a wide array of useful links — including HLAFSA;
  
• Published consistently in-depth coverage of a wide variety of issues, including civil liberties, health care, electoral politics, foreign policy, law enforcement, art and culture, all with a distinctive Latino perspective;
  
• Inaugurated a lively and educational bilingual children’s section, packed with games, stories and eye-catching art;
  
• Given basic and advanced training and hands-on experience to young journalists and writers from a dozen different countries;
  
• Established an international Internet listserv to distribute news on Latin American and immigration issues and events, and to help build connections within the Latino and non-Latino communities;
  
• Provided a voice to Latino workers and professionals throughout the area and, via the Internet, from their own countries.
  
• Launched an exciting new bilingual kid’s section, Aventureros (Adventurers). Each issue will be packed with fascinating tidbits, stories, games and features that make learning fun – in both languages.
  
• Provided a unique learning tool to teachers and students in ESL and Spanish classrooms and by individuals across the state to improve their acquisition of another language.

But this is just the beginning. Adelante has hopes and dreams to go much further in the future, expanding on the lessons we’ve learned in order to have a greater impact on the Central Missouri and Journalism communities. Here are a few of the projects we envision:

• Establishing fellowships to encourage more Latin American and U.S. Latinos to enter the field of journalism and pursue continuing professional education.
  
• Collaborating with other community-based organizations to facilitate acculturation and education among the incoming Latino population in Missouri.
  
• Collaborating with other community-based organizations to facilitate a greater understanding among the dominant culture of the fastest-growing minority in the United States.
  
• Establishing professional training and distance education programs for journalists throughout Latin America, whose work could be published in the pages of Adelante.
  
• Establishing consulting services for U.S. newspapers who wish to improve their coverage of the Latino community and/or create a bilingual or Spanish-language publication.
  
• Expanding our children’s section into a full-fledged bilingual children’s magazine, and serving as the springboard for other bilingual journalism projects.
  
• Providing Latino and other writers, photographers and artists with a high-quality outlet for their work.

You can support the work of Adelante in one or more of the following ways:
Purchase a subscription for yourself, and/or gift subscriptions for friends and family — $15 for an individual subscription within the U.S., $18 for international subscriptions, and $45 for a “teacher’s pack” that includes 30 copies a month throughout the school year.
Make a contribution to the not-for-profit Adelante Community Journalism and Education Foundation. Contributions of more than $25 will receive a free subscription, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else.
Join the e-mail update list for occasional updates on Adelante and news about the Latino community in the United States.
Become an underwriters and/or an advertiser.

Thank you for your interest in the Adelante Community Journalism and Education Foundation. We hope you’ll join us as a part of the growing Adelante community.

Sincerely,

Tracy L. Barnett
Managing Editor, Adelante
Founder, Adelante Community Journalism and Education Foundation