DENVER — What started as a biweekly paper in 1974 is now a weekly edition of LaVozColorado, Denver's first bilingual newspaper. They're celebrating their 50-year anniversary with a special edition and a reflection of their coverage for the past five decades.
The newspaper began focusing on stories and issues within the Latino and Hispanic community in Colorado. At that time, much of what they covered would not be featured in more mainstream media.
"I think if you provide information in the two most popular and well-known languages, I think that's a start," Owner and Publisher Pauline Rivera said.
Rivera took over the paper in 2008, and has been its publisher since.
"The climate changed. Being bilingual was a big deal because now you were a worker that could address two markets," Rivera said. "Finally, our culture, our language is getting credit for being something good, that makes people happy and successful and want to know more about us."
The paper was originally started by Jose and Wanda Padilla under the slogan "Éramos un eco. Ahora, somos la voz." It translates to "We were an echo. Now, we're the voice."
The Padillas began the paper as a way to bring the Hispanic community together.
"I think the bilingual publications, they fit a need in the community. For example, in the Chicano community, it helps bring people together and create some cohesion in the community," Wanda Padilla said.
All of the last 50 years of weekly editions will be archived with the Colorado Historic Newspapers site, an effort underway right now to make all of the work they've done throughout the years accessible to the public.