Who We Are

Enlace Latino NC is the first nonprofit, Spanish-language digital-native media newsroom in North Carolina, founded and led by immigrant journalists committed to serving the state’s Latino and Hispanic communities.

With both a statewide and community-focused approach, our journalism—independent, nonpartisan, and people-centered—addresses an urgent need: ensuring access to reliable, democratic information in Spanish. We cover essential topics such as politics, government, immigration, health, education, and other public affairs that directly impact the lives of our communities.

Our Mission

Founded in 2018 by journalists Paola Jaramillo and Walter Gómez, our mission is to empower North Carolina’s diverse Latino immigrant community to actively participate in the social, political, and economic changes that affect them.

Through our journalism and civic engagement efforts, we seek to close critical information gaps, promote equity, and foster the full participation of Latino communities in the state’s democratic life.

Closing the Information Gap in North Carolina

North Carolina’s Latino communities face a persistent and dangerous information gap. As the local media crisis spreads across the state—with more than 50% of counties classified as news deserts—the consequences are especially severe for Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities. The chronic lack of investment in Spanish-language news has created an almost total absence of original, local coverage in this language, leaving entire communities without access to the information necessary to navigate public life.

This gap is not just about language, but also about power and access. Without centralized, accurate, and contextualized information, Latino communities in North Carolina face barriers to civic participation, access to economic opportunities, and exercising their right to self-determination. Enlace Latino NC exists to tear down those barriers.

Who We Serve

Our audience consists of North Carolina’s Latino immigrant community, with a special focus on those living in rural and underserved areas.

Our Work

In 2024, we reached more than 500,000 people annually through our website, newsletters, podcast, social platforms, WhatsApp community, and community listening sessions. We publish our journalism on the following platforms:

EnlaceLatinoNC.org: Our free and accessible platform publishes daily coverage of immigration, health, politics, and public programs

La Tortilla: Our flagship newsletter with six specialized editions offering information ranging from politics to health

El Jornalero: North Carolina’s first Spanish-language newsletter created specifically for farmworkers, published weekly during the agricultural season

Enlace Latino NC Podcast: Features original narrative reporting and community conversations

WhatsApp Community: Weekly news summaries, live chats with experts, and direct reader engagement

Social Media: We reach our audience through various platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and BlueSky. Live streams have become a central part of our engagement strategy.

We also develop resource guides that ensure our coverage is immediately useful to our community:

Community Engagement

Since our founding, community engagement has been a fundamental part of how we report, connect, and serve. We conduct both in-person and virtual listening sessions, organize interactive community forums, and test new communication channels such as WhatsApp updates, conversations, and forums. Through these efforts, we reach Spanish-speaking residents throughout the state—especially in rural and underserved areas—and provide people with the opportunity to voice their concerns, ask questions, and help define our newsroom’s priorities.

This engagement shapes our journalism. We produce stories in direct response to questions and needs that arise during these conversations, ensuring our coverage remains rooted in our audience’s real experiences. Whether clarifying changes in state policies, highlighting community solutions, or explaining rights and resources, we listen first and then report.

Our Partners

Enlace Latino NC is supported by local foundations such as North Carolina Local News Lab Fund, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Cone Health Fund, and BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Foundation.

Additionally, we receive support from national partners such as American Journalism Project, Skyline Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Report for America, Democracy Fund, Ford Foundation, Inasmuch Foundation, Borealis Philanthropy, and Walton Family Foundation.

Strategic partnerships are essential to Enlace Latino NC’s mission. They expand the reach of our coverage, strengthen our editorial work, and keep us connected to community solutions throughout the state. These include: NC Local, Blue Ridge Public Radio, Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), Charlotte Observer, El Centro Hispano INC, WUNC Radio, Mia 93.4 F.M., and Univision 40.

Contact Us

For Executive Director: paola@enlacelatinonc.org 
For the General Editor: walter@enlacelatinonc.org 
For Director of Development: Emily@enlacelatinonc.org
For Sponsoships: evelyn@enlacelatinonc.org
For Director of Operations: krizia@enlacelatinonc.org