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So, This is What A Leap of Faith Looks Like

So, This is What A Leap of Faith Looks Like

It is hard to believe that it was 20 years ago that we launched the Courier Eco Latino as the tri-cities only bilingual newspaper. Twenty years ago, when we began, we were one of two Black owned newspapers publishing consistently in the tri-city. Fast forward 20 years and today there is only one.

The truth is I never envisioned being a publisher of a newspaper. My goal was to work and retire as a CEO with the YMCA. Over the years, however, I have seen the Lord work miracle after miracle in my life and in this business.

One day I woke up with an urge and a willingness to provide this community with a publication that would be the “conscious of the minority community;” a publication that deals with issues ignored by the mainstream media.

Today I am a living testimony that it’s no coincidence but confidence; confidence in knowing that God has placed me in this place at this time to do what He has called me to do.

How do I know this? Because in 2005 he asked me to step out on faith without a degree in journalism, English or computer science. He told me it didn’t matter that I didn’t know how to send an email, layout or design a newspaper. He said don’t worry about not being able to speak Spanish and not having any money to start the business. I will be your source He said.

So, armed with the scripture from Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." We took a leap of faith. Today I am proof that God doesn’t always call the equipped, but He will always equip the called.

Uniquely serving two growing demographics, African Americans and Hispanics, we continue to publish in both English and Spanish with articles targeted and specific to each audience.

Today, according to the 2020 U.S. Census for Muscogee County, with an African American demographic of 52.8 percent, Caucasians 43.3 percent, Hispanics 8.7 percent, and others 3.5 percent, we are no longer the “minority community.”  Today, we provide this community a publication that is the “conscious of the community;” a publication that continues to deal with issues ignored by the mainstream media.

Our goal, from day one, has been to make our people aware of issues that impact their lives on a daily basis, so they can be more informed and make more enlightened decisions. Seven thousand three hundred days later we continue to stay true to our mission: “To educate, enlighten, inform, empower, inspire and when appropriate entertain."

As the Black press, we have a responsibility not only to be the voice of the community but when necessary, an advocate for our readers. We exist because our readers depend on us for news that is relevant, reliable and reported from a perspective that respects what’s important to them.

If we don’t plead our own case, if we don’t tell our own story, if we don’t represent our own people, who will?

We abdicate that responsibility and the true power of the Black press when we don’t tell the story as it is, whether it’s about someone from the White community attempting to suppress us or someone from the Black community selling us out.

It has taken a while, but we are proud of our stature in the tri-city as a respected news medium. This hasn’t been happenstance; we have worked hard to develop a reputation and respect for being this community’s “Source for the Truth.”

We have accomplished this by being unapologetic and unafraid of speaking truth to power regardless of race, creed, color or political position. Believing that “sunshine is the best disinfectant” we are humble enough to accept that we only know the truth that we know, but the truth we do know, we speak it.

We understand that everything you read, or the cartoons that appear in our publication may not be popular but when you are “speaking the truth” it means taking risks, it means standing for something. Words matter, used well, speaking truth effects change.

On behalf of our family and staff we look forward to continuing to serve as your “Source of Truth” sans gossip, innuendo, embellishment or exaggeration for many years to come.

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