CNY LATINO STAFF
We have gathered a small team of Hispanic volunteers to develope the content and production of this Latino paper. Most of them are immigrants with dreams to grow in the American society, and to be productive citizens of the United States of America. Other contributors are local organizations and specific individuals that are always interested to assist and help in projects related to this ethnic group. We all are currently trying very hard to put together the content and production of the paper, with the same dedication and encouragement we had when we started our very first issue on Tuesday, February 3rd. 2004.
We also have the support of some local Hispanic organizations, like the Spanish Action League (La Liga) in Syracuse, the West Side Learning Center, MANOS, La L.U.C.H.A. from Syracuse University, and other associations in New York State. Additionally, we have the generous assistance from local businesses, specially from Kassis Superior Signs (the owner Joseph and his wife Edda Caceres Kassis), and the Nye family from the famous Syracuse Blue Print. I also like to thank the participation and consideration provided by Mr. Eric West from The Mid-York Weekly & Pennysaver, who was our main printing service supplier when we started the paper in 2004; and thank you to the great patient and support from Sue Irvine, the sale representative of our current printer company. We also must thank the valuable advice and encouragement from Mr. Art Zimmer, owner and publisher of Syracuse New Times, one of the most successful newspapers in Central New York.
Please see below more information about our dedicated team of professionals.
After going through some rough times in my personal life at the beginning of 2003, after carefully reconsidering my current career conditions, and after consulting with some close friends, I decided to embark myself into a new Business venture that will be directly linked to my native cultural roots. So, I made some phone calls, check some figures on the Internet, spoke with local business people, research for other issues, and decided to start a new Hispanic periodical for the Central New York area.
Hi; my name is Hugo Acosta, and I am the founder, owner, and Publisher of the CNY Latino newspaper. I was born in Venezuela, and migrated to USA in the early 1980s. In 1992, I started a local Internet Consulting business called H.A. Technical Services, which I sold when I began my publishing venture with CNY Latino. Now I want to provide to the local Hispanic 
community, a new communication alternative not only to voice their opinions and concerns, but also to read about them.
I have currently a staff of paid consultants, free-lancers, contributors, and volunteers, that are all trying very hard to put together the content and production of the paper, we had our very first issue on Tuesday, February 3rd. 2004 I have also received generous contributions from local organizations and dedicated individuals that are always interested to assist and help in projects related to this ethnic group.
However, we need more help..! Therefore, if you know of anybody (including yourself) that would like to participate, contribute, or somehow be part of this Hispanic project, please let us know… go to our “Help Us” section to see the specifics we currently have a need for, or contact us directly for more detail information.
One of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks of making and developing this publication, is the editing part, specially when this control phase is done in two different languages…
During our first three inaugural issues, we had trouble providing well written material, in both “English” and “Spanish”, where some of our readers noticed grammar inaccuracies, and spelling errors. No we feel (and we have been told) our content not only has improved, but also the output quality and proper writing has gotten better.
For this we count (again) with the assistance of selected members of our staff, specially a couple of prominent professors and a retired certified Legal interpreter. A few of our regular columnists also do their own editing, reducing our efforts to review and correct content for the paper.
In any event, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR HELP AND WE ALWAYS WELCOME IT. If you want to contribute to our bilingual publication, check our “Help Us” section of our website, or please, feel free to contact us.
Most of the writers we have for the CNY Latino newspaper are non-paid contributors, or interested volunteers. A few of them (selected columnists) are professionals that offer their knowledge and business experience, in a regular basis as their own independent contribution to the local Hispanic readership. A couple of them write frequently as part of a barter deal with our advertisement department, or a “service-exchange” arrangement with the management of our publication.
Currently we have a variety of topics and subjects that we frequently publish in our monthly editions, and we are planning soon, to implement “permanent” regular columns for future issues. This means that we will be looking for “columnists” and/or periodic contributors, that not only will provide content and articles for these columns, but also (if desired) will run and manage these sections of our newspaper. If you are interested to be one of these columnists, please, feel free to contact us for details.
In any event, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW WRITING MATERIAL AND WE ALWAYS WELCOME WRITERS to our repertory… specially if the writers are “Hispanic” or are somehow linked to the Latino culture or to the local Hispanic community. Therefore, if you want to contribute with articles as part of the interesting reading content of our bilingual publication, check our “Writers request page”, or please, feel free to contact us.
Since the general language format of our publication is to provide its content in a “bilingual” form (both equally in “English” and “Spanish”), we frequently have to use different resources for appropriate translation. For this we either use “manpower” assistance or the support of computer software. However, since there is not an (affordable) accurate way to translate with the use of computer applications, we frequently have to ask members of our staff to assist us, or sometimes we need to hire the services of professional translation companies.
We also try to enforce to our writers, to submit their material, in both “English” and “Spanish” when possible. Usually we run into the situation, where special “guest writers” or celebrated local individuals (politicians, acclaimed personalities, candidates, etc.) submit material not only in English, but also close to the printing deadline, and we don’t have enough time to perform corresponding translation.
Additionally (and probably more important), CNY Latino is in constant need of translators, not only for the development of our “bilingual” newspaper, but also we are seeking translators (specially certified ones) that can assist us in our Translation Services division.
One of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks of the full development of this publication, is the final phase of it… the Distribution..!, specially in the Central New York area, because of the weather…
During the first 3 or 4 months of its creation, the CNY Latino newspaper was distributed ONLY in the metropolitan area of Syracuse, and all the “driving-around” was done mostly by its publisher. The popularity of this Hispanic oriented publication increased considerably since then, making our circulation much larger than what it was at the beginning, to the point that now many other communities around the Central New York area are demanding for copies to be distributed in their public places.
This has forced us not only to consider other ways to expand the distribution of our paper, but also to request for help in this task. Currently we have some Helpers to assist us with the distribution of our periodical, including students and business owners, who have gracefully provided a valuable service to our community. We also have to thank the Onondaga County Public Library system, and the Syracuse Schools District, for also helping us to distribute this publication to their corresponding branches.
In any event, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR HELP AND WE ALWAYS WELCOME IT. If you want to contribute to our bilingual publication, check our “Help Us” section of our website, or please, feel free to contact us.
Although the complete management, direction, development, and production is done by the publisher, the CNY Latino newspaper could not possibly exists, without the assistance and contribution of remarkable Helpers.
Professionals in practically any field, and individuals from different origins, have provided to this Hispanic project, time and effort that have been the base for the making of this paper, a reality product for and from the Hispanic population in Central New York.
It is important also to indicate that this group of collaborator is not exclusively coming from the “Hispanic population” only; we also have the valuable input and participation of non-Hispanic individuals, and even publishing experts and professionals of periodicals from other publications, that have shared with us their expertise and wisdom of this fascinating publishing world.
Thanks to this great contribution, and the increasing readership and popularity of this paper, we are not only growing, but also moving towards improvements and larger expansion. For this, we are still in the need of more Help… help that will make this publication a proud product of the ethnic group it represents.
If you and/or your business/organization are interested in marketing your services in our newspaper or our programs or in becoming a sponsor or advertiser, please contact us and we will send you more details.