E Newsletter

December 2005 E-Newsletter

Latinitas served over 400 girls and teens in 2005 with our outreach efforts and hundreds of others through Latinitas and Teen Latinitas magazine! As a result, more Latinas in Austin were introduced to fun and creative tools used in creating their own online magazines, becoming radio producers, shooting video, learning skills in news reporting and more. This growth in reach is the product of many factors including, the relocation of the Teen Reporter Intern Program to Travis High School, more partnerships with other non-profits like the Junior League's Hispanic Mother Daughter Program, the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas, the Girls Scouts and GENaustin and an increase in volunteer participation! Thank you Latinitas supporters for helping us empower so many Latina girls and teens in Central Texas!

in this issue

1. Annual Campaign 2005
2. Latinitasfest Multimedia Madness
3. Rascon: La Luz de la Comunidad
4. Las Consejeras

Latinitas is a non-profit organization that empowers Hispanic girls to succeed through media and technology. Our vision is that all Latinas are strong and confident in their image.

We achieve this mission and vision through our two magazines: Latinitas and Teen Latinitas, where Latina youth publish their creative works and share them nationally with their peers. It is also attained through outreach that cultivates Latina youths' desire to write, publish on the web, produce radio segments and create their own television programs, while teaching them to use the digital technology to do so.

It is a policy of Latinitas that no one be denied admission to our clubs, camps, and workshops for economic reasons. Latinitas' scholarship program opens doors to girls who would not be able to afford to participate in our programs otherwise. The majority of our programs are free and all our programs are offered at a discounted rate. We've set a goal for 2006 for ourselves to expand our reach even more girls from economically challenged families. Please donate this year to Latinitas Annual Campaign to help us grow our programming at no or low cost to Latina youth and their families!

Latinitas celebrated the first annual Latinitasfest Multimedia Madness Conference on October 22, 2005 in a partnership with the Lone Star Girl Scout Council.

Latina youth from Central Texas came for workshops in web design, photography, radio production, ezine publishing and Latin dance, all presented by Latinitas staff and volunteers. A special thanks to UT Austin's Kappa Delta Chi Sorority for volunteering at registration, lunch and clean up!

On their evaluations girls said things like, "That was krunk!", "I loved making my own website" and "I want to be photography!"

"We agree girls: Latinitasfest was krunk!"

Latinitas co-founder Alicia Rascon was named La Luz de la Comunidad by the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on September 29th for her work empowering Latina youth everywhere! Alicia was one of only eight recipients of GAHCC's La Luz awards, amongst numbers of nominations.

As a way to grow Latinitas utilizing the expertise of experienced and talented Latinas in Austin, Latinitas has solicited the help of Las Consejeras, (Consejeros are welcome too!)

Las Consejeras are professionals in Austin who are donating their time to assist Latinitas in its marketing, outreach, publicity and management. Meeting quarterly and in sub-committees, this team of consultants come from all aspects of Austin life.

Latinitas welcomes Leslie Leal of Estrada Communications, Flor Longarini of LatinWorks, Bibi Lobo of Roy Lozanos Ballet Folklorico, Cynthia Perez of Las Manitas, Gissela Santacruz of Ahora Si and Belinda Acosta of the Austin Chronicle.

Latinitas celebrates the induction of new board members Miranda Oropeza, student and entrepreneur and Agustina Politti, financial consultant.

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Latinitas, Inc. is an Austin-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Hispanic girls in media and technology. We accomplish this by publishing a bilingual webzine for Hispanic girls, hosting innovative media workshops in the community, and facilitating an after-school program for junior reporters.