news-record.com

Every community needs a voice. And for the growing

local Hispanic population, that voice is Qué Pasa.

"They keep us informed of information that affects the Hispanic community positively or negatively," said Douglas Ilama, 35, of Costa Rica.

Ilama, who lives in Greensboro now, said he gets his news almost exclusively from the newspaper and radio station produced by Qué Pasa.

Qué Pasa is part of North Carolina's oldest and largest Hispanic communications company - Hispanic Group.

José Isasi, a Cuban-American who has been in the U.S. for more than 40 years, started the company in 1994. The Hispanic Group includes Qué Pasa and businesses including events production and temporary services - all focused on the Hispanic community.

Qué Pasa publishes a free weekly newspaper and airs news and music on its AM radio station, which serves the Piedmont, Triangle and Charlotte areas.

The paper is produced by three metro editors, seven news reporters, one sports editor and one executive editor.

Qué Pasa employs more than 100 Hispanic media

professionals from 10 Spanish-speaking countries.

Their vision is to be the voice of the Hispanic communities, according to Ivan Cruz, a producer and editor at Qué Pasa.

The radio station has been raising money for a baby who needs a transplant, according to Ángel Colón, a DJ at Qué Pasa.

Both the paper and the radio station provide local, regional and international news, entertainment, sports and community services. They try to focus on news concerning immigration, the economy, education, health and security.

The newspaper and radio station reach 85 percent of the state's 800,000 Hispanics each day, according to the company's Web site. The week of June 16, Qué Pasa circulation in the Piedmont was 23,400. In Charlotte, it was 22,300 and the Triangle's circulation was 30,000.

Qué Pasa allows businesses and companies to expand their markets by targeting ads for the Latino community.

Victor Ilama, Douglas' twin brother, said he reads the newspaper weekly. "I trust the information that is written," said Victor Ilama. "I even look for job opportunities and employers."

Evelyn Jordan, a junior at Smith High School, tracked down one source in Florida. She even spent her birthday chasing stories. All part of the job. "I learned so much in that one week about the field," she says. "It was really hard work."