Mainstream media and its coverage is intended for a specific audience. It does not extend to other populations, such as the Latino community; a group that requires more understanding in regards to their language or culture. Because of this disconnect, Spanish-speaking populations may be excluded from information that can be considered life-saving within this pandemic. The dissemination of information is especially important to the Latino community due to its members being at a higher risk for COVID-19. Other studies have shown clear patterns regarding the lack of access to healthcare information that may consist of current health guidelines, vaccine access, testing, masks, social distancing, etc. Hispanic newspapers serve as a credible source of information for this community to reduce their risk by providing timely, accurate, and culturally responsive information. Hispanic newspapers rely on trust, meaning that they cover COVID-19, intending to give the community the tools to navigate through the pandemic. This study uses an interdisciplinary approach that examines La Voz Billingue’s first-page coverage of Latinos during the COVID-19 pandemic to discover and understand any patterns of information. To examine the front page of this newspaper, the research utilizes specific criteria that consist of three categories informational, action-orientated, and personalization. Alongside this criteria, the research additionally used Benedict Anderson’s concept of an “imagined community” to further analyze the coverage and gain perspective on the communities experience.

Latinx is the current term used to group people who have a connection to Latin America. The word carries different connotations and distinctions from Latino/a and Hispanic. Latinx is a word primarily used in academic spaces and within the United States and has been met with criticism. The phrase presents itself as diverse, but the use of the umbrella term can diminish certain aspects of an author's identity. In addition, scholars often examine the use of bilingual writing by Latinx/a/o authors. This element is seen as a quality associated with Latinx/a/o literature, and the dominant feature discussed is the inclusion of Spanish in bilingual writing. The emphasis on how Spanish is used showcases a priority to Latinx/a/o writers who have a connection to a Spanish speaking country and tends to exclude Latinx/a/o writers who use Portuguese, Indigenous, or African based language in their works. This research seeks to highlight the use of the umbrella term Latinx/a/o and bilingual writing as a marker for Latinx/a/o writing. By examining these elements, the research will explore how categories can be positive for some groups but still allow other groups to be absent from conversations about Latinx/a/o literature.

Undocumented immigrants were excluded from access to federal aid, including in the most recent COVID-19 relief packages. However, the state of California set aside a stimulus payment for undocumented immigrants to support themselves and their families. The primary goal of this research is to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Spanish-speaking immigrant Latinx families in the Central Valley of California. I will focus on two areas in particular: 1) access to the stimulus payments and 2) English-Spanish resource communication dynamics during the pandemic. In assessing these two areas, I will evaluate the effectiveness of the current systems in place. To provide further context, I analyze pre-pandemic service utilization studies as a basis for this study. I will employ several data collection strategies to collect quantitative and qualitative data via surveys and semi-structured interviews. Results could inform policy, particularly by enhancing communication and outreach between government agencies and this population. Moving forward, it is crucial to address the economic impacts of global catastrophes and ensure that effective communication of resources is accessible to all populations.

This research project focuses on contemporary Mexican and Mexican American communities in rural Minnesota. With the steady number of immigrants from Latin American countries increasing for many years, it has been a point of discussion in political and social environments. However, most studies and literature focus on urban Latinx communities, often leaving out the rural Latinx experience. The lack of research done on these communities continues to build a narrative that the Latinx community is monolithic — urban, live in barrios, work blue collar jobs, and much more. These monolithic myths ultimately damage the way society treats the Latinx community, but also how Latinx people view and treat themselves. The belief that all Latinx people experience the same history, oppression, and successes has prevented a holistic historic view of America and its immigrants. With focus on the history of rural Mexican and Mexican American communities in the last few decades, this project investigates the changes Mexican and Mexican Americans have made in terms of small town culture, the ways they have acculturated in rural areas, what they have built in sense of community, and the legacy they continue to leave behind. The narratives of the Latinx community in rural Minnesota describe the disparities many rural communities already face — the largest being in healthcare, transportation, education, and poverty. However these disparities are exacerbated and layered by racism and xenophobia towards the Mexican and Mexican American community.