BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho nonprofit made a trip to the nation's capital last week to receive a grant to help provide funding for future Latino journalists.
On April 27, the Voces Internship of Idaho received a $15,000 grant from Wells Fargo at the Mexican Consulate in Washington, D.C., at an event with national leaders and journalists. The organization said the funding would help more Latino journalists pursue a career in the industry by paying for an intern's stipend, housing and transportation.
Voces alum and KTVB Digital Content Producer, Richard Rodriguez, spoke at the event and said the grant would help Latino students in Idaho get a paid internship experience that otherwise would be difficult to afford.
"The Voces Internship of Idaho allows Latinos to get into a newsroom to start covering stories of our community and as well as any community who needs a voice … It's a pathway forward," Rodriguez said. "There has been more representation within Idaho's newsrooms – a lot of Voces alumni are currently working at Idaho stations and newspapers."
KTVB's Brenda Rodriguez also attended the event with Richard as a Voces representative. She shared the importance of having news in Spanish because Latinos are one of the fastest-growing populations in the state.
Voces was founded in 2022 by by Ximena Bustillo and Nicole Foy, two former Idaho journalists.
"[The internship] is an equity-driven internship program that strives to bring in new and needed voices to Idaho's news landscape by opening doors for young Latino Idahoans to get professional paid experience to kick start their careers," the Voces website states.
Since its inception, the nonprofit has placed 13 students in Gem State newsrooms, ranging in print, radio and broadcast.
Voces is also participating in Idaho Gives, the state’s largest celebration of charitable giving, and has a goal of raising $3,000.
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