How do you reach a community when language itself can be a barrier? For industries and organizations across Northern Nevada, connecting with Spanish speaking residents is a challenge much deeper than translation. It’s about fostering an understanding in a world where language shapes our identity and belonging.

A bilingual panel at the 2024 Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl, “Por qué en espanol’?/Why ‘in Spanish’?” on October 12 will tackle this head on. As the Latino population continues to increase in our region, increasing how we communicate could reap both socioeconomic and political benefits locally. The aim of the conversation is to explore the powerful role of storytelling to bridge gaps between residents of communities and bring them together.

Local leaders from the Washoe County School District (WCSD), High Sierra Area Health Education Center, and Northern Nevada Public Health, will discuss how these organizations engage Spanish-speaking households in order to foster inclusivity. 

Moderated by Diego Zarazúa, public communication specialist for the City of Reno, discussion will be steered to address how bilingual communication impacts different sectors from education to healthcare. Expected themes will include: how can public institutions, schools, and healthcare organizations engage Spanish-speaker more effectively and the risks if these communities are left out of the conversation?

Another featured speaker is Fátima Rivas, who leads the interpretation and translation services team for WCSD. Rivas has dedicated her career to advocate for multilingual families and students. Her work is centered on language access and ensuring that all students, regardless what language they speak at home can succeed academically. 

Yeraldin Deavila, media and communications specialist for Northern Nevada Public Health, will bring her expertise in public health communication. Deavila works to address health disparities, particularly in underserved communities, and has developed innovative strategies to reach Spanish-speakers during critical moments such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

As an “artivist” (artist and activist), Ricardo Rubalcaba-Paredes focuses on creating healthcare practices that are more inclusive and accessible for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, queer, and low income populations. As program coordinator for High Sierra Area Health Education Center, Rubalcaba-Paredes will highlight how communication in Spanish can challenge disparities in this area.

Using the Spanish language for communication isn’t just about providing a service to a community, however. For many, language isn’t just how you speak, but a reflection of culture, identity, and history. This panel will comprehensively review how storytelling in Spanish impacts the lives of Northern Nevadans and potentially improves the region for all.

For more information about this 1 p.m. October 12 event and learn about other programs during the Literary Crawl visit the Nevada Humanities website.

This branded article and illustration was contributed to Noticiero Móvil by Genevy Machuca, an intern at Nevada Humanities and student of the Reynolds School of Journalism’s Latino Through the Eyes of The Media course.