At Napa Valley Community Foundation, we believe that our community and our democracy are more vibrant when everyone participates in the decisions we make about our future. But all too often, certain segments of our population face obstacles to civic engagement โ like the lack of affordable legal services to obtain citizenship, or the dearth of local journalism.
Championing our community is not just a value โ it’s an action. It’s one of the four key areas we prioritize in our annual grantmaking.
Our commitment is evident in the more than $3 million we’ve invested in our One Napa Valley Initiative, aiming to assist Napaโs immigrant community in their journey to citizenship.
And itโs why we launched a Media & Democracy Fund last year to preserve and grow independent journalism that can cover the important topics affecting our quality of life โ like housing, education, and healthcare โ and inform and engage residents in solutions to such issues.
The past 15 years have witnessed a seismic shift in the local media landscape. A prime example is the Napa Valley Register, which once boasted a staff of over 100 dedicated individuals but has since experienced a significant contraction.
In times of crisis, the role of trusted news outlets becomes paramount, and the issue of language accessibility takes center stage.
As the report that follows will show, the avenues available to cater to the news and information needs of our Spanish-speaking community members remain woefully inadequate.
Yet, we remain optimistic. We envision a future in which our community is more interconnected and better informed. Achieving this requires knowledge, understanding, and proactive measures. We hope this report illuminates a path forward, guiding Valley-wide endeavors to provide the news and information all of us need.
At NVCF, we’re already taking steps to implement our report’s recommendations, and weโd love for you to be a part of this progress.
If you’re interested in joining us, we’re just a conversation away.