From the deaths of construction workers to the premiere of the first Spanish-language film in Charlotte, to the expansion of Medicaid, to the election of the first Latina to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board, 2023 was full of relevant events who left their mark on our community..
Below we present a brief compilation of the stories published by La Noticia that generated the most impact in the local Latino community during the last 12 months.
A vulnerable community
1) 2023 began with tragedy. In January, three Latino construction workers died after scaffolding collapsed on a building near uptown Charlotte. The Department of Labor found that a series of oversights by construction companies and lack of safety inspections were factors in the deaths of Gilberto Mónico Fernández, Jesús “Chuy” Olivares, and José Canaca Bonilla. Two other workers were injured in the incident.
2) Between July and September, at least seven Latinas reported being victims of sexual assault by Daniel Pitti-Casazola, an interpreter pretending to be a doctor. He worked at the Mecklenburg County Health Department for nine years, leaving behind questions about the security of patient information. The suspect was arrested.
Pioneers in the Latino community
3) In January, Juan Pablo Soto was named the first Latino battalion chief of the Charlotte Fire Department, after 20 years of working in this institution.
4) During a gala held in November, the first film filmed in Spanish in Charlotte, ¡Él es mi Papá! (He is my Dad!), premiered. The event was attended by the local actors who participated in this comedy, its director Alex Jácome, producer Deliah Rabah, and various community figures.
5) On December 12, Elizabeth (Liz) Monterrey became the first Latina to serve on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board.
Achievements and challenges in the community
6) In September, Esperanza Global Academy opened. This is the first school in Charlotte to carry a Latino name, which reflects this community’s growth.
7) In the 2023-2024 school year, Latinos account for one in three students in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School (CMS) System. They are the fastest growing group, but they face challenges. For example, fewer Latinos graduate from high school on time than other groups.
8) The November local elections in Mecklenburg yielded worrying results. There were almost 44,000 Latinos registered to vote, but only 2,412 went to the polls; in other words, only 5.5 of every 100 registered Latinos voted.
Latino culture left its mark
9) The Latin American Coalition and La Noticia formed an alliance to highlight 18 organizations that participated in the 2023 Latin American Festival. The purpose was to show the valuable work of those who enrich the multicultural tapestry that covers Charlotte.
10) 2023 was full of Latino cultural expressions, from the quinceañera parade at the Expo Party in February, countless artistic exhibitions, the dominance of Latino dishes in the culinary competition World Chef’s Championship Cup from chef Roberto Mendoza, to huge participation in the Latin American Coalition’s Day of the Dead Festival and the massive Venezuelan Christmas Parranda.
A year full of national awards
Our unwavering commitment to offering you quality journalism was recognized by multiple entities nationwide in 2023.
La Noticia won 38 José Martí awards from the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP): 7 gold, 10 silver and 21 bronze, making us the most awarded Spanish-language media outlet in the country for the eighth consecutive year.
In November, Editor & Publisher magazine presented the EPPY Awards and lanoticia.com won two awards: Best Website for a Latino Newspaper and Best Website for a Weekly Newspaper (in English and Spanish) in the entire country.
La Noticia received the Collaboration of the Year award from LION Publishers, an association of independent news publishers in the United States and Canada.
To leave its mark on the history of our community, La Noticia celebrated its 26th anniversary in April by partnering with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library System to publish its editions since 1997 in the digital historical research service known as “The Vault.”
We are grateful for a 2023 full of achievements and challenges. Thank you for your support and for allowing us to grow with you and your family. We have faith that 2024 will be a year of opportunity and growth for our community.