‘Nosotros’ reaches out to Hispanic community
1-year-old newspaper
based in Freehold
now circulates in
VERONICA YANKOWSKI Cecilia Reynolds (l) and Paola Quintero check out the latest edition of Nosotros, the newspaper they publish in Freehold Borough and circulate among the Hispanic population in three central New Jersey counties.
three N.J. counties
By clare MARie celano
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — Colombia produces rich coffee, and Mexico produces textiles and great spicy food. Each of these countries has produced another great export — a woman with a mission.
Cecilia Reynolds and Paola Quintero grew up in different countries. They are from different generations and different lifestyles, yet they are of one mind.
Their mission? To help their countrymen and -women integrate into the United States via the written word.
The two Hispanic women co-own and co-operate the newspaper Nosotros ("Us"), which is celebrating its first year of publication this month.
Originally initiated by the Rev. George Berrios of St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, the newspaper was created to help Hispanic residents acclimate to life in the United States, specifically Freehold Borough.
What began as an idea in Berrios’ mind as a way to help his people has blossomed into a circulation which boasts more than 15,000 readers. The monthly publication, originally targeting only the borough, now reaches three counties and serves people in Englishtown, Asbury Park, Beachwood, Neptune, Long Branch, Lakewood, Howell, Perth Amboy, Keyport, Jackson and Hightstown, among other areas.
The newspaper is designed, written and circulated by the two women with a little help from their friend Carlos Velecela, who aids in the delivery of the newspapers.
Neither of the women had previous publishing experience, but Quintero’s work experience as a photojournalist gave her enough know-how to operate the software that would eventually create the tabloid newspaper.
Initially Reynolds served as a volunteer member of St. Rose and worked closely with Berrios on projects aimed at welcoming and integrating new residents into the Freehold community.
"They always come to the church first," Reynolds said. "It is a place they feel safe, a place where they do not experience fear."
Nosotros was published under the auspices of St. Rose three times before Berrios was transferred to Long Branch.
Wanting to keep the newspaper alive, Reynolds and Quintero absorbed the task of running the newspaper on their own. With some start-up money from the church, they were able to secure an office to work from, although both women say much of the real work done on the paper is done from their homes and in e-mail exchanges. The hours they spend in their Broad Street office are often filled with visitors, residents who need help, who need a connection to home or who want to pick up a paper and read it.
The requirements for this project were heart, a belief in themselves and a determination to make things work.
One year later, Nosotros is still alive and is reaching the region’s Hispanic community in a way that English-language newspapers, fliers and public notices have heretofore been unable to do.
Reynolds, who lives in Freehold Town-ship with her husband, Matthew, and children—Carlos, 22, and Fatima, 16—explained that the initial idea that gave birth to the newspaper was an attempt to get important information out to Hispanic residents about the town and country in which they live.
"Not everyone goes to church," Reynolds noted.
The church news bulletin that Berrios initially prepared with information for the Hispanic community allowed space for minimal information.
"It wasn’t enough," Reynolds said. "We needed more room to discuss the many issues affecting the community."
Although others had tried this idea in the past and had not been successful, Reynolds and Quintero kept their vision alive and, despite some opposition, they and the reverend forged ahead.
"Our community had to know about how to live here and to understand the benefits that this county offers," Reynolds said.
Making use of the Internet, Berrios placed an ad for a journalist. Quintero, who lives in Ewing Township, Mercer County, with her husband, Dr. Gustavo Colmenares, and her children—Juan Rafael, 6, and Isabela, 4—responded. And with that action, both she and her partner are making history by taking on a project that lesser women and men might have shied away from.
"Our focus was always on Freehold Borough. We began by focusing on people in our community. Residents began to recognize their friends in the paper and began reading it regularly," Reynolds said, adding that news about birthdays, anniversaries, parties and other local events drew residents’ interest.
These stories attracted members of the Hispanic community to pick up the paper. The news, stories and recognition of their friends kept them reading the small publication.
Nosotros also gave them a connection something akin to home, and the passionate emotion that spins through the pages of this paper keeps patrons reading month after month.
The women said the Freehold Borough Police Department and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office have been extremely supportive of their endeavor. Both agencies have been the subject of feature articles in Nosotros.
"They were even excited about our paper," Reynolds said. "Finally, there was a link to communicate with the Hispanic community."
She added that representatives of local law enforcement agencies often attended events held for the Hispanic community to help residents adjust to life in Freehold.
Reynolds specifically mentioned the support Nosotros has received from Freehold Borough Police Chief Michael Beierschmitt, Sgt. Andy DeMuth and patrolmen Glenn Roberts and Craig Dispenza.
DeMuth writes a monthly column in which he discusses information that concerns the Hispanic community.
Both women have taken on this project without any monetary gain.
In fact, Quintero lost the part-time salary she started out with when Nosotros was under the auspices of St. Rose.
"We don’t do this for the money," said Reynolds. "The main thing is to distribute the information."
"We’re here to help," Quintero added. "Our reward is when someone comes and says to us, ‘I didn’t know this before; thank you for all your help.’ This we can do. We only wish we could do more."
It would seem that "more" is what these women do.
Sometimes they exchange e-mails to each other until 3:30 a.m. on deadline days to prepare the paper for publishing.
"This work gives us a satisfaction we cannot buy," Reynolds said. "These people really need our help. Many Hispanics who have lived here for years have a home, a driver’s license and a job. They own their own lives. There are others who have none of these things. They depend on others for their lives. We want to help them to own their own lives."
An issue of Nosotros typically includes information on immigration issues, community events, education and features. There are also games, puzzles and recipes. The newest feature is a section on English. Quintero’s full-page lesson not only incorporates English and Spanish versions of commonly used sentences, but also adds a sentence explaining how to pronounce the words used in the sentence. There are also columns written by Ken Geigel, an advocate for the local Hispanic community, and by Quintero’s husband on preventative health.
Members of the Hispanic community seem to find comfort, not only in the words they read in their native language, but in the warm reception they receive from the two women who have made this possible.