The second presidency of Donald Trump has not even begun, but in the first two weeks of 2025, California’s immigrant communities have experienced border patrol sweeps in Bakersfield, false rumors about ICE raids in the Bay Area, and a sense of uncertainty about what is to come from a president who centered his campaign around anti-immigrant rhetoric. At the same time, the world’s largest social media platform dismantled its fact-checking efforts while news outlets face continued assault from the incoming administration and economic forces.
As a civic media organization dedicated to informing, engaging, and amplifying the voices of the Bay Area’s Latino and Mayan immigrants, El Tímpano’s mission is more important today than ever.
Below are six ways our community can rely on El Tímpano to meet this moment, drawing upon the relationships we’ve built, the trust we’ve earned, and the lessons we’ve learned in the seven years since our founding.
1. Provide timely, trusted, actionable information for the Bay Area’s Latino and Maya Mam immigrants
As policy changes impact the daily lives of immigrants, a source they can access, trust, and rely upon is more important than ever. Providing this is the bread and butter of El Tímpano’s work.
Through our Spanish-language texting platform and Mam-language social video series, we will inform immigrants of what policy changes mean for them, what their rights are, and how they can access relevant resources. These communication channels were designed in collaboration with the communities we serve, which is why thousands of Bay Area immigrants subscribe. Most importantly, they allow for two-way communication, and throughout our coverage we will invite immigrants to ask questions and share their stories and concerns.
During the first two years of the COVID pandemic, these channels became a lifeline for Latino and Mayan immigrants in the East Bay. Knowing how vital this service is during a time of uncertainty, we plan to expand our reach and ensure that thousands more of the Bay Area’s nearly 2 million Spanish- and Mam-speaking immigrants have a source of information that helps them navigate uncertain times.
Interested in subscribing to El Tímpano’s Spanish-language service, or do you know someone who is? Simply text OÍR to 510-800-8305. Follow us on Facebook for Tumil El Tímpano, our Mam-language video series.
2. Counter disinformation
Uncertainty and fear fuel the spread of disinformation. There will be a lot of both as the Trump administration rolls out changes to immigration policy and its stated plan to launch mass deportations. During past crackdowns on immigrant communities, rumors and misinformation have spread quickly, sparking a paralysis of panic.
Providing a trusted source of news and information is one way El Tímpano combats disinformation. But at a time when artificial intelligence, algorithms, and targeted disinformation campaigns pollute our information ecosystem, disseminating verified information is not enough. Combating disinformation requires decentralized, community-wide approaches.
Since 2021, El Tímpano has partnered with grassroots organizations, schools, promotoras groups, and coalitions across the Bay Area to facilitate disinformation defense workshops we’ve designed with and for Latino immigrants. The interactive workshops help participants understand the tactics and motivations behind disinformation, and equip them with steps they can take to recognize it and halt its spread in their communities.
Since the November election, requests for El Tímpano to bring this workshop to local organizations have accelerated. This year, we plan to ramp up our efforts to train Bay Area immigrants and nonprofit staff to be the first line of defense against the spread of disinformation.
3. Highlight the agency of immigrants
When El Tímpano was founded during the first Trump administration, countless immigrants told us they were avoiding the news. “It just covers attacks on my community without giving me information I can use to take action,” one East Oakland resident commented. Things—usually bad things—happened to them. And there was nothing they could do but watch.
These narratives not only strip people of their agency; they also discourage them from consuming the news. Who wants to see their community as a perpetual victim? It’s stressful, exhausting, and disempowering. It’s the main reason so many people told us they were tuning out.
Importantly, of course, such narratives are false. Social movements throughout history—as well as the COVID pandemic—have demonstrated the power and vital role of everyday people in making consequential decisions and taking action that could impact their communities.
As El Tímpano covers emerging policy changes, we will do so in a way that helps our audiences engage, rather than turn away. Our journalism will equip community members with information they can use to navigate change, make decisions, and connect with local organizations and one another. Ultimately, it aims to provide pathways for community members to tap into their power.
4. Produce in-depth journalism that amplifies the stories of Latino and Mayan immigrants
When policy changes impact immigrant communities, it is vital that the voices and stories of immigrants are centered in news coverage and civic conversations. All too often this is not the case. Our reporting—powered by El Tímpano’s robust community engagement and the trust we have earned with thousands of Bay Area immigrants—will fill this gap by elevating the voices and experiences of impacted community members. It will equip community leaders, elected officials, advocates, service providers, and other stakeholders with stories, insights, and information they can use to take action, and will ensure that immigrants see their experiences reflected in civic narratives.
5. Strengthen connections with other organizations
At the start of the COVID pandemic, El Tímpano was invited to be a part of Resilient Fruitvale, a coalition of community-based organizations serving East Oakland residents. This powerful network allowed us to coordinate efforts and share real-time resources and knowledge about the pandemic with other organizations serving Latino and Mayan immigrants.
With immense challenges for the communities we cover and serve on the horizon once again, leveraging the strength of partnerships will be a core part of our impact strategy. We are more resolved than ever to deepen and expand our relationships with peers—from local CBOs to other news outlets, as well as the network of media organizations across the country serving immigrant communities. By coordinating efforts and sharing resources, we strive to not only be more effective in our work, but to strengthen the communities and networks we are a part of that foster a more informed and engaged public.
6. Foster joy and a sense of belonging
If the impact of harmful narratives is polarization, dehumanization, disengagement, and fear, we strive to foster joy, community, and a sense of belonging. Some of El Tímpano’s most impactful work in the past two years have been storytelling experiences beyond traditional reporting. Whether by creating a Día de los Muertos altar in collaboration with hundreds of community members, gathering residents to photograph local wildlife, or producing instant portraits at the flea market, these place-based activities invite people to tell their stories and engage in a process of discovery and connection.
While these projects are not necessarily hard news, they fulfill a deeper need: to be seen, heard, and reflected as part of the collective human experience. During the most challenging times, we believe participatory storytelling and joyous community building is more important than ever.
