At the start of 2025, El Tímpano conducted our first ever community survey to learn about the more than 5,500 individuals who subscribe to our Spanish-language SMS platform, through which we provide news and information, and facilitate participatory reporting. 

It’s not that we don’t know our subscribers. Each week, dozens respond to El Tímpano’s messages with emojis, thank you’s, questions, and stories. Their requests for resources have shaped our Guía de Recursos and the experiences and concerns they share inform our reporting. In fact, nearly every one of our subscribers began their relationship with El Tímpano by meeting a member of our outreach team at their church, their kids’ school, the swap meet or a community festival. But with the growth of our community, we wanted to learn more about who they are so we can better serve their needs. 

This report outlines what we know in aggregate about the individuals who make up El Tímpano’s SMS community based on questions we ask when they sign up, and what the 175 who responded to our survey told us. A forthcoming report will share how subscribers responded to the question, “What do you want to see improve or change in your community,” as well as what were heard from community members 60 years old and up. 

Geographic reach

Between early 2020 and the start of 2025, El Tímpano’s SMS community grew from 400 to 5,400, and from Oakland to the wider East Bay and beyond. Approximately half of our subscribers reside in Oakland, where El Tímpano began in 2017. Of those, nearly half live in Fruitvale, 27% are in Deep East Oakland, and 25% are elsewhere in the city. 

In early 2022, after seeing our SMS community grow beyond Oakland’s borders, we expanded El Tímpano’s mission from focusing on Oakland to serving Latino and Mayan immigrants across the Bay Area, starting in the East Bay. Today, 27% of our subscribers are in Contra Costa County, with nearly half of those in East Contra Costa—where our team has invested in serving the Bay Area’s fastest growing Latino immigrant population. We have more than 100 subscribers in each of the cities of Pittsburg, Bay Point, and Antioch, as well as nearly 300 subscribers in both Concord and Richmond. 

Our reach has also expanded to South Alameda County. More than 300 subscribers live in Hayward and the adjacent unincorporated areas of Ashland and Cherryland, where close to one-third of residents speak Spanish at home. Nearly 200 subscribers live in San Leandro. 

Up until now, El Tímpano has only had the resources to focus our in-person outreach in the East Bay, but we’ve still picked up more than 100 subscribers in San Francisco and dozens more in the South and North Bay, as well as residents from as far away as San Joaquin County. This reflects both word-of-mouth amplification of our work by current subscribers as well as the fluid nature of the Bay Area, where many people live in one county and work in another, or move around due to housing costs and displacement. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, El Tímpano heard from dozens of subscribers who had to move due to the loss of income.

Age and gender

El Tímpano is designed with and for immigrants who don’t speak English—because for them, language is a significant barrier to accessing information and having their voice heard (though far from the only one; see below for more on computer access). Because of that, our community skews older than average, as younger immigrants are more likely to speak English. The average subscriber age is 43. About 11% are 60 or older. 

Seventy-seven percent of our subscribers are women, and 23% are men—primarily a reflection of the people who frequent the sort of spaces and events where we conduct outreach.

Occupation and education

More than one-third of subscribers are amas de casa (housekeepers). The next most common occupations are cleaning services (17%), which includes both house cleaners and janitors; followed by 10% who work in food service—as cooks, waiters, and food preparation staff. Other common occupations include construction, caretaking, and retail work.

The most common education level reported is Secundaria (Middle School), making up 42% of the total responses. Eighteen percent said some amount of elementary school was their highest education, 6% have had some amount of high school, and 27% have had some level of university education.

Country of origin and years in the U.S. 

Half of El Tímpano’s subscribers are from Mexico. The next largest group at 21% is from Guatemala, 9% are from El Salvador, 5% are from Peru, 4% are from Nicaragua, and the rest from elsewhere in Latin America, as well as 5% from the U.S. 

Our survey respondents have lived in the U.S. an average of 21 years. Sixty-nine percent of respondents immigrated more than 20 years ago, while only 13% immigrated less than 5 years ago.

Computers in the home

A majority (57%) of our subscribers do not have a home computer. Several told us they would like to have one but cannot afford it. “I will try to buy a computer in the future to have access to a lot of information,” said one subscriber from Richmond. Many explained they only have a cell phone, and several use it to access the internet. Of the 43% who do have a home computer, some said only their children use it. Others told us they use it to study, look for work, use email, and pay bills. 

How else do our subscribers stay informed? 

There was a wide range in response to this survey question. The most common was social media. Facebook and WhatsApp were by far the most common platforms, with more than double the mentions as the next most common ones, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 

Dozens of respondents stay informed through other Spanish- and Mam-language media, including Univision, Telemundo, 1010 AM, Radio B’alam, and La Raza 93.3 FM. 

Community organizations are another common source of information. Respondents mentioned MEDA, Mujeres Unidas y Activas, Padres Unidos de Cherryland, The Latina Center, Hijas del Campo, and many other local immigrant-serving community-based organizations.

In following reports, we’ll share more from our 2025 SMS community survey, including what respondents said they want to see change in their community, and the experiences and concerns of aging immigrants. 

The survey was conducted by El Tímpano Community Reporter Vanessa Flores, who also supported data analysis, with assistance from California Local News Fellow Ximena Loeza.