by publishers Chona Montesines-Sonido and Charles Sonido
The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle is celebrating its 32nd anniversary this year. Several years ago, it seemed likely that the Chronicle would have to close, as the print media-especially ethnic media-faces numerous challenges. It is estimated that by the end of this year, one-third of all newspapers in the U.S. will shut down due to financial constraints, and Hawaii is no exception. Even our long-time printer, which had been with us for 32 years, has shut down permanently.
Despite these difficulties, we are incredibly grateful to have survived and overcome these tough times. We sincerely thank the Filipino community and all our supporters who have contributed in their own way to the success of the Filipino Chronicle. Above all, we thank our Almighty God for blessing us in this undertaking.
During our journey, so much has happened that it’s challenging to pinpoint a single term that encapsulates this remarkable period in community reporting. Perhaps, the closest word we can think of that resonates with us is “hope” – the idea that embodies our unwavering optimism and the belief that we can continually come together to address challenges, uplift our communities and foster positive change. Hope serves as a guiding force, encouraging us to envision a brighter future while celebrating the successes and stories that unite us alt. We can look to some events our newspaper has covered that exemplified hope – the election of the nation’s first and only governor of Filipino ancestry, the establishment of our beloved Filipino Community Center, the largest of its kind in the United States and recording the rise of Filipinos as the second largest ethnic group in Hawaii. But hope is not limited to achievement, and arguably it’s relied upon more in times of injustice and need. The Filipino Chronicle has consistently stood with the community to advocate for causes that address our unique needs and concerns.
From the newspaper’s inception, we knew that we were on track to creating something special.
We recognized the connection between empowerment and voice. News is still monopolized by big media locally, but the Filipino Chronicle has provided our community with an influential alternative source of information as an ethnic newspaper that is serious, issue-oriented, and culturally sensitive.
Over the years, we’ve seen uplifting and disturbing trends in our nation and state. Through our advocacy in editorials and cover stories, we’ve shown restraint when needed, while in others, we boldly framed urgency at hand, calling for change. Of late, our news sections have carried extraordinary significance with reports on controversial changes to immigration policies and proposals to cut social safety nets.
The news constantly changes based on society’s values. For us, one area of consistency from the beginning has been promoting our culture and traditions, not only through articles but also through publicity of cultural events spearheaded by Filipino clubs and organizations-the most anticipated event being the annual Filipino Fiesta.
As we reflect on our journey, we have discovered and imparted significant lessons that define our collective success: we are stronger as a community working together, and in order to uplift our community, we must be active and give back by sharing our talents and resources. We must also recognize that our economic prosperity, health outcomes and educational attainment are often linked to political policies. Most people often overlook this last point, but this is where the media, the “Fourth Estate,” asserts its critical role. It serves the purpose of guarding the people’s interests over the interests of the powerful. By holding leaders accountable and exposing injustices, the media ensures our voices are amplified and empowers our community to ensure that our rights are protected.
Championing this cause is not just a primary goal; it is our obligation to build a fair and equitable society for all.
Through the years, we’ve also seen journalism as an industry undergoing major changes, mainly due to technological advances and market forces. The Internet has made aspects of the news business easier; but it has also created financial challenges for our industry as we struggle to carve a cyber niche for ourselves. It’s not an overstatement to say that running a newspaper has been a financial strain but we’ve remained steadfast and committed to carrying on because of our love for our community.
To give back to our community and support Filipino students pursuing careers in journalism and mass communication, I am pleased to announce the launch of the Hawaii Filipino Scholarship program in 2019. We are awarding $2,500 to a student of Filipino or part-Filipino ancestry who is majoring in journalism or mass communication. Proceeds from our anniversary supplement will contribute to our scholarship awards program. Thus far, we have awarded scholarships to five recipients.
Lastly, we would like to express our gratitude to our hardworking staff, editors, columnists, distributors and contributors. A BIG MAHALO to our advertisers! Thank you to our many collaborators in the Filipino community. This publication is about you. We invite you to join us on our journey and show your support as we move forward together. Our success has been your success. We are not giving up yet! Our commitment is enduring and for the long haul! Mabuhay to the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle and to Hawaii’s Filipino community!
Here’s to another 32 years of successful reporting!
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