Recognizing Mundo Latino on its 20th Anniversary

Floor Speech

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Mr. BACON. Madam Speaker, I rise today during Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize Mundo Latino, a Hispanic publication originating from my district in Omaha, Nebraska, that has had a lasting impact on our Hispanic community for the last two decades.

Mundo Latino is a weekly newspaper serving the local Hispanic population. Founded by Abril Garcia, it is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Abril was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in 1973, and is a graduate of the prestigious Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, or Tec de Monterrey.

Abril immigrated to the United States in 1996 and invested her time and money in the success of her very own business, all while working multiple jobs during its inception. The goal was to create a communication medium that understood the language and culture of the Hispanic community and, more importantly, the needs of immigrants residing here in the United States.

Her degree in mass communication studies gave her the knowledge she needed to ensure the success of her startup newspaper. In 1999, Mundo Latino was born and had a distribution of 3,000 copies per month, all while Abril was still working as a cashier at a local grocery store. By 2003, Mundo Latino was printing 20,000 copies per month, an outstanding feat for a 4-year-old newspaper. In 2011, the success of Abril and her staff enabled them to start a second publication exclusively serving the Omaha area.

Today, Mundo Latino produces four different publications with a circulation of nearly 40,000 copies a week across the State of Nebraska and has become a cherished voice throughout the Latino community. Mundo Latino is considered the main Spanish newspaper for the Hispanic community in Nebraska and northwest Iowa.

Through the years, Mundo Latino has received numerous accolades, including Small Business of the Year and Business of the Year in Nebraska and Iowa, the Organization Award from the Nebraska Latino American Commission, and many others.

Mundo Latino exemplifies the American Dream. Our Nation provides us the opportunities to work hard and prosper, and Abril is doing just that. Again, I congratulate Mundo Latino and Abril Garcia on achieving 20 years of excellence in business and journalism.

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