Press Forward Chicago Supports a Thriving Local Media Landscape

Robust local news coverage is essential to fostering an informed and engaged public. In contrast to much of the country, where local newspapers are going out of business at an alarming rate, Chicago has a diverse news ecosystem.  A number of community-driven and nonprofit outlets have sprung up in the past 20 years and are producing award-winning coverage. However, many of these outlets are under-resourced. 

In response, Press Forward Chicago aims to strengthen local news organizations and ensure residents have access to trusted and reliable sources. Led by The Chicago Community Trust, Press Forward Chicago is part of a national coalition investing more than $500 million to revive local newsrooms, develop sustainable business models, and reverse the trend of news deserts across the country. 

This past spring, Press Forward Chicago announced its inaugural grant recipients, awarding more than $1.6 million to 13 local news organizations with a focus on developing sustainable funding and news distribution models and growing audience engagement.  

Against a backdrop of growing polarization, misinformation, and mistrust in institutions, Press Forward grant recipients are working across Chicago communities to build trust and help residents understand and engage in the issues that affect them.   

La Raza 

Founded in 1971, La Raza is a weekly paper that provides news for a largely Latine, Spanish-speaking audience (it also prints in English), covering issues including gentrification, affordable housing, and politics, among others. Despite Latines being one of the fastest growing populations locally and nationally, Director and General Manager Jesús Del Toro says a dearth of Spanish-speaking media still exists and that outlets like La Raza step in to become their trusted source of news.  

“Communities rely on their local media to be informed and empowered about the issues that directly affect them and to have an ally for their empowerment and well-being,” he said.  

The grant from Press Forward is helping the newspaper to increase the scope of its news coverage and community engagement, as well as develop a strategy for long-term sustainability. More specifically, La Raza plans to cultivate a cohort of community writers, thinkers and reporters to address challenges, counteract harmful narratives, and generate content that best serves its readers.  

For the upcoming presidential election, La Raza will leverage all platforms, including its website and newsletter, to educate readers on voting information and cover issues related to democracy and voter priorities—all through a lens that centers Latine voices. In addition, it just released InfoVoto, an AI-powered Spanish chatbot on its website that can answer user’s questions about the voting process. 

The Lansing Journal  

Serving a diverse audience in south suburban Cook County, The Lansing Journal is an independent newspaper focused on hyperlocal news coverage. Whether it is driving residents to attend events, frequent new businesses, or show up to a public hearing, Publisher Melanie Jongsma says connecting residents with community is core to the paper’s mission.  With plans to become a nonprofit news operation, funding from Press Forward will allow The Lansing Journal to expand staff capacity, including bringing in development staff, and shift to a more sustainable business model.  

The Lansing Journal will provide comprehensive coverage of all candidates running in local elections in the spring of 2025, as well as provide information to voters on where to vote and how to register. Additionally, it will moderate a candidate forum at the Lansing Public Library, something it had previously done for the 2023 election cycle. 

Recently, Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard has made national headlines for a series of scandals related to her administration – a story The Lansing Journal has been covering since news first broke. According to Jongsma, even when local issues attract national media, local outlets have an on-the-ground knowledge and existing relationships in community that give them an advantage.   

“We can tell a more nuanced story and publish it for the benefit of the community, not the benefit of the media source,” she said.