$32,962 raised by 134 donors
22% complete
$150,000 Goal
An Informed Community is Empowered. No Matter What the Language.
As a Donor you become a Supporting Member of Your Community Newspaper,
and Join Our Effort to Inform, Inspire and Build Community by Fostering Diverse Voices in Local Journalism.
Celebrating 15 Years of The Sopris Sun and 3 Years of El Sol del Valle: A Milestone in Community Owned Journalism
2024 is a landmark year for The Sopris Sun as we celebrate our 15th anniversary, alongside the 3rd anniversary of El Sol del Valle. This year marks a pivotal moment in our journey, reflecting our growth and evolution as a nonprofit, independent community supported newsroom committed to serving our diverse communities.
In June, we proudly relauched El Sol del Valle as a standalone publication, extending our reach from Aspen to Parachute. This significant achievement is a testament to the collaborative effort of the eight other newsrooms in our Valley, who continue to contribute to this important initiative. Our Language Equity Initiative, Youth Journalism Program, and expanded editorial focus in The Sopris Sun represent our commitment to bridging language barriers and fostering a vibrant community dialogue across Colorado, Roaring Fork and Crystal River Valleys.
Thanks to your support in 2023, we were able to hire our first Latina editor for El Sol del Valle. Her presence, along with the contributions of our local Latino writers and reporters, is enhancing our ability to empower and represent our Spanish-speaking community members.
As a bilingual nonprofit news organization, The Sopris Sun and Sol del Valle strive to unite our community through diverse voices and inclusive journalism. With over 25 regular contributors—including photographers, writers, and cartoonists—our publications offer a rich tapestry of local perspectives and stories not found in other newspapers.
Our Youth Journalism Program is nurturing the next generation of journalists, providing them with valuable skills, real-world experience, and compensation for their work. These young reporters not only contribute to our newsroom’s dynamism but also learn the importance of their work and its impact on our community.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. Your support makes it possible for us to continue delivering news that reflects our shared values and strengthens our community connections.
Our mission is to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. The Sopris Sun and our new Spanish Language insert el Sol del Valle, focuses in-depth on issues and stories not covered by other local newspapers, providing a forum for the rich exchange of news and views and offering a unique platform for promotion of local businesses and events in Garfield, Eagle, Pitkin and Gunnison Counties.
The Sopris Sun was established in 2009 as one of the first community nonprofit newspapers in the country when the former local newspaper, The Valley Journal, was purchased and shut down by a large corporate media business. The Sopris Sun brings together people who live and work in this diverse area of the Western Slope; Garfield, Eagle, Pitkin and Gunnison Counties. The Sun reaches out beyond tourism and business to families, professionals, ranchers, laborers, educators and people who make this place their full-time or part-time home. As a nonprofit, we are a trusted source of local news both in English and Spanish.
We had many accomplishments in 2021. The Sopris Sun launched our new journalism program for area High School Students. Through this program students are mentored and learn the art and business of journalism. They also get to be published in The Sopris Sun and el Sol del Valle. This year we also launched el Sol del Valle, our Spanish language insert. Working in collaboration with many groups across the area, our Spanish insert has content created by native Spanish speakers. On many issues you can also read the same article in English, which makes it a handy tool to learn the other language. We also continued to expand our program that provides free advertising to local nonprofits and struggling small businesses.
Organization name
The Sopris Sun / Sol del Valle
2009
Tax id (EIN)
26-4219405
Category
Public & Societal Benefit
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
520 S Third Street Unit 26-BMailing
PO Box 399Garfield County, CO, US