About La Prensa: Tino and Amelia Durán revived La Prensa
For years, Amelia Durán repeatedly urged her husband, Tino Durán, to find
a way to bring back to life the La Prensa newspaper. She felt a special responsibility
and connection with the venerated publication, because her father Rogelio
Jiménez, along with uncles Ruben, Alfredo, Esteban, Ricardo, Oscar, and Ramiro
who used to work for La Prensa, under the leadership of Don Ignacio Lozano.
The Jiménez brothers worked as printers and typesetters between 1926 and
1941.
Tino kept putting Amelia off, as he was gainfully employed in various positions
with local, state and federal officials, as well as managing several private enterprises
of his own.
Finally, in July of 1989, Tino gave in to Amelia's
persistence and opened La Prensa, after a 27-year
hiatus.
It was only fitting that Amelia become co-publisher
of La Prensa, a name that had made her family so
proud. Often times Amelia had seen people reading
newspapers in English and had wondered why the
Hispanic community of San Antonio could not have
its own publication, where they could read in Spanish
the news of the world, social events, education, health,
politics, food, culture and advise.
Amelia felt compelled to write a weekly advice
column and has become the Latina Dear Abby of La
Prensa.
Columnists and contributing writers for La Prensa,
past and present, feature community leaders such
as the late U.S. Congressman Henry B. González -
son of Leonidas González, the old La Prensa's first
managing editor - U.S. Rep. Charlie González, U.S.
Rep. Henry Bonilla and U. S. Rep. Ciro D. Rodríguez;
State Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, Mexican Counsel General Martha E.
Lara, Judge Albert Peña, Rubén Munguía - who in his youth worked in the
original La Prensa, and whose father, Rómulo Munguía, spent his professional
life in that paper - State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, U.S. Senator
Kay Bailey Hutchison, Social Security's Oscar García, Dr. Carlos D. Carbonell
and Univisión's anchorman Jorge Ramos.
In the past, staff newscasters from WOAI-TV have written for La Prensa,
among them Maclovio Pérez, Randy Escamilla. Prior to that, KENS TV coanchor
Sara Lucero and meteorologist Albert Flores also contributed to La
Prensa.
Adapting to the changing needs of San Antonio's bilingual population, La Prensa
publishes stories in English and Spanish. From a few tabloid pages in black ink, La
Prensa has evolved into multiple sections, full color, standard broadsheet and three
editions per week. This after surviving a devastating fire in 1998.
Going against mainstream editorial policies - blatantly commercialized -
Amelia and Tino Durán considered their newspaper space to be too valuable to
publish sensational, negative and derogatory stories. "Let others take care of
blood, gut and dirty stories," they stressed. Consequently, good, positive stories
are the norm in La Prensa, rather than the exception. Gangsters and juvenile
delinquents don't make the front page, or any other page for that matter. Instead,
studious, hard working, never-get-in-trouble young people are featured as role models.
"If you read most daily publications, you'd think the world is coming to an end
today, but when you read La Prensa, you feel uplifted, inspired, motivated and
happy that you don't overlook all the great things happening in our community and
our country," says Tino.
And it's not that La Prensa is Pollyannaish, because its columnists criticize when
necessary, but they also offer solutions and point us in the right direction.
Based on a strong work ethic and belief in God, country and family, the new La
Prensa has found a place in the hearts of the community and has become the paper
of record. National advertising agencies recognize the value
of La Prensa and place ads from Fortune 500 corporations
such as Frost Bank, SBC Communications, Verizon, Home
Depot, Sears, H.E.B, JC Penney, Lowes, Walmart; among
others.
The editorial and design qualities of La Prensa have not
gone unnoticed. The Durán's editorial policies have been
recognized in countless first, second and third place awards
presented by the National Association of Hispanic Publications.
Amelia's love for children is reflected each week in the
social page photo essays and portraits that cover the walls
of La Prensa. They have run out of space on the walls to
display the award-winning photos Amelia has taken through
the years. Her photos have also been displayed in arts exhibits.
Tino and Amelia Durán feel so grateful to God
and the community, that they established the La
Prensa Foundation, a non-profit organization that
spotlights the most outstanding leaders of our community
in education, religion, business, politics, government, legal, health
and community service.
The foundation raises funds through two annual galas celebrating Hispanic
heritage and women who have excelled in various professions.
Again, in contrast with traditional criteria, the La Prensa Foundation
awards scholarships to students who may not have the highest scores,
but who are struggling under extenuating circumstances to attend college,
get a career and contribute to the betterment of the community.
In memory of their parents, the Duráns collect stuffed animals during
the year and distribute them during the Christmas season among senior
citizens in nursing homes and hospitals.
The San Antonio community is blessed with the enthusiasm and monetary
contributions of Tino and Amelia Durán. For them, La Prensa is a
dream come true and the means to share God's grace and bountiful gifts,
as well as to highlight the positive side of mankind. Thanks to their
dedication, La Prensa is an institution in San Antonio.
Through 2005, the foundation has awarded more than 1.5 million in
scholarships to students attending local universities, seeking careers in
journalism and other professions.
