Hispanic almanac nears completion

‘La Voz de Austin’ publisher readies Hispanic almanac
By Juan Castillo | STATESMAN March 17, 2009

As if he weren’t juggling enough projects already, prolific community newspaper publisher/editor Alfredo Santos is adding a couple more to his repertoire.

In late April, Santos will publish his reference book, The 2009 Austin Hispanic Almanac, which will offer what he says is the first historical, statistical portrait of Austin’s Latino business and civic community as it’s evolved from the early 1900s to its status today as the city’s fastest-growing demographic component.

“I’ve been interviewing a lot of folks,” including political and historical figures, Santos said recently. “For the almanac’s political section, we went back and identified every Latino who’s run for elected office — more than 200 in Travis County since 1948.” Census bureau and state agency stats form the backbone for much of the almanac’s data.

Santos, 56, who lives in South Austin and counts more than 35 years of experience as a public policy advocate, journalist, researcher and educator, is a ubiquitous presence at local events featuring Hispanic newsmakers. He publishes community-based publications in Austin, San Marcos and Brazoria County under the brand La Voz Newspapers.

Santos has also brought back from hiatus a monthly, online political newsletter called La Politiquera, an edgy, bilingual take on Texas politics and public policy for a Latino or Chicano audience.
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Santos launched La Politiquera in 1990 when he lived in Houston, publishing intermittently over the years until about 2007.

Santos said he hopes to one day print a hard-copy version of La Politiquera. For now, you can read it online. The almanac is due out April 22.

Asked how he manages so many publications, Santos joked: “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t golf. I’ve got a lot of time.”