As someone who worked largely behind the scenes at The Appalachian for three years as chief copy editor, stepping into a role where my name is more prominently displayed online and in print is something I thought about when I became the translations editor for this semester. As you might have guessed from my name, I am neither Hispanic nor Latino. Yet here I am. 

I was able to resurrect the Spanish translations section of our newspaper in 2023 after a three-year hiatus and hire a wonderful translations editor in Omar Alvarez Valencia, and I have no intention of letting it collapse after I graduate. The Appalachian is the only written news outlet in the High Country with Spanish translations and content, and it has been my great honor to bring this much-needed service to our readership. 

I feel it is necessary to tell our readers that we will not be doing our typical Hispanic Heritage Month themed print edition this year. In the past, this edition has aimed to highlight the Hispanic and Latino communities in the High Country, though every year we run into the issue of repetitive representation. 

In an age where diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are being forced out of universities around the country, we feel that the more appropriate approach this year is to have year-round coverage of these communities. We want to highlight people who make our communities better every day, regardless of what our government claims. 

As a white Jewish translations editor with a diverse team of translators, we do our best to accurately translate English content, no matter what our backgrounds are. As your translations editor this semester, I promise to translate content accurately and fairly, and bring Hispanic and Latino voices to light as much as I am able. If you feel there are errors or that there are problems with our coverage, please reach out to us at editor@theappalachianonline.com. 

I am dedicated to ensuring equitable representation in our coverage. I refuse to back down from an administration that wants to take away voices, spaces, the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press from individuals they feel do not deserve them. We all deserve to feel safe in our homes, our universities, our places of business and our places of worship. Equal access is just one small part of that, which is what I hope to bring through our Spanish translations. 

If you would like to translate for us, reach out to us or stop by our newsroom in room 235 of Plemmons Student Union. Siempre estoy aquí para ustedes. 

Vivian Parks

Translations Editor 2025