El Leñador is a monthly English and Spanish publication and the only bilingual newspaper in Humboldt County. The student staff is made up of writers, editors, translators, photographers, graphic designers, and artists.
“The newspaper has grown so much over the last few years,” says Héctor Arzate, current editor-in-chief. “We want to showcase how we started, and how we can continue to highlight diverse voices in El Leñador. This celebration is really about breaking bread with our community.”
HSU students launched the paper in May 2013, with support from HSU’s Journalism and Spanish departments, to serve the Latinx community of Humboldt County. It was an opportune time, as HSU had an influx of Latinx students and the institution was about to be designated a Hispanic Serving Institution.
The paper was first published as an insert in The Lumberjack, HSU’s weekly student newspaper, and by October 2014, grew into an independent paper.
The paper and its staff have won numerous awards for news, features, design and photography. In 2016, El Leñador was named Best Non-weekly Newspaper by the California College Media Association.
“The newspaper is the go-to for news affecting the Latino community and other people of color in Humboldt,” said Journalism & Mass Communication instructor Andrea Juarez, faculty adviser to the paper’s student staff. “Since its inception, students have covered events, profiled people, and put the spotlight on issues that frequently weren’t covered. El Leñador has truly helped diversify the media here.”
The paper is printed during the fall and spring semesters and is distributed on campus and in select locations in Arcata, Eureka, Fortuna, McKinleyville, Trinidad, and Del Norte County. Select articles are also published online at ellenadornews.com.
Additional anniversary event information can be found here.