Latino USA

Latino USA is a nationally syndicated public radio program produced by The Futuro Media Group and distributed nationwide by National Public Radio (NPR). As a news magazine, the mission of Latino USA is to provide weekly insights into the lived experiences of Latino communities throughout the nation, and to be a window to the cultural, political, and social ideas that impact the country’s fastest-growing demographic. The program is anchored by Maria Hinojosa.

History

According to founding Executive Producer Maria Emilia Martin, Latino USA was born following several failed attempts by NPR to create Latino-oriented programming for public radio. The program originated at KUT in Austin, Texas. KUT approached the Center for Mexican-American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin for a partnership in the production of the series. Dr. Gil Cardenas, director of the Center for Mexican-American Studies, co-wrote a grant proposal with KUT-FM to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) that eventually led to the creation of Latino USA, which premiered in April 1993. Originally launched by University of Texas in Austin and the Ford Foundation in 1992, it was a cutting-edge experiment to create an English-language Latino-centered public radio program. In 1992, Maria Emilia Martin left her position as editor at NPR in Washington, D.C. to become Latino USA's founding Executive Producer. She brought Maria Hinojosa on board as the program anchor, a post she still holds.