Latinos/Hispanics are now the largest single minority group in America. Today, there are more than 32 million Hispanics living in the U.S., representing 13% of the population and 40% of all Catholics in the United States. By 2040, Hispanics will comprise 18% of the population in America.
  
Since 1996, Voz Latina, a division of Family Theater Productions, has captured the passion, struggle, texture and color of Hispanic American living and delivered it to millions of listeners worldwide through award-winning radio dramas and public service announcements. Family Theater Productions created the first radionovela by and for U.S. Latinos, and has gone on to produce nearly 260 radio dramas and PSAs with the top writers and actors in the world of Latino entertainment. With our programs, we provide faith and effective participation adapted to the Hispanic culture in the United States that will help people to live and promote a style of Church that will strengthen the Kingdom of God in society.

Voz Latina programs have appeal, humor, and provocative story lines. The programs engage both the mind and the soul while transporting listeners into the raucous world of love, adventure, intrigue, family, friends and tradition. Voz Latina also goes beyond - to a place where conflicts are resolved, sinners are redeemed, and the deepest longings of the human heart are fulfilled. Voz Latina stories stir the soul, because therein lies the power and hope of the Latino culture. We promote experiences of faith and conversion, prayer life, interpersonal relations and fraternal love, and prophetic questioning and actions for justice.

Voz Latina programs include:

Day of the Dead Documentary. An important part of Latino culture is the appreciation of life and salvation. Understanding and respecting life requires rituals to appreciate those that have gone before us. The Latino culture celebrates this right of passage characterized by “The Day of the Dead,” similar to the American holiday, “Halloween.” This documentary will help Latino’s understand more fully this celebration in a hope that participating in this event will help them celebrate life to the fullest, always faithful to the good news that Christ has risen. This project is currently in production.

Public Service Announcement Campaign (PSAs): Public Service Announcements are sixty seconds of inspiration and evangelization for Spanish speaking people. These announcements are plugged in throughout a radio program to help listeners examine their blessings and come closer to Jesus and Mary in subtle ways that help them focus on the good in their lives. Featuring an all-star cast of some of the best-known celebrities in Mexico and the U.S., Superemonos en Familia (“Succeeding As A Family”), delivers humorous and inspiring 60-second messages to build Latino culture and pride. With an array of themes that includes Immigration, Cultural Shock, Quality Time, Family, Preserving our Natural Resources, Optimism, the Power of Forgiveness, and Self-Development, these funny yet serious messages try to find and bring out the best in each of us. The Radio Department has never had to pay any radio station for airtime, yet these PSAs have been very successful in finding their way to Catholic and commercial radio stations because of the celebrities delivering these very important messages. The cost to produce each of these PSAs is about $225. The reach in relation to the cost is very beneficial as the airtime is free and they are used repeatedly during any given day.

Radio Dramas: Historias para Mejorar el Mundo (“Stories for a Better World”) are programs that help evangelize Spanish speaking people and seek to strengthen their faith lives. The dramas are a collection of wildly creative plots dramatizing contemporary urban issues like Immigration, Unemployment, Family Life, Domestic Violence, Health, Discrimination, Gangs, Tradition, Values, Religion, Sexuality and Love - all from Latino experience.  The award-winning Historias uses imagination and fantasy to create stories of comedy, farce, melodrama, and tragedy. Examples include: 1) a wife whose story of marital abuse is discovered in the pages of her diary; 2) an environmentalist who lives in a tree to protect it from being cut down, and 3) a convict who undergoes the punishment of the death penalty. The cost for producing each drama is about $5,900. These dramas air on over 30 stations nationwide including the 10 principal Hispanic markets in America.  Internationally, they are transmitted via short wave all over the world. Many other Catholic and commercial radio stations transmit Voz Latina programs in Cuba, Mexico, Central and South America. Sabor a Vida: 13 new half-hour dramas addressing universal themes as family tradition, suicide, drug addiction, racism, and the environment. These have been broadcast in Family Theater’s radio network starting in October 2003.
     Sabor a Vida II. 10 half-hour episodes scheduled for production in 2003-2004.
     Superemonos en Familia II. The second installment of this public announcement campaign deals with the 7 capital sins: Pride, Avarice/Greed, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, and Sloth. 10 public service announcements are dedicated to the Family, and ten more to the Rosary.
     Superemonos en Familia III. 50 public service announcements scheduled for production in 2003-2004.

The Radio Department has been recognized nationally by Catholic and commercial entities for the quality of the radio programming. Awards include:

1998 - Gabriel Award for “La Historia de Quien Soy.”
1998 - Gabriel Award for “Conversando with Jesus Javier.”
2000 - Gabriel Award for “La Virgen de Guadalupe.” Documentary.
2002 - Golden Eagle Award “Excellence in Radio.” Nosotros Foundation.
2002 - Certificate of Merit for “La Fabula del Hombre que lo Sabia Todo.”
2002 - Gabriel Award for “Viejos los Cerros.”
2003 - American Scene Award “Atorados.” American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).
2003 - American Scene Award “Rosalba.” AFTRA.
2003 - Impact Award “Excellence in Radio.” National Hispanic Media Coalition.
2003 - Certificate of Merit “Una Noche de Oscuridad.” Catholic Academy.
2003 - Gabriel Award “Rosalba.” Catholic Academy.
2003 - Gabriel Award “Rosca de Reyes” PSA. Catholic Academy.

Donation Options

I want to help support a Public Service Announcement to give Hispanics hope and direction. My donation will support the $225 cost for each Public Service Announcement. I want to help pay for production costs for documentaries to help educate Hispanics and Spanish speaking families about their culture. I want to support one of the ½ hour dramas - my donation should go towards part of the $5,900 cost of each drama.