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Will journalists fairly chronicle the emerging Latino social movement?

What movement, you say?

Well, what else do we call the massive numbers of marchers who took to the streets in recent weeks calling for comprehensive immigration reform. The marches were among the largest demonstrations ever seen in the U.S.

Yet, I fear journalists will let the significance of these marches fade away from our reporting eyes.

The term "awakening a sleeping giant" has been used to describe the marches. A larger truth may be that not enough attention was paid to immigrants before.

I'd count myself among those who were not fully listening, despite the fact that I've written for years about immigration, immigrants and issues concerning Latinos.

The numbers of people who marched in recent weeks surprised me. They shocked most reporters -- and even some within the Spanish-language media.

A search of many newspaper Web sites included references to workers living in the U.S. without the proper paperwork as being underground, hidden and shuttered from society.

But Spanish-language radio stations quickly mobilized this "hidden" community into the action. They even redirected the masses when it became apparent that hoisting the Mexican flag aloft during the protests was creating a backlash. Soon after, white T-shirts and U.S. flags seemed to prevail at subsequent rallies.

The outpouring of people reminded me of when the Tejana singer Selena died. When People magazine put her on its cover, the magazines flew off the stands. The media "discovered" an adoring/mourning Latino public.

This time around, another Latino public has been "discovered": the workers. Many of them live undocumented and illegally in the United States.

The burning question for the movement's grassroots organizers is: "What next?"

Journalists should be asking themselves the same question. Our challenge will be to continue following this portion of society with -- or without -- massive gatherings to photograph and pontificate about in columns.

Some challenges await us.

Many messages from this community arrive in a language foreign to most reporters. Without more Spanish-speaking reporters and editors, it is unlikely the stories can be told well and with all of their intricacies. No recognized leadership is issuing press releases. And the undocumented immigrants, whose rights are being discussed, often are not the ones organizing events.

In Kansas City, one new organization spawned by the rallies called itself "Sons and Daughters of Immigrants." The title was a nod to the fact that many organizers are not themselves trapped by the status of "illegal." But they have had family members in previous generations who struggled with being undocumented.

Lynn Franey, a colleague and a minority affairs and immigration reporter at The Kansas City Star, made some good observations. She noted that, in Kansas City, immigrants were often expected to gather, carry U.S. flags and listen to the many speeches made by U.S. citizens or legal immigrants. It was an interesting dynamic, likely played out in many cities.

"We still aren't really hearing the immigrants' voices," Franey said.

I'm beginning to think she's right: that there may be many things the media has over-emphasized, therefore misrepresenting the illegal-immigrant community.

How deeply are they ingrained in local communities, for one thing?

How hidden are they really, if at all? (I have never had any trouble getting someone to readily admit to me, a reporter, their legal status.)

Franey wrote a flyer last week to hand out at Cinco de Mayo gatherings. She chose events expected to draw the most new immigrants, not just Mexican-Americans. Written in English and Spanish, the flyer asked:

• "What's happening? The Star wants to know."
• "Want to tell your story? The Star will listen."
• "Know about an upcoming event? The Star wants to hear about it."
• "Know about a political, legal or social issue affecting your community? The Star wants to learn what it's about."
  

Franey's flyers are a great idea that could be used in many U.S. cities.

I'd argue that the task of telling these stories cannot be left to the Spanish-language media.

Why?

The people are part of the communities that English-language media have a responsibility to cover. And with immigration reform emerging as a burning issue, it is imperative that English-language readers thoroughly understand the community Congress is addressing.

Is this the beginning of a new Latino movement? Can the motivation be sustained? Regardless of the answer, hundreds of thousands of people have spoken by taking action in recent weeks.

The news media need to continue listening to their voices.
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