[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 156 (Friday, September 10, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E961]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF JOSE ``JOE'' ARCE AND THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF 
                      KANSAS CITY'S HISPANIC NEWS

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                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 10, 2021

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to rise today to recognize 
and celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Kansas City Hispanic 
News, a weekly bilingual newspaper published and owned by Jose ``Joe'' 
Arce, that has continuously served the Greater Kansas City community in 
Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. Since its creation, the Kansas 
City Hispanic News has helped bridge the gap with the Latino community 
by offering representation on a mainstream paper. Wholly devoted to 
establishing top quality media coverage via in-depth stories in both 
Spanish and English, Arce and his publication have made a monumental 
impact on the Latino community.
  The Kansas City Hispanic News opened its door in 1996 along Southwest 
Boulevard, located in Kansas City's Westside neighborhood, a community 
heavily influenced by Latino and Mexican American roots. Through 
investigative reporting and providing community members with stories in 
two languages, the weekly newspaper has increased its coverage to 
extend beyond the state line into Kansas, showing the impact on Latino 
households. With this newspaper, Arce has provided a platform for 
Latinos to be represented, informed, and engaged as local 
businessowners through advertising opportunities, giving the Latino 
community a place to flourish and thrive.
  Born and raised in Kansas City's West Side, Arce always felt in touch 
with his Mexican roots and Latino background. Before he started the 
bilingual newspaper, he worked as a photojournalist and reporter for 
WDAF-TV Fox 4 News, dedicating himself to serving the people in his 
community through journalism. After years of experience, Arce realized 
the lack of representation and reporting catered to the Latino 
population and took it upon himself to start a paper that could inform 
and celebrate the accomplishments of the Latino community. As an 
involved civic leader, Arce used the bilingual paper as a vehicle of 
information on important topics that affected Latinos such as 
elections, workers' rights, local businesses, and celebrations. His 
efforts allowed people to feel connected to not only their roots but to 
their local community and offered access to information for those who 
were only Spanish speakers.
  While the Kansas City Hispanic News is one of his most influential 
additions to the Fifth District, Arce's contributions extend beyond 
journalism. As an active civic leader, Arce has served on boards for 
numerous organizations such as the Guadalupe Centers and the Hispanic 
Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City. Additionally, Arce was one 
of the key figures in the distinguished victory of renaming 23rd Street 
in the Westside Neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri to Avenida Cesar 
Chavez after activist Cesar Chavez in 1993. To increase representation 
and local celebrations related to Latino and Mexican American 
traditions, Arce helped expand Fiesta Hispana KC, an annual festival 
held in Kansas City to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day as well as 
Hispanic Heritage Month.
  Through this festival, community members have been able to partake in 
the celebration that brings music, food, dance, and local businesses, 
further connecting the Latino community as well as providing others to 
learn more about Latino culture. Arce is known to be a friend, mentor, 
and a loyal supporter of youth journalists. To help Latino students 
pursuing journalism, Arce founded the Hispanic Media Association, which 
provides scholarships. Furthermore, Arce served as the chair of the 
Cesar E. Chavez committee at the University of Central Missouri for 15 
years where he focused on finding ways to attract Latino students to 
the campus. Arce's unwavering devotion and tireless commitment to serve 
and better the Latino community is a testament of his compassionate and 
caring nature.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing and thanking Joe Arce 
and the Kansas City's Hispanic News for all they have done for Kansas 
City and Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in the last twenty-
five years. I am honored to have someone like Arce, a champion of 
public service and civic leader, in Missouri's Fifth Congressional 
District which I represent. His immense impact on the Latino community 
and Kansas City will continue to be felt for years to come. Let us 
celebrate Joe Arce's job well done and wish him many more years of 
success.

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