KANSAS CITY, Mo — KC Hispanic News is breaking a 27-year tradition with this week’s edition of the newspaper.
For the first time, the community paper dedicated an entire edition to honor the life of one person, Lisa Lopez-Galvan.
“I knew I had to do something special. As the publisher of the paper, I knew I had to do something special,” said Joe Arce, the paper's owner.
Arce grew up in a Westside Kansas City, Missouri, neighborhood like the Lopez family.
He felt the bilingual paper would serve as the best place for people to remember her legacy.
“You know, we are always giving, and this is my, I guess, my way of thanking her for all the wonderful things she’s done in her lifetime,” Arce said. “In her short lifetime.”
Just three months ago, Arce interviewed Lopez-Galvan. The pair talked about her father’s musical legacy and her part in the local music scene as a DJ.
“And it was supposed to be a tribute to her father,” Arce said. “I did not know it was going to be a tribute to her.”
In another historic move, Arce published the earlier article on Lopez again in the special edition. Arce has never reused a piece until this week’s issue.
The front-page headline is one word, also a break from tradition. The tribute after tragedy is simple, but leaves a sting.
“You know, we say a picture says a thousand words. The headline says a thousand words as well,” Arce said. “Why?”
The special edition articles are online at kchispanicnews.com.
Physical copies of the paper are available beginning Thursday across the metro.
