Amid the steady arrival of new immigrants to the United States and the challenges facing those already living here, proper guidance on how to navigate life in the country—and handle the myriad associated procedures and formalities—is vital. For 25 years, Latino immigrants have found a helping hand in ElParacaidista.com, a monthly guide and online resource center designed to answer their questions and provide proactive information—even before they arrive in the U.S.
Since 2001, ElParacaidista.com has continuously offered its support and commitment to the Hispanic community—now numbering over 68 million—and has accompanied thousands of Latinos right up to the moment they achieved citizenship and beyond. What began in Miami as an 8-page mini-newspaper that sold out every month on the streets of South Florida, earned a "Best of Miami 2002" award from the Miami New Times, and evolved into an essential resource. The newspaper went fully digital in 2012.
"Celebrating this 25th anniversary is a tremendous achievement, and we are happy to offer—with even greater strength—this true compass for the Latino immigrant; because here, taking the wrong path can cost a lot of money and can even jeopardize the possibility of living and working in this country," says Aira Guevara, editor and founder of this immigrant guide. This Venezuelan-American journalist poured her own experience as a "parachutist" into what became "the guide for newcomers—and everyone else—in the U.S."
To further boost the impact and reach of this philanthropic and social mission, they are launching their new online platform on this 25th anniversary—developed in partnership with ECP Communications Corp and Blank—to drive their nationwide community service efforts. "In an environment where trust is built in seconds, a well-designed digital platform becomes a fundamental tool," explains Jorge Gandara, CTO of the Mexican agency Blank, who led the project's technical aspects.
"Serving the entire immigrant community—which needs reliable, readily available information for their daily affairs—more quickly and efficiently is our priority," notes Guevara. The website offers everything from where to go if they get sick without insurance to how to obtain licenses to open a business or secure investment capital. It offers information on rights and responsibilities as a citizen, help with choosing a good lawyer, registering a trademark, handling a landlord's failure to fix a leak, or protecting oneself against mechanic fraud.
"We receive many calls from all over the United States that constantly inspire us to keep researching, updating, and publishing—on a monthly basis—information vital to immigrants," says Guevara. For 16 years, through its Foreign Title Revalidation seminars and guides, ElParacaidista.com has been one of the most reliable sources of guidance on this crucial topic for professionals graduated abroad.
"The idea is for their integration to be a mutually beneficial process for them and for the country welcoming them. The vast majority do not come to take; they come to give—and to give a great deal—to enrich this great nation as it celebrates its 250th anniversary," the editor concludes.
