Carbondale committee adopts Spanish-language slogan and moves to create WhatsApp channel, explore translation app

A community committee in Carbondale approved a Spanish-language slogan and agreed to create a WhatsApp channel and other communications tools intended to reach Spanish-speaking residents.

The committee adopted the slogan “Participemos, propongamos, transformemos” and voted to add a dedicated discussion of WhatsApp communications to next month’s agenda, organizers said during the meeting. Committee members also discussed publishing flyers, updating the town website with step-by-step guides, and exploring a translation/notification app referred to in the meeting as “Richual” (spelling as stated in the meeting).

Committee staff member (Speaker 1) said the WhatsApp channel would allow people to subscribe and receive notifications about events and resources. “Voy a poner en la agenda para abrir comunicaciones de WhatsApp, y ustedes me pueden traer una lista… para yo poner ahí,” Speaker 1 said, describing plans to collect topic lists and subscriber details in time for the next meeting. A separate participant (Speaker 2) proposed the slogan and Speaker 1 seconded it during the meeting.

Members discussed several delivery methods to reach residents who have different levels of internet access and literacy: emailed flyers, printed flyers posted at local stores and community boards, Facebook groups, the town website and a one-way administrative WhatsApp channel for official notices. One participant noted that some community members do not use email and suggested maintaining physical bulletin boards at places such as the library, markets and clinics.

The group also described a smartphone app they called “Richual” during the meeting, saying it can translate notifications into many languages and does not require users to create an account. A staff member said the town could create channels within that app so residents could subscribe to notifications for specific areas or services.

Committee members emphasized multilingual accessibility and multiple outreach “angles” for different groups: printed materials for people who do not use smartphones, WhatsApp for many Spanish-speaking families who already use that app, and translated notifications through the translation app for those who prefer text messages or email.

Next steps recorded in the meeting: staff will draft a WhatsApp channel and bring a proposed list of what information should be posted; distribute the new slogan on flyers and the city website; and continue testing the translation/notification app. The committee scheduled a follow-up communications item for the next monthly meeting.

The meeting did not include a formal recorded roll-call vote with counts for the communications motion in the transcript; members present declared consensus and noted a second for the slogan motion.