Madison Reporter

Enoch Melgarejo, a Spanish Community Connector with the City of Madison's Department of Civil Rights, is the host of "Conectando con tu Ciudad" on LaMovida Radio. This monthly program features interviews with city staff to share important city programs with the Spanish-speaking community.

A recent episode focused on the City of Madison's Child Care Accreditation process. Elisa Martinez, a Spanish Bilingual Child Care Program Specialist, discussed the accreditation process and its benefits, which include access to resources, funding opportunities, and 4K programming. The program also welcomed Erika Soto and Nitza Ocampo from Pequeños Traviesos, Madison's first bilingual program to receive accreditation, who shared their experiences in childcare. Gabriela Albarran, Director of Greenway Crossing Montessori, spoke on pursuing accreditation and its anticipated benefits.

The Child Care Unit has observed increased interest since the broadcast, with several bilingual childcare directors seeking information, and two new accreditation applications submitted. “It’s exciting to see the community respond so positively,” Martinez remarked. The team plans to host information sessions in the coming months.

Another recent episode featured Marcus Pearson, Public Information Officer, discussing Madison's Water Utility programs. The MadCAP Program offers qualifying households a monthly credit of up to $30 on their Municipal Services Bill. The Toilet Rebate Program, which provides a bill credit for replacing high water usage toilets, was also highlighted.

A different episode focused on the Referrals and Interviews for Sustainable Employment (RaISE) program. Jesus Sanchez-Cruz, an Affirmative Action Specialist, explained how RaISE assists job seekers by guaranteeing interviews if they meet program criteria. Details about RaISE can be found on LaMovida’s Facebook page and the Department of Civil Rights Newsletter.

For more details on the discussed programs, listeners are encouraged to visit their respective websites.