Welcome to Rearview 2024—and an invitation to build with us in 2025

How might our democracies change if all of us had access to a library of what works in our country and region?

What conversations might be possible if we used those solutions to open up new lines of communication across our divisions?

That’s the work we’ve been doing here at El Colectivo 506 for the past four years. We’re building that library of what works; filling it with independent journalism; and then opening its doors and using those stories to start discussion across age groups, professions, sectors, and borders.

As we look back at the past year in our “Rearview” edition, as we do every December, we can see the impact we’ve made. And as we look ahead to a year that will be crucial not only to Costa Rica’s democracy, but many others in the region, we believe this work is more important than ever.

Whether you’re new to our community or an old friend, we hope you’ll double down with us in 2025. Here are six reasons why we hope you’ll start or renew an Annual Membership and invite your friends along. All of it starts right here: sala506.com/donate.

1. 1. We can’t protect our democracies if our populations keep turning off the news. Global data shows that reporting on problems as well as potential solutions is key to improving media engagement. As Central America’s first national solutions journalism outlet, we’ve created 40+ in-depth, bilingual editions studying problems and solutions in Costa Rica and beyond. Our members keep our women-powered, community-based newsroom running so we can share bilingual stories all year long.
   2. Independent journalists urgently need support. Media outlets are closing every week. Since 2020, we’ve raised more than $77,000 to support quality journalism, prioritizing rural communicators, and underrepresented groups. We now fund work outside of Costa Rica as well through our Latin American Solutions Journalism Fund. Our members put reporting grants into the hands of talented Latin American journalists.
   3. No matter who’s in charge, communities often have to generate solutions to their own problems. And those efforts generate massive lessons and resources that can be applied across towns, borders, and even regions. However, exploring the inner workings, real impact, and limitations of each initiative takes time the journalists often lack. We’ve built 20 new alliances between newsrooms, nonprofits, and businesses to fund journalists who are doing this work. We’re now seeking partners for editions on topics climate action, immigration, and more in 2025. But securing these partnerships takes work—work funded by individual donors.Our members help us get new projects off the ground.

   

   4. Great minds think alike, but they don’t always communicate. Our editions on disaster relief, conservation, mental health, and much more have shown that terrific ideas in one community often stay there—or are even discontinued due to lack of awareness about their impact. Our journalists showcase proven solutions, and we share them with more than 4,000 readers each month. Our members bring good ideas into the light.
   5. “Solutions” is a sexy term in journalism, but newsrooms need hands-on training and tools to do rigorous solutions coverage. We’re globally certified solutions journalism trainers who’ve offered free 200+ journalists, students, and community leaders in solutions journalism, and we’re already kicking off more workshops starting in January. Our members help fund our online trainings—and in 2025, you’ll move us towards our dream of a regional in-person journalism summit right here in Costa Rica.
   6. Students and teachers deserve a place in the conversation. In 2024, we created our first-ever Conservation Guides for educators and parents. In 2025, we want to put those materials into the hands of many more teachers and students, providing support to get them talking about what’s working in our country, and publishing more of their perspectives in our Young Voices sections.Our members will send solutions journalism into classrooms in 2025.

Please join us with an annual membership of “$56 for 506” for the year, or a donation of any size. And if you’re part of an organization that cares about anything on this list, you can play a crucial role in our growth. Not only can you become a partner on an edition exploring a topic that matters to you, but you can also hire our services: we fund part of our work by offering communications coaching, services, and trainings to outstanding nonprofits, companies, and community organizations.