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The television special, 50 Voices of a Nation, has earned a Silver Telly Award. The prestigious win at the 47th Annual Telly Awards recognizes excellence in video and television across all screens.
The television special is the result of a powerful collaboration between The Fulcrum and Chicago Access Network Television (CAN-TV), expanding on our documentary series The 50: Voices of a Nation. A four-year multimedia initiative led by The Fulcrum, Executive Editor and Publisher of the Latino News Network (LNN) Hugo Balta, travels to communities across every state to uncover what motivated Americans to vote in the 2024 presidential election. Through in-depth storytelling, the project examines how the Donald Trump administration is responding to those hopes and concerns—and highlights civic-focused organizations that inform, educate, and empower the public to take action.
Established in 1979, the Telly Awards began by recognizing excellence in local, regional, and cable television commercials. Over the decades, as the media environment evolved, so did the award, expanding to celebrate non-broadcast video, documentaries, branded content, immersive events, and the full spectrum of digital storytelling. Today, the Tellys receive more than 13,000 entries from six continents and from all 50 states, representing the work of leading advertising agencies, television stations, production companies, and publishers worldwide.
This recognition is deeply meaningful. It affirms the power of journalism that listens first, centers community voices, and documents civic life as it is lived, not as it is theorized. As part of its mission to amplify the work of others in providing greater visibility to the Hispanic, Latino communities, LNN selectively republishes The 50 episodes and written companions.
The first year of episodes uncovers a vibrant tapestry of American stories, showing just how diverse and interconnected our experiences truly are. The journey began in Pennsylvania, one of the nation’s most closely watched battlegrounds in the 2024 presidential election. There, we spoke with Republican Michael Rivera, a Berks County commissioner, about the rapid policy shifts coming from Washington, D.C., and their impact on local residents — especially Reading’s immigrant community. Rivera emphasized that the nation’s broken immigration system needs meaningful reform to support both families and the economy. “There are more job openings than there are people able to fill those jobs,” he said. “We’re not going to birth our way out of that. The way we’re going to do that is through people coming in through legal immigration. So, the laws here in the United States do need to be improved.”
In the Midwest, Hugo met with two grassroots organizations — Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice and One Human Family QCA — both working to protect immigrant communities through legal aid, advocacy, and community‑building. Iowa MMJ offers free or low‑cost legal services for asylum seekers, DACA recipients, and families facing deportation, while also training residents on their rights and tracking ICE activity. Leaders say the Trump administration’s intensified enforcement tactics have deepened fear among immigrants across the state.
Maria Gonzalez of Iowa MMJ warns that federal actions are targeting far more than undocumented residents, saying, “This administration is not just attacking undocumented immigrants. It seems to be going after any sort of immigration.”
Communication specialist Elena Casillas Hoffman adds that ICE’s presence has become more intimidating, describing “the weaponized fear that they are able to utilize” in Iowa communities.
In the West, The 50 traveled to Cheyenne — Wyoming’s capital and a symbolic gateway to the American frontier, where rugged heritage meets enduring civic pride. There, Hugo sat down with Carla Gregorio, President of the Wyoming Independent Citizens Coalition (WICC), a Cheyenne‑based nonprofit working to build civic power among underserved communities across the state. Through advocacy, education, and creative expression, WICC focuses on expanding participation in a state where rural isolation and political polarization often limit engagement.
One of the organization’s signature efforts, Capitol Collaboration Day, brings Latino and Native American residents to the Wyoming Capitol to observe legislative sessions and meet lawmakers. As Gregorio explains, “We bring Latinos and Native Americans. We bring them to the capital… We want people to start seeing us in the capital. We want those young people to start seeing they can make a difference.”
These stories—and the many more to come—are the heart of The 50 Voices of a Nation. They remind us that democracy is not an abstraction. It is lived every day in neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and community centers across the country.
We are grateful to continue elevating the voices of Americans whose stories shape our shared future. The best way to appreciate the depth of this project is to hear directly from the people themselves. We invite you to watch the first 16 episodes of The 50 by visiting The Fulcrum’s YouTube channel.
Hugo Balta was also recognized with a Bronze Telly Award as co-host of CAN-TV’s Chicago Newsroom 2.0: Congressional District Candidate Town Halls in the General-Government Relations category!