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Our impact
Arizona Barrio Stories (ABS) has transformed from a grassroots healing space into a recognized powerhouse for digital storytelling. We exist to preserve the rich history, culture, and traditions of Arizona’s Hispanic and Chicano communities while giving our gente a permanent, vibrant home in the digital age.
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ORAL HISTORIES ✦ ART & CULTURE ✦ NEIGHBORHOOD LEGACIES ✦ ARIZONA VOICES ✦
A Community Reconnected
Together with his wife, Joann Bivens, and a small group of passionate community members, Gil launched the Arizona Barrio Stories Facebook page.
What began as a space for healing and remembrance soon evolved into a vibrant virtual gathering place where families, friends, and former neighbors could reconnect, share photographs, exchange memories, and celebrate the traditions and stories that define their communities.
Through storytelling, generations reconnected, forgotten histories resurfaced, and a once-displaced community found a new home in the digital age.
how we've grown
What started as a small Facebook community has grown into one of the nation's leading digital storytelling platforms.
Today:
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Nearly 50,000 members connect through our Facebook community.
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ABS programming reaches audiences across multiple social media platforms.
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In 2025, ABS received a $25,000 preservation grant from Latinos in Heritage Conservation, a national organization that recognized ABS's innovative work preserving and sharing Latino and Chicano history through digital storytelling.
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In 2023, ABS received the Arizona Historical Society's prestigious Al Mérito Award for its contributions to preserving and promoting Arizona's history and cultural heritage.
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Since 2020, our partnership with Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC) has demonstrated the power of two nonprofits working together to preserve culture, elevate both legendary and emerging artists, and expand our collective impact.
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Our partnership with Latino USA Media and our presence on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram enable us to reach more than one million people each month.
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Seasoned hosts, including Irma Payan, Dr. Jose Leyba, Carmela Ramirez, and Frank Luna, have produced and shared more than 600 original programs highlighting Arizona's history, culture, traditions, arts, and community leaders. ABS's newest addition, Empowered to Heal with Dr. Ana Lara: Doctor. Teacher. Healer., broadens the lineup with a focus on health, wellness, education, and personal healing.
Through these diverse programs, ABS continues to celebrate the heritage and accomplishments of our gente while fostering education, health, and community well-being throughout Arizona and beyond.
ORAL HISTORIES ✦ ART & CULTURE ✦ NEIGHBORHOOD LEGACIES ✦ ARIZONA VOICES ✦
COMMUNITY
We cultivate pride and cultural connection throughout the ABS community
By sharing stories of our vanished barrios, we restore collective memory and bridge generational divides—helping new generations connect with their rich cultural heritage. As our membership grows, so does our storytelling vault, expanding with each contribution and deepening the legacy we preserve.
Advocacy
A spirit of advocacy is embedded throughout our digital broadcast content, reflecting ABS’s commitment to delivering accurate, practical information that empowers lives.
Through our diverse programming, we feature professionals and subject-matter experts from all walks of life who serve as dynamic hosts and contributors. Signature shows such as The Irma Payán Show, La Plática, and Salud, Dinero y Amor (AARP Arizona Hispanic Connection) offer timely insights on issues that matter—from health and finance to relationships and community well-being.
Recognition
Arizona Barrio Stories (ABS) reaches a collective monthly audience of nearly 500,000 across multiple digital streaming and social media platforms.
Our content appears on outlets including Latino USA TV and Media, Facebook, Cox, Instagram, Chicano Hollywood, YouTube, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, TikTok, LinkedIn, and others.We welcome inquiries from sponsors, merchants, partners, and organizations interested in tailored marketing collaborations. ABS offers unique opportunities to connect with diverse audiences through purposeful storytelling and cultural engagement.
Educate & Inform
We collect, preserve, and share knowledge about our gente with a global audience.
In addition to historical documentation of barrios, our growing repository features rich, descriptive content on Indigenous traditions, cultural arts, local history, landmarks, and notable buildings and structures. This material is conveyed through compelling personal narratives and insightful dialogue with subject matter experts.To date, we have produced approximately 400 interviews and streaming segments—each contributing to a living archive that elevates community memory, identity, and resilience.