The Prisma is a unique and pioneer media project in the UK in integrating people with different backgrounds and nationalities but connected with the same goal of contribute to make a better society by building up ties between different cultures that share English as a common language and also are interested in the Latin American and Spanish speaking culture and the defense of immigrants, workers, and any other vulnerable or minority communities. We promote multiculturalism.Independent, ethical and purposeful, informative and uniting, The Prisma – The Multicultural Newspaper–, is a shared journalistic adventure run by volunteers from different disciplines and nationalities.
The Prisma was born in and works from its base in London, Great Britain. Its concept was born in late 2009 and crystallised on the 29th December of that year by professional journalist Monica del Pilar Uribe Marin.
Without benefactors or employers, The Prisma is a truly independent and ethical publication and works to make a contribution to contemporary journalism, via the internet. It emerged in the middle of the crisis in order to confront it, aware of the obstacles it faced, but persisting with its unique face nevertheless.
The Prisma is a professional online newspaper run entirely by volunteers. They are contributors from all over the world: Latin American, Spanish, British, French, German, Chinese, Pakistani, Czech, Caribbean, North American, Italian, African, Portuguese and German, among others…
The Prisma is produced by a team of professional journalists and experts, as well as young people who have just finished their journalism studies. The team also boasts photographers, translators, designers, columnists, assistants, writers and contributors from all over the world… A team of more than 130 volunteers.
The Prisma is concerned with analysis, research, criticism and debate, and seeks to provide information and opinions which are not always expressed in the mass media.
The Prisma is the only bilingual (Spanish/English) publication in the UK focused on multiculturalism, the life of Latin-American immigrants, Spanish speakers, and on informing British and Latin American readers about their two societies.
The Prisma works to create links between immigrants, Spanish speaking or otherwise, and natives of the UK.
The Prisma aims to demonstrate the vivacity of these cultures, their own identities and their own political, social and economic realities, both abroad and in the United Kingdom. Because of that The Prisma is a a unique journalistic space in the United Kingdom. The Prisma Works for the elimination of racial and cultural prejudices, and is committed to social justice and equality of opportunity. Our philosophy and our content promote and defend these values of the multicultural society of the UK, especially in the case of Latin Americans.
- The Guardian newspaper featured a story about The Prisma, and has cited us as a source.
- The Prisma works through co-operation and relies on the support, solidarity and understanding of everyone involved. This opens for the first time a unique journalistic space in the UK.
WE ARE…
1. A member of the Independent Media Association (IMA)
2. A media outlet regulated by IMPRESS for ethical journalism
3. An active member of Coalition of Latin Americans in the UK (CLAUK)
4. A media partner of the International Multicultural Network and the Latin America Conference “Adelante” , an event held annually in the UK.
WHAT HAVE The Prisma ACHIEVED
The Prisma has achieved significant milestones and contributed to various initiatives:
- It has established itself as an important communication channel for news and issues concerning migrants in the UK. It works to create links between immigrants, Spanish- speaking or otherwise, and natives of the UK.
- In 2022, The Prisma was awarded “International Reporting of the Year” in the UK, by the Independent Media Association awarded.
- The Prisma organised and led the debate on “Multiculturalism in the UK: Does it have a future?” marking the first-ever discussion on the topic by migrants, held at the House of Commons (Westminster) with full attendance.
- Its work and accomplishments have been recognised and featured in prominent media outlets such as The Guardian.
- The Prisma was a foundaing member of the Latin American Recognition Campaign, an organisation dedicated to advocating for the Latin American Notably, the campaign achieved a significant milestone by securing official recognition of the Latin American community in two boroughs. This allowed them to be identified as “Latinos” in the boxes to be ticked, rather than as “others.”
- The Prisma is an active member of the Coalition of Latin Americans in the UK (CLAUK), which is dedicated to promoting the identity and rights of Latin American. CLAUK raises awareness of the issues affecting Latin American communities, “amplifying our collective voice, and campaigning for a positive change in the most urgent areas.”
- It was formerly associated with the Anti-Raids Campaign, an organisation that fought against anti-immigrant raids that took place between 2010 and 2012.
- The Prisma is a member of the Independent Media Association (IMA), British media body that “supports the independent media sector, represents the interests of its members and showcases their work.”
- The Prisma is member Impress, a UK-based regulator press, to ensure that ethical and responsible content is produced.
- Since 2023, the director of The Prisma, has been a member of IMA’s board of
- The Prisma is a media partner of the “International Multicultural Network” and the annual “Adelante” event held in the UK every year.
- The Prisma is a member of the International Peace
- It has published many successful Series and Special Issues on migrants, mainly, but also on Latin America among other topics.
- It has interviewed and/or published the reality of thousands of immigrants in the
- It has produced many successful special editions: Muslims in the UK, Latin Americans in London, Immigrants of the first and second generation, and many others, as well as on Palestine (this one has been the latest, December 2024).
- It has been an inspiration and/or reference point for others
WHO WE ARE?
Mónica del Pilar Uribe (Founder, Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief of The Prisma)
She graduated with a BA in Social Communication (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota), completed studies in Ethics and Law, and is a Colombian professional journalist specialising in politics and human rights, author and co-author of several books on conflict resolution, workers and indigenous rights.
For more than 15 years she has been working as a journalist, editor or proofreader for a wide range of magazines, newspapers, online media and other parts of the publishing industry.
As a founder and director of Prisma magazine in Colombia, she was nominated for Best Contribution to Colombian Journalism from the ‘Simon Bolivar’ National Journalism Award. Years later, after moving to the UK she founded The Prisma – The Multicultural Newspaper in 2010, guided by her philosophy of independence, and defence of freedom and human rights.
She has been invited as a special guest to a number of international conferences to give talks on topics including the conflict in Colombia, human rights, indigenous peoples in Latin America, mega-projects in the Third World and independent journalism.
She is a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the UK and of the Latin American Recognition Campaign – LARC.
She directed and co-produced “Colombia: Promises and Bullets”, a documentary on the internal conflict in Colombia. The documentary was broadcast in England, Spain and presented at various venues and film festivals and events in Europe, including the “Discovering Latin America Film Festival”, London.
Her work was included in the National Literary Anthology “Cronistas Bogotanos” , published in Colombia.About her work she has been interviewed by The Guardian, the International Multicultural Network and other media outlets.
Virginia Moreno Molina – Assistant Representative to the Director – Journalist
Born in Alicante (Spain), Virginia holds a degree in Journalism from the Miguel Hernández University of Elche and worked for the International Relations Office.
Virginia joined The Prisma in 2014 as a Journalist. Over time her commitment has extended to regular PR support. Her passion for journalism and respect for human rights, equality and ethical journalism, has made Virginia a key member of The Prisma.
Graham Douglas – Sub-Editor, proofreader, translator
Born in the UK in 1946, he graduated in Chemistry from Imperial College in 1968, worked in biophysical research, then trained as a teacher and taught Chemistry and Maths in schools and colleges for many years.
Having lived and worked in southern Europe and Africa, he speaks French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. He completed the Institute of Linguists course for translation from Portuguese at City University in 2012.
An experienced researcher, his work on the statistical evidence for planetary cycles in human behaviour is published in the peer-reviewed journal Correlation, and on the website cura.free.fr.
Earlier he authored 3 articles on biological research, and 3 on astrological symbolism in the academic journal Semiotica . His local history research is credited in the book Loddiges of Hackney, by David Solman, published by the Hackney Society in 1995.
Graham joined The Prisma in 2010 as a Journalist and over time his commitment has extended to sub-editing, proofreading and regular translations. You can also visit his blog Tropical Waves.
Donna Davison – Translator
Born in the UK, Donna began volunteering as a translator for The Prisma in 2011, shortly after graduating.
She has since completed an MA in Translation Studies and now works in language education.
She loves translation for its ability to share stories, perspectives, history, and news that might otherwise remain inaccessible behind a language barrier.
Through volunteering with The Prisma, she has enjoyed exploring and supporting Latin American and Spanish-speaking cultures and communities, helping their voices reach a wider audience. Donna looks forward to continuing to develop her translation skills while staying engaged with current issues
Lidia Pintos Medina – Translator
Lidia was born in Málaga (Spain) in 1987. Since she was a child, she has felt a strong interest in exploring and discovering new places beyond border limits.
For this reason, after finishing her university studies in Tourism, she decided to emigrate to the United Kingdom, where she continued that relentless search for the new and the unknown.
Thanks to her work, she travelled across the whole country by car and visited unusual places for her.
As the years went by, and feeling that her time in London had come to an end, destiny led her to embark on a new path in Central Europe.
She settled in the beautiful city of Bratislava, a strategic enclave and a meeting point of cultures throughout history, where she had the opportunity to work for an international company.
Finally, she returned permanently to her home city, carrying in her suitcase all those valuable experiences that have shaped her journey.
Philip Walker – Translator
Philip is a French and Spanish graduate, a qualified translator and an Associate of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. His interest in Latin America was sparked by reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende as a student and he is now a keen reader of the history and politics of the region.
He has translated for The Prisma since 2020, mostly political and social commentaries including some fascinating articles and interviews about indigenous peoples.
Philip has also translated several books by Spanish and South American authors and volunteers for Kiva, an international not-for-profit organisation with a mission to help the world’s billion unbanked people, by translating loan applications from individuals in Latin America.
Susan Seccombe – Translator
Susan was born and raised in the United Kingdom, where her studies in languages and tourism sparked a lifelong passion for travel and cultural exchange. She worked her way around the world in roles ranging from cruise ships and hotels to hostels and office work, spending time in several South American countries before eventually settling in Spain, where she has lived for the past 23 years.
In 2011, she joined The Prisma as a volunteer translator and has remained a committed contributor ever since, while also continuing her translation work professionally outside the publication. Alongside this, Susan has studied graphic design and continues to pursue it today as a creative career path. She also dedicates time to studying languages, with a particular focus on Italian, further enriching her ability to connect across cultures and disciplines.
Beyond her professional life, Susan enjoys playing the piano, spending time with animals, and relaxing with music, television, and films. These interests provide balance and inspiration, painting a portrait of someone who values both the precision of language and the imaginative expression of design, while embracing the simple pleasures of everyday living.
Natasha Greenidge – Translator
Natasha Greenidge, born in Barbados and brought up in Saint Lucia, has been translating out of Spanish for Prisma magazine since 2024.
Her love for Spanish and French took her first back to Barbados where she studied languages at the University of the West Indies.
She went on to complete a master’s in Interpreting and Translation at Heriot-Watt university in Edinburgh.
She has travelled and lived across Latin America, Spain, France, and Italy as well as the UK.
She is currently based in Leeds, training in Modern Foreign Language education.
Nigel Conibear – Senior Translator and Proof-reader
Nigel began his collaboration with The Prisma in 2012 as a translator before going on to proof other translators’ submissions as well.
With a passion for languages that began at school, Nigel took up a place at Oxford in 1986 to study for a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics before reembracing his passion and qualifying as a teacher of modern languages.
After some years in education, he decided to explore his passion further by sitting and passing the Chartered Institute of Linguist’s Diploma in Translation.
Now a full member of CIOL, he tutors candidates for this professional exam into English from both French and Spanish. He also translates out of Portuguese. He has travelled extensively and lived in Spain. He continues to feed his love for languages and is currently working on his Russian in an attempt to keep up with his two bilingual children and wife with whom he lives.
Florencia Alvarez – Proofreader Assistant
Florencia is Argentinian and she studied Social Communication at the National University of Córdoba.
She also holds a degree in Sports Journalism and was part of a football radio show..
She is passionate about the revision of texts and proofreading and has worked in Translation companies for over 8 years, coordinating the projects and doing the Spanish proofreading.
In addition to Spanish, she speaks English and Portuguese.
Her interest for the Human rights started since she was a teenager and, during the university years, she was the Press Coordinator of an NGO that struggles for children’s rights.
Florencia joined The Prisma in 2017.
Pablo Muñoz – Journalist, reporter
Pablo Munoz was born in Malaga, Spain, in 1998. When he was 14, he moved to St Albans in the UK with his family, where he completed his secondary education.
He moved to Belfast to study Philosophy and Politics at Queen’s University, hoping to one day become a diplomat.
After completing his bachelor’s degree, he returned to Spain, where he prepared for the entrance examinations to the diplomatic corps for a little over a year.
He realised that this was not his path to happiness, and that journalism was instead. He set out to complete an NCTJ qualification in multimedia journalism, but had little money to do so.
He worked at a bank, a restaurant and a school to save enough money to return to the UK and fulfil his journalistic dreams. He joined The Prisma in 2026 and writes from London, where he now resides.
César A. Sandino: Personal Assistant to the Director
Born in Bogota and raised in Colombia, Cesar moved to Spain over a decade ago in order to study Politics in Madrid. His commitment to issues of multiculturalism, and cultural diversity developed in his studies and with that in mind he began his career.
The 2008 financial crisis in Spain, and around the world, became dire and many young professionals like Cesar were (and are) faced with unpromising, or at least uncertain futures.
Cesar, encouraged by the multiculturalism of London and its dynamic cultural influences sought England as a place to extend his professional profile as it is a country with very diverse opportunities for its citizens.
Cesar began his involvement with The Prisma in 2011 and now holds the position of Personal Assistant to the Director sharing the coordination and management of volunteer journalists and also contributes articles.
The Prisma is part of Cesar’s contribution to society. He believes it provides insight into non-main stream opinions and ideologies, while encouraging learning and generating new ideas for the future. These are projects that reflect not only his academic background, but also his personal experience as an immigrant.
Columnists
Sean Sheehan – Columnist
Sean Sheehan was born in London to an Irish couple who, emigrating there from Cork and Mayo in search of employment, remained in the metropolis until they retired some half a century later. From infancy to early adulthood Sean spent every summer in Ireland, accompanying his parents on their annual journeys home, and now his own life is also divided between the two countries.
Sean was a teacher of English before becoming a writer of non-fiction, first travel guides for Lonely Planet and other publishers and then books about subjects that aroused his concerns: from “Jack’s world” (Cork University Press) – about his family’s farm in Ireland – to “Žižek: A guide for the perplexed” (Bloomsbury), a book about his favourite cultural theorist. Sean joined The Prisma in March 2017.
Steve Latham – Columnist
Born in 1957 in Canada, he grew up near Manchester, and moved to London in 1981. He is married to Sue, and has two adult children.
Graduated in 1978 from York University with a BA in History and Politics, he went on to do a Master’s degree in Southern African Studies, doing research on Black Theology. From there, he went to St. John’s College in Nottingham, to do a Postgraduate Diploma in Theology.
Moving to London, he did youth work in the east end, and worked supporting Christian Unions in London University. Subsequently, he became Pastor at Hackney Downs Baptist Church. During this time, he worked with refugees and asylum-seekers, especially Turkish and Kurds, and offered sanctuary to a Nigerian family facing deportation.
He went on to do his PhD, exploring prophetic ministry on the side of the poor; and then became Pastor of Westbourne Park Baptist Church, , founding community centre, Westbourne Park Family Centre.
Steve edited “Urban Church: a practitioner’s resource book”, has published several articles in Crucible, a journal of theology and social action, and also founded the “London urban theology project”. In 2011, he became a Tutor in Theology and Contemporary Culture at Spurgeon’s College, London. Steve joined The Prisma in 2012. RIP
Nigel Pocock – Columnist
Social scientist and theologian, lecturer at a large number of institutions, mostly within the African and African-Caribbean community.
Consultant to various bodies concerned with the legacy of slavery, and has assisted with material for the Wiltshire Museum Service, Bristol City Museum, BBC History On-line, Natural History Museum (Darwin and Slavery), and many others.
His work has been published in various journals. Nigel joined The Prisma in 2012.
Claudio Chipana Gutiérrez – Columnist
Peruvian philosopher. He has participated in several international events on Latin American philosophy.
His independent research projects have covered issues related to philosophy, Latin America, migration and multiculturalism. Founder of The Philosophy Cafe in London. He is a member and former coordinator in the Latin American Recognition Campaign (LARC) in London. Claido joined The Prisma in 2011. RIP
Armando Orozco Tovar – Columnist
Born in Bogotá, Colombia, 4th May 1943, he qualified in Journalism at the University of Havana, Cuba in 1974, where he also gained prizes and honours for his poetry, of which he has published 10 books.
He appears in Poetry International, and his essays, articles and reports have been published in various media in Colombia and abroad.
He is a regular contributor to the weekly newspaper Voz – la Verdad del Pueblo. He also paints and draws, and his work has been exhibited in galleries including the Candelaria Theatre in Bogotá, directed by Santiago Garcia, the creator of modern theatre in Colombia.
For 30 years he taught in different educational establishments in Bogotá, and organized workshops at the Casa de Poesía Silva and at the Gilberto Alzate Avendaño Foundation. An occasional traveller, he has spent time in the USSR, Cuba, Peru and Ecuador. He is currently working on a collection of articles to be called “Bitter notes”, and a book of “Atheist poems”. He lives with his wife, Maria Isabel Garcia Mayorca, in Bogotá. Armando joined The Prisma in 2012.
Mabel Encinas – Columnist
Born in Mexico and based in London, she works in the fields of education, psychology and art, with a particular interest in the role of human emotions.
She has been part of the Latin American Perspectives in Education Society (LAPE), the Latin American Recognition Campaign (LARC) and the Latin American Workers Association (LAWAS). Mabel has organised two Latin American Cultural Weeks on ‘The Practice of Freedom’ in honour of Paulo Freire (London Biennale 2010) and ‘Dialogues: América Latina’ (2012).
She is a poet and writer, member of the Hispanic American Women’s Literary Memory Workshop and the Spanish and Latin American Poets and Writers (SLAP).
Mabel holds a BA in Education and Psychology, a MA in Educational Research (Centro de Investigación y Etudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional in Mexico) and a PhD in Education and Psychology (Institute of Education, University of London). Mabel has been a lecturer and has undertaken educational research and development in a number of institutions, both in Mexico and the UK. Mabel joined The Prisma in 2014. RIP
Pablo Sapag M. – Columnist
He is Chilean, and holds degrees in Journalism at the Universities of Chile, and Alcalá de Henares in Madrid. He has worked for TVE in Spain, La Epoca in Santiago, Marca, and Noticias Latin America in London.
He was a special correspondent for RTV Madrid, in Albania (where he recorded a world exclusive distributed by CNN), and in many other places including: Kosovo, Macedonia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Tadjikistan, Pakistan, Algeria, Morocco, the Middle East, Mexico, Argentina, Ulster, the Irish Republic, and Brussels. Currently he contributes analysis to European and Latin American publications, including Publico, and El Mostrador.
He holds a Ph.D in Information Sciences from the University of Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, where he is also a professor and researcher. Since completing postgraduate studies in the USA, Japan and Austria, he has published academic books and articles on the subjects of international journalism and TV; the work of war correspondents; and international relations. He is Visiting Professor at a number of European and Latin-American universities, including Sussex, Chile, and the Catholic University of Santiago de Chile. Pablo joined The Prisma in 2010.
.jpg)
