Tuesday, September 04, 2001
Festivals part of Hispanic heritage month
Community expands in N. Kentucky
By Sarah Buehrle
Enquirer Contributor
Kentucky is gearing up for a month of fiestas and activities to honor its third-largest ethnic population during National Hispanic Heritage month, celebrated Sept. 15-Oct. 15.
People of Hispanic and Latino origin make up 1.5 percent of Kentucky's population, larger than Kentucky's Asian and American Indian populations combined.
In Northern Kentucky, 1,702 Hispanic and Latino people reside in Boone County; 765 in Campbell County; and 1,669 in Kenton County.
Carlos Gonzales, 50, of Covington is a member of the five-person El Mariachi band that will play at Cincinnati's Festival Hispano 2001 next weekend. .
Through a translator, he said that Hispanic Heritage month and the Festival Hispano are important to Kentucky's Latinos.
“There are a lot of Hispanics in the area and they need to celebrate the Hispanic culture,” Mr. Gonzales said.
Victoria Cruz, 45, moved to Covington more than two years ago and said that it has been difficult to make the transition to the United States from her native Mexico.
She senses some discrimination against the Hispanic community in Covington, but thinks that the non-Hispanics and Hispanics will learn to get along better in the future.
She said celebrating her culture is key in learning to understand one another. She also sees a personal benefit.
“It makes us feel that we're home, close to our family,” Mrs. Cruz said. “Most of us, we don't have our complete family here, when we leave our country we leave everything behind. It feels good to get together.”
Sister Juana Mendez, who works with Northern Kentucky's Hispanic and Latino populations through the Cathedral Basilica of the As sumption in Covington, moved to the United States from Puerto Rico in 1958 with her family. The Diocese of Covington hired her in February 2000 to provide services for the growing Hispanic and Latin population in northern Kentucky.
“We want people to know what we're all about, to know about our culture,” Sister Mendez said.
Sister Mendez thinks Northern Kentucky has a lot to gain by accepting its family-centered Hispanic community.
“We're very faithful people that are willing to go out of their way for other people,” Sister Mendez said.
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Festivals part of Hispanic heritage month
