Latino Heritage Month isn't scaling back in Columbus
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Music, art and dancing will cap off local Latino Heritage Month celebrations on Saturday — events an organizer says are more important than ever, given the current political climate.
Why it matters: Immigration crackdowns, hostile rhetoric and fear are forcing festivals across the country to cancel or scale back.
Zoom in: Columbus is doubling down in solidarity, City Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla tells Axios.
- A downtown parade and festival kicked off local festivities Sept. 13, though participation was lower than in previous years.
- La Feria, a family-friendly arts festival at Blockfort open to all, is continuing Saturday as planned.
Between the lines: Threat of immigration enforcement is just one factor that has folks feeling guarded, says Barroso de Padilla, Columbus' first Latina councilmember and the daughter of Cuban refugees.
- There are also fears of violence and concerns about being misrepresented.
- "Latinos are not a monolith, and there are Latinos that have been here for generations," she says.
Context: National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed Sept. 15-Oct. 15, coinciding with the independence days of many Latin American countries.
- While "Hispanic" and "Latino" are often used interchangeably, the words have different meanings.
- The latter is more inclusive of non-Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America and is what Columbus uses officially.
By the numbers: Nearly 100,000 Franklin County residents identified as Hispanic or Latino in 2023, making up over 7% of the overall population, according to census data.
- That's double the number from 15 years prior, and is driving much of our area's population growth.
The bottom line: If people are choosing Columbus as their home, it's important "we continue to choose them, that we continue to make them feel safe, that we continue to help them feel seen," Barroso de Padilla says.
Stop by: La Feria is 3-10pm Saturday at 162 N. Sixth St., featuring food trucks, local artists, games and a community awards ceremony. Free!