As Cleveland’s overall population has experienced decline in recent decades, the city's Latino population has steadily grown by more than 200%, now making up more than 13% of city residents.
Its a community that clearly makes up a significant portion of the region, but some feel the voices of Latinos are still not amplified enough.
Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll bring you the latest “Sound of Ideas Community Tour," where we discussed the city's Latino community and celebrated stories from some of its members.
Ideastream teamed up with the Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center for a storytelling workshop in late 2024 for the "Sound of Us" series. Those stories led to a deeper exploration and conversation about Cleveland's Latino community, its needs and how that community is dealing with the current political climate.
The Community Tour stop featured some of the storytellers that worked with the Julia De Burgos Center, as well as community members who have been advocating for the needs of Latinos for decades.
The panelists discussed the history and importance of Cleveland's west side neighborhoods to the Latino community, and how those areas have been welcoming to newcomers.
Audience members asked questions about how to help share Latino stories and even get involved wit local groups like the Julia De Burgos Center.
Guests:
- Jasmin Santana, Cleveland City Councilperson, Ward 14
- Ricardo Leon, President & CEO, Cuyahoga County Land Bank; Former Executive Director, Metro West Community Development Organization
- Letitia Lopez, Executive Director, Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center
- Jose Feliciano Sr., Co-Founder, The Hispanic Roundtable; Former Partner, Baker & Hostetler
- Alejandro Moreno, “Sound of Us” Storyteller
- Betsy Serrano, “Sound of Us” Storyteller
