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Sept. 15 begins a month of celebration for National Hispanic Heritage Month. For Mexican Americans living in Arkansas, this time serves as an intentional time to remember their culture and intentionally spend time teaching it to their children and celebrating cultural traditions.
It is also essential to recognize how they are investing and contributing to the culture in the United States, where many of them were born as first-generation Americans. Five organizations in Arkansas are committed to supporting Hispanic business leaders and entrepreneurs and helping them celebrate their accomplishments in the context of cultural experiences.
- Arkansas United
- Hispanic Women of Arkansas
- Mexican Consulate
- El Centro Hispano
- Arkansas Total
Arkansas United
Since Arkansas is home to a diverse population of immigrant children and first-generation U.S. citizens, advocates must facilitate resources and connect trustworthy communication channels for economic, political and social processes. Arkansas United was founded in 2010 as a response to the widening gap with population growth.
AUCC serves as an immigrant resource center and educator of lawmakers and political leaders. Their work established the “Fest of All: Celebrating Multiculturalism in the Ozarks,” an 11-agency partnership for representation among the Latino and Marshallese communities.
They’ve built a web-based resource center to enable coordination and communication among key stakeholders working with immigrants. Mireya Reith, their executive director, is an advocate and fighter, a voice for the voiceless, serving as a clearinghouse of information to disseminate truth and value.
Hispanic Women’s Organization of Arkansas
This Springdale-based organization hosts an October conference, a vital resource and networking opportunity for Hispanic business leaders where underserved populations actively have a voice. They focus on creating a stronger America by creating more opportunities for Latinos.
Through the GEM and RAD programs, they offer educational classes to practically support Hispanic community members through parenting and computer classes. The RAD program supports naturalization processes, registering voters and understanding rights. HWOA is a valuable resource for information regarding American traditions and ongoing education and equipping for Hispanic community members.
The Mexican Consulate in Little Rock
The Consulate office in Little Rock supports Mexican citizens living in Arkansas with needs related to passports, visas and legalization services. With support and connection to the Mexican Embassy in Washington D.C., the Consulate advocates for Mexican citizens across the state. In the 2020 census, Latinos comprised 8.5% of the Arkansas population.
Due to industrial and agricultural expansion and workforce needs, many of these citizens live in rural Southwest Arkansas and Delta region communities, which makes it hard to access the Consulate resources. So, at least once a year, they form remote offices in these communities where the Mexican Consulate travels to the smaller towns to set up appointments and meet one-on-one with citizens who need their services. Sometimes, it is hard for an employee to miss work or travel to the capital city. These mobile visits make a huge difference for business owners in smaller, main street communities across Arkansas.
The community leaders of Sevier County, where more than 30% of the local population is Hispanic, see the Consulate’s services as a vital event in their community each year. “It’s worth me stopping everything and helping spread the word in my community.” shared Erika Buenrostro, an advocate for Latino business leaders and Director of Student Enrichment at UA Cossatot. “During this weekend, they will be here, bringing those services to our community so our citizens can get what they need locally without the hardship of traveling to Little Rock. I like that they make it convenient and help eliminate barriers.”
With growing Washington and Benton County populations, El Salvador added a consulate office in Springdale in 2022 to support other Latino people.
El Centro Hispano de Arkansas
Sister Elaine Willett established El Centro Hispano as a ministry through Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church to serve the growing Hispanic population in Jonesboro. Six years later, they’ve grown into a stand-alone organization with seven staff members that serve their community through social, legal, educational, health, cultural and civic engagement.
Some local services they offer include translation services, I.D. card and housing assistance, job referrals, court and police interpretation, notarial services, counseling and document assistance. With the fourth fastest-growing Latin population in the country, Arkansas’ population growth brings added challenges with language barriers and cultural differences. El Centro Hispano is changing the context and narrative by integrating community members and building bridges for inclusion and understanding.
Programs like Spanish Camp, Hispanic Emerging Leaders and Girls’ Enrichment get the local community actively involved together, learning from each other, expanding understanding and providing mentorship.
Arkansas Total
A division of the Arkansas Publishing Group, Arkansas Total Magazine, pulls together insights representing Hispanic business leaders across Arkansas. Each edition highlights education, health care, financial wellness, immigration & government, celebrations/festivals, and Arkansas road trips with particular emphasis on Latino interests. The publication is a strong source of information and a platform for marketers to connect with this unique niche audience.
Hispanic Heritage Events in Arkansas
- Sept. 16 | Hispanic Heritage Festival | North Little Rock
- Sept. 17 | Hispanic Heritage Festival | Fort Smith
- Sept. 20 | Hispanic Heritage Celebration | Hot Springs
- Sept. 20 | ¡Andemos! Ride with Arkansas Latinas en Bici! | Rogers
- Sept. 22 & 29, Oct. 6 & 13 | LatinX KidLit Book Festival Fridays | all over
- Sept. 23 | Spanish Storytime | CALS Library, Little Rock
- Sept. 24 | NWA Hispanic Heritage Festival | Fayetteville
- Sept. 25 | ¡Folklore, Música & Comida! | Terry Library, Little Rock
- Sept. 27 | Latina Empowerment Panel | Bentonville
- Sept. 27 | ¡Baila con En Fuego! – Latin Dance Lesson | Rogers
- Sept. 30 | Tortilla Making Class | Fletcher Library, Little Rock
- Oct. 2 | Festival del Mariachi | Springdale
- Oct. 5 | LatinXNA Cultures that Unite Us | Rogers
- Oct. 5 | LatinX Theatre Project | Rogers
- Oct. 6 | Fiesta en Soma | Little Rock
- Thru Dec. 31 | Hispanic Culture Series: Hispanic artist | Fort Smith Museum of History
Cover image provided by VisitSevierAR Tourism Department.
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