Hispanic Voices (in Philadelphia)

I will be the first to admit again that I do not keep up with this blog. However, here I am, in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month, coming back again.

It was just a a few weeks ago where I led efforts to launch Visit Philadelphia’s cultural awareness campaign: Hispanic Voices. Although not exactly a part of my job, it was personal to me. This campaign, launching to coincide with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, centers around a 30-second TV spot and social media campaign that highlights 35 diverse Hispanic Philadelphians representing all ages, walks of life and industries including arts, culinary, media, tourism and entrepreneurship.

And it was personal. After watching the main TV spot above, I honestly felt seen. I know many people say that, but I did. The spot told everything by saying little. Latinos come in so many forms and cannot be defined by one word, by one color, by one figure. We are many. We are proud.

Although I grew up speaking Spanish and living in a Latino household, my “outside” experience was not Latino. It wasn’t until attending Temple University that I started identifying more and more as a Latino. I learned a lot about the diverse backgrounds that make up Latinos and I started making these personal and professional connections.

The campaign also features a four-part social media video series highlighting representatives from the four largest Hispanic communities in Philadelphia, as indicated by recent census data: Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican and Colombian. They each candidly discuss what it means to be Latino in the United States and how we literally cannot be identified by one thing. And the difference between the terms.

An important part of my job as senior director of social is to make sure our content and efforts reflect what Philadelphia actually looks like. That includes highlighted diverse and inclusive spaces that aren’t located ONLY in Center City. Places like Catina La Martina, Cafe Tinto, Ubuntu Fine Art Gallery, Izlas Latin Cuisine, Siddiq’s Real Fruit Water Ice and so many more.

It’s important to recognize our differences but also our similarities. Let’s continue to learn together.