Celebrando Hispanic Heritage Month

By: Doragnes Bradshaw, PRSA Orlando – DEI Chair

As we approach the end of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we must remember to continue to honor the culture and countless contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans now and throughout the year. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, here are some notable statistics to help ground us in the importance of this work:

  • Between 1970 and 2020, the U.S. Hispanic population grew from 9.6 million to 63.7 million, an increase of more than 450 percent in 50 years.
  • As of 2022, Latinos now account for 19 percent of the total U.S. population and growing; this makes it the second largest racial or ethnic group.
  • By 2060, the number of Latinos is estimated to be nearly 120 million, or almost one-third of the total U.S. population.
  • 34.2% of our Orlando population are Hispanic or Latino.

Of course, as PRSA Orlando members, we know all too well that Orlando is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. We welcome over 74M annual visitors to Orlando (Visit Orlando, 2022). Of those 74M visitors, approximately 1.7M come from Mexico and Latin American countries. The data points underscore the ever-growing presence of Hispanics and Latinos in our Central Florida community and beyond. There has never been a more critically important time to recognize the unique voices of this diverse population within itself. We’ve curated some resources with the goal of educating and inspiring your ongoing storytelling efforts to shine a bright light on their remarkable accomplishments. As a proud Puerto Rican, it brings me so much joy to celebrate mi gente (my people) with mi familia and friends, delicious food and Latin music, Wepa!

 

Resources:

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