The City of Lafayette is moving to make more personal and deep connections with the Spanish-speaking community.
On Jan. 1, the government will launch the SomosLafayette on Instagram, a platform dedicated to the Spanish-speaking community that will be completely in Spanish. Keep an eye on @lafayettecolorado at instagram.com or on the Instagram app for its launch.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 16% of the city’s population is Hispanic or Latino.
Sebastian Acevedo, the city’s bilingual communications coordinator, said as an immigrant he understands the distrust and uncertainty the immigrant community can have with government officials. He said he hopes that through a dedicated page online, the city can help bridge the gap between Spanish-speaking communities and the Lafayette government and available services.
“It can seem like the government is very far, but we are there for them,” Acevedo said.
Acevedo said the Spanish-speaking community deserves more than just translated city documents and news releases. The Spanish-language branded page will highlight Latino culture, local Latino businesses and business owners and will share crucial information in Spanish. From sharing information about the Mexican rosca de reyes, the Three Kings Day tradition of baking traditional sweet bread, to explaining how residents can pay city water bills, Acevedo hopes this information will help the community.
Acevedo said that many other programs that governments use expect the Spanish-speaking community to meet it where it is at. With SomosLafayette, Acevedo said that the city is committed to meeting the community where they are at.
Acevedo said it’s easy to “check the box” to provide translating documents, but that is not enough for the community of Lafayette.
He said that while many people of the Lafayette Spanish-speaking community do speak English, they might be more comfortable speaking in their native tongue. These residents have roots and heritage in Spanish, Acevedo said, so cities should connect with residents personally.
“Everyone that lives here is part of the community,” Acevedo said.
As an immigrant from Columbia, Acevedo said he knows the feeling of moving to a new country and slowly starting to feel like the new country is just as much part of your home as your native country.
“Where they live is home, too,” Acevedo said.
Lafayette also offers a Spanish translation of city council agendas and its city newsletter. The city also has translators working at various departments throughout the city.
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