Capital District LATINOS marked Hispanic Heritage Month Sunday with a cultural celebration.
A gray October day couldn’t stop a crowd from gathering for an afternoon of music, food and cultural entertainment.
Capital District Latinos regional executive director Micky Jimenez says the center in Albany has become a respite and a beacon of hope for newcomers.
“Especially this year, with the influx of migrants, this has become such a safe place for them, where they can feel that this is another home for them away from home,” said Jimenez. “And the connection that we’ve made and the credibility that we’re building among these folks is such that they keep coming back, and so that for us, says a powerful story, right? People return when they know that they’re seen, when they’re heard, that we’re meeting some of their needs, and that we become a place where they can count on a haven.”
Jimenez says the center has welcomed more than 3,000 migrants since they first began arriving in the Capital Region in May 2023.
Albany County Legislator Sam Fein, from the 6th district, recently toured downtown Albany’s Holiday Inn to get a firsthand look at a hotel he says is entirely occupied by migrants.
“It’s actually right in my district and in my neighborhood,” Fein said. “It’s difficult for one city like New York City to take in all the migrants. So I think it makes sense for other cities like Albany and other areas upstate to be welcoming and accept them. And Albany has always benefited from immigrants coming in. We will benefit if we have more immigrants coming in. But of course, a lot of it’s about integrating them into the community, making sure they can get jobs, get housing, and, you know, sustain themselves. So I think that’s really the next step.”
Fellow Democrat Sonia Frederick is the first Latina ever elected to the Albany Common Council, representing the 1st district.
“We come from all different countries within our world that come here to Albany, so we’re definitely vibrant and growing. And our migrant population gets a lot of services here from Capital District Latinos, a lot of them come in for looking for referrals for housing or health care services. They also come to the food pantry here at Capital District Latinos, and they have a lot of clothing that they offer as well to them. So it’s a place where they’re welcomed and a place to come out and join us,” Frederick said.
The highlight of the festivities was the presentation of the Abrazo Latino Award, which recognizes the group’s most important partners for their commitment and support of the Latino community.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center CEO Elizabeth Sobol, Community Foundation President John Eberle, Bank of America for the Capital Region vice-president of marketing Katie Nelson and state Health Department Associate Commissioner and Director of the Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities Wilma Alvarado-Little were honored.
Sobol says SPAC brings Latino kids to the park to enjoy nature and the arts, and offers free tickets for selected performances to the community.
“I have been blessed to have been very involved in in Latino culture for much of my professional life. My husband is a Cuban immigrant. He’s a musician, and so I have lived firsthand a lot of the challenges he and some of his friends and colleagues have experienced being immigrants in this country. So I’m always wanting to do whatever I can to help in any way,” Sobol said.
Capital District Latinos was founded in 2010.
