Our Hispanic Horizon

Our Hispanic horizon
The physical landscape and human culture of Sonoma County is a multi-layered tapestry of many ethnic paths, heritages and contributions. But if we were to only celebrate one perhaps it should be Latinos and Hispanics, as we now seek to do with National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
We single out the Hispanic people and culture above others such as Italians, Japanese and Portuguese, not so much for their historic presence in Sonoma County, but for what they will mean to our future. Today, Latinos comprise one-fourth of Sonoma County’s total population, double what it was in 1990. Growing at triple the rate of the total population, our region is destined to see a Latino majority by mid-century.
A majority Hispanic population and influence is not new to this area or to all of California. Spanish missions and Mexican expansion established the territory of Alta California under a Spanish, then Mexican flag as early as 1804. The Spanish mission at Sonoma and the alignment of Mexican land grants laid out the pattern of future towns and settlements from Sonoma and Petaluma to Santa Rosa, Healdsburg and beyond. Maria Ygnacia Lopez de Carrillo, mother-in-law to Gen. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, built the first adobe home on Santa Rosa Creek and owned Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa, the future city of Santa Rosa.
From wide town plazas in Sonoma and Healdsburg to prevalent mission-style architecture, early agriculture, religion and mixed Mexican influences, Sonoma (a Miwok word meaning “valley of the moon”) has been Hispanic long before it ever called itself American. (Of course all of this disrespects the original Pomos and Miwoks who lived very lightly on the land here for thousands of years, only to see their modest cultural footprints almost wiped out.)
But, enough about history, let’s celebrate our future. This Friday, the third annual Latino Cultural Experience will take place at the Luther Burbank Center, organized by Los Cien, a community organization of Latino leaders.
Then, on Sept. 29 Los Cien will host an annual State of the Latino Community presentation at Sonoma State University. (In between those dates, various communities, neighborhoods and church congregations will celebrate Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16.) Also throughout this month there will be a series of local health clinic events focused on Latino families and children. (Visit www.latinoserviceproviders.org for a complete schedule.)
The state of Sonoma County’s Latino Community is very bright, but is not without lingering issues of subtle racism, economic inequality and language and education barriers. In too many places, Sonoma County is still divided into two cultures, separated by skin color and self-imposed neighborhood boundaries.
Groups like Los Cien, school parent groups, Catholic congregations and community health clinics are working for important changes. With more than one-fourth of the county’s 125,405 Latino residents lacking any English skills, the challenge to end cultural barriers is increased. But the counter force of a fast-growing population of younger Latinos promises to offset this language divide.
Already, Sonoma County’s younger population (under age 20) is almost 40 percent Latino and many local elementary schools have majority Latino enrollments. There are 4,056 Latino-owned businesses in Sonoma County and, according to the county’s Economic Development Board, the face of our future workforce will be mostly brown across all industries and occupations.
The economic impact of the Latino population as both workers and consumers is very large. With several Spanish-language radio stations including the bilingual, nonprofit KBBF and the La Voz newspaper, Latinos also share their own media. (For our part, our English-only newspaper seeks to inform all readers about the growing impact, issues and concerns of a changing demographic picture.)
As we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s also come together to begin to celebrate our changing future.
— Rollie Atkinson