During my business trip to Puerto Rico in June someone said to me, "There are Latinos in Philadelphia?" It was a sarcastic remark and to be honest I didn't get mad, I just chuckled. What's the reason why we don't get recognized? I'm not really sure. But just in case you ever need information, here are some fun facts about Latino Philadelphia.
- Second largest Hispanic Market in the northeast, following NYC
- 16th largest Hispanic Market in the country (larger than Denver, Boston, Orlando, Washington DC and Austin)
- Similar to the overall national stat, Latinos are the fastest growing minority in Philadelphia with a pop. of (about) 428,000
Source: 2002 US Census Bureau
Also, although you can find Latinos all over the region, Philly's Hispanic neighborhood (El Centro de Oro) runs for about 2 blocks from 5th and Lehigh to 5th & Cambria. It was formed around the 1970s/80s when gentrification hit (again). El Centro de Oro is also home to over 140 businesses including cultural attractions like Taller PR, Centro Musical and many restaurants.There is actually a lot more including health organizations, media and cultural institutions. You should come explore yourself!
No comments:
Post a Comment