Commissioner Frank Aguilar and Cook County officials celebrate Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month

Officials, accompanied by musical guests, honored notable Hispanic and Latine residents for their contributions to Cook County, and honored three individuals with awards

(Cook County, IL) – On Wednesday, October 15th, Cook County Commissioners and the Office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle celebrated Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month in the lobby of the Cook County Building.

The event began with a performance by Mariachi Los Jinetes of Morton East High School from Cook County’s 16th District. After the performance, remarks were given by President Preckwinkle and Commissioners Frank J. Aguilar, Alma Anaya, and Jessica Vasquez.

“Latine and Hispanic Americans have made contributions throughout every corner of Cook County. We are proud of our heritage, of our culture, and the communities we have built and sustained in America,” said Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar.

“This is an opportunity to celebrate our shared history. It is a celebration of our lives and culture in the present. It is a promise to continue honoring our culture and contributions in the future. This was also an opportunity to celebrate, to listen to the music of our communities and honor Hispanic and Latine Americans who have contributed so much to our county.”

On Wednesday, October 15th, Cook County Commissioners and the Office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle celebrated Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month in the lobby of the Cook County Building.

After the musical performance, President Preckwinkle honored local leaders for their dedication to serving their communities and empowering Latine families across Cook County with the Latino Community Leadership Award. Awardees included Commissioners Anaya, Vasquez and Aguilar; Jorge Perez, Executive Director of Ensemble Español; Billy Ocasio and Veronica Ocasio of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, and José Ochoa of the National Museum of Mexican Art.

To close the press conference and ceremony, a performance was given by the Ensemble Espanol Music and Theater dance group.

“Growing up as the proud daughter of Colombian immigrants, I learned that Colombian liberation was won by a broad coalition of indentured servants, enslaved Africans, Indigenous people, and mestizos,” said Commissioner Jessica Vasquez. “The lessons I learned growing up about Colombian history remind me that the same truth holds here in Cook County today: our liberation depends on one another. As we celebrate Latine Heritage Month, let’s not only honor our culture and our roots — let’s also carry forward the revolutionary spirit that unites us.”

National Hispanic Heritage Month was founded to celebrate the heritage and culture of Hispanic and Latine communities and was first recognized by Cook County on September 15, 2014. Hispanic and Latine individuals have long been part of the fabric of Cook County, first being reported on the Illinois census in 1850 and reaching a reported population of 25,211 by 1930. Cook County is proud to celebrate the diversity of its residents and the richness of culture – the Hispanic and Latine population has now increased to 1,382,778 and represents the largest minority group in Cook County.

There are more than 50,000 Hispanic and Latine-owned businesses across Cook County, and this entrepreneurial vibrancy has helped revitalize numerous communities in Chicago and suburban communities. Cook County’s economy has always been a magnet for immigrant laborers from all over the world, and immigrants from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America in particular, and Cook County continues to welcome and value the contributions of immigrants.

In addition to their economic impact, Hispanic and Latine individuals of every generation have made immense contributions through their courageous service in the United States Military, the arts, education, mathematics, science, literature, technology, and philanthropy in this county and the world.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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