Café Con La Comunidad allows more than 200 monolingual Spanish speakers the opportunity to ask questions in Spanish to Chesterfield’s Board of Supervisors, county administration
In a first for Chesterfield County and Central Virginia, the Board of Supervisors and administration met exclusively with monolingual Spanish speakers during the county’s inaugural Café Con La Comunidad event at Beulah Recreation Center on Aug. 27.
The event was designed to allow native Spanish speakers to meet Chesterfield Board of Supervisors Chair and Dale District Representative Jim Holland, County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey, and other key county leaders and administrators in Spanish. To hear questions in Spanish, county officials were equipped with headphone translation devices that allowed for simultaneous interpretation to engage directly with Spanish speakers present during the meeting.
Café con la Comunidad offered a unique mix of family-friendly festival – complete with a DJ, coffee, Spanish sweet bread and cookies, frescas, fruit popsicles – and community information session.
Latinos In Virginia Empowerment Center supported innovative interpretation framework, which allowed community members to speak directly to leaders and vice versa. Bilingual county staff was also present to help facilitate community discussion.
Aside from an informal question-and-answer session, Café con la Comunidad also featured staff from several county departments providing information about local programs, services and resources. Each department had a Spanish-speaking representative and bilingual materials to help further immerse and engage residents with all Chesterfield has to offer. A kids zone, sponsored by Chesterfield County Public Library and the Parks and Recreation Department, offered several activities allowing parents to learn more about their program offerings.
The event was set up to accommodate about 85 residents. However, through strategic marketing and promotion by Chesterfield’s Constituent and Media Service Department; and grassroots community leadership guided by the county’s Community Engagement and Resources Department, more than 200 people and their families attended the historic event.
According to a July 2023 U.S. Census estimate, 12.2% of Chesterfield’s 383,876 residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, with at least two or more family members speaking only Spanish in the household – making the county’s Spanish-speaking population the largest in the Richmond region and one of the densest in Virginia.
Board of Supervisors Chair Jim Holland noted that residents “asked great questions on an array of topics,” including access to mental health resources, support for starting a small business, public transportation, housing affordability and employment opportunities.
“There are so many opportunities where we can break down walls and bridge the gaps in our community, and that’s what we’re about: enhancing quality of life, innovating and creating connections,” he said. “That’s why we said ‘You’re part of Chesterfield. We’re here for you and we’re here with you.’ We’re sending a message that diversity is safe here. We want everyone to feel welcome in this county.”
Because of its sweeping popularity with monolingual Spanish speakers, another Café Con La Comunidad is being planned for the county’s Bermuda District.
To view photos, video and read a complete overview about the creation of Café Con La Comunidad, visit the county’s “Chesterfield On Point” blog about the event.
Photos Courtesy of Chesterfield County Constituent and Media Services