This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
This week marks the third annual Latinx Colorado Festival with week-long events bringing together local residents to celebrate the diversity, voices and contributions of the Latinx community. Each year, the festival honors the richness and diverse culture and contributions of Latin American and Caribbean people who live in Colorado. It provides a space for a wide array of artistic and cultural performances, gastronomy, resources, education and more.
The festival celebrations kicked off on Monday with an interactive public art installation in front of the Boulder County Courthouse, as part of a nationwide celebration of Immigrant Heritage Month (IHM), put on by the City of Boulder in partnership with FWD.us’s I Stand With Immigrants Initiative. The festivities continued on Wednesday with Band On The Bricks, an outdoor concert featuring Latinx performers.
On Thursday, the Museum of Boulder and FWD.us hosted a screening of The Quiet Force, a film exploring the contributions of immigrants living in ski towns. This film was a special opportunity to recognize and celebrate the immigrants who keep Colorado’s ski towns running.
Finally, on Sunday, the community will come together for the Colorado Latino Festival 2019 culmination at Boulder Central Park, a fun and family-oriented celebration of Latinx culture in Colorado featuring performances by local artists, music, food and community resources.
This week serves to highlight the crucial role Latino contributions play in the prosperity of our country and the state of Colorado. The state is home to more than 550,000 immigrants, with immigrant-owned businesses employing over 100,000 Coloradoans and selling more than $16.7 billion in products.
Participant quotes from the Latinx Colorado Festival Week are below:
“The Latinx Festival celebrates unity between communities and across socio-economic barriers by bringing people together to celebrate Latino and Caribbean culture. In times of division, it is important to show that we are united and stronger together. The Latinx Festival does just that, a diverse and inclusive event that celebrates culture through, music, food, art and community.” – Jose Beteta, Latino Chamber of Commerce & Co-Founder of the Colorado Latino Festival
“The purpose of the Latinx Colorado Festival is to share who Latinos are, and provide information on our contributions and the community groups, businesses and institutions that are working with the Latinx community. The festival is a platform for Latinx artists, organizations and vendors to promote our values and amplify our voice and cultural identities to honor our heritages.” – Tamil Maldonado, Co-Founder of the Colorado Latino Festival
“Events like the Latinx Colorado Festival help to show the remarkable impact that immigrants are making every day. I am grateful for the chance, during Immigrant Heritage Month, to take part in this unique celebration of diversity. Here in Colorado, we see firsthand how important the immigrant community is to the prosperity of our state.” – FWD.us Colorado State Director Marissa Molina
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