TripleInk Multilingual Marketing Communications

Rafael Ortega is looking forward to the celebration of Minnesota Hispanic Heritage Month that starts today, and not just because his parents are from Puerto Rico. "We're growing to be the biggest minority group in this country - we need a month to celebrate," said the Ramsey County Board chairman who was born on Manhattan's Lower East Side. "We've become role models of what this country is about. When you talk about the quality of life, it's not just air and water. You're talking about the diversity of people, arts, food and celebrations."

Ramsey County District Judge Salvador Rosas also appreciates the celebration because it gives older Hispanics an opportunity to practice their culture, and it provides young Hispanics a forum to take pride in who they are. Young Hispanics "have to deal with a lot of negative stereotypes," he said. "During the celebration, they can see the positive aspects of the Latino community."

As for non-Hispanics, Rosas said the monthlong celebration will give them the chance to see who Hispanics are and what they do. "They can learn about our culture, our music, our food and what makes us special and unique," he added.

Gabriela Mangieri Harper, a native of Argentina and a volunteer member of the committee that planned the Hispanic celebration said the theme this year is the "Latinization of America." She said that with Hispanic celebrities like Santana, Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez, people are looking at Hispanics and adopting their food and music."But we've been here a long time before Ricky Martin happened," said Mangieri Harper, manager of Hispanic communications with CREO International, a cross-cultural marketing communications agency in Minneapolis. "Hispanics have been here since the birth of the nation," she said. "Our influence is ingrained in American culture. It's not a coincidence. It's just been noticed."

Mangieri Harper said that according to census estimates, Hispanics will be the biggest minority group in the United States by 2005. In Minnesota, Hispanics already were the biggest group in 1975. Then, from 1990 to 1998, the Hispanic population grew by 61 percent. "The census says there are about 85,000 Hispanics in Minnesota, but we believe there are more than 100,000, including 15,000 to 20,000 seasonal workers," she said. Rosas also said the total likely exceeds the census estimate. "Back in 1972, the estimate was 70,000 already, and now they say it's 85,000," he said. "That's less than double what the actual population is. I travel throughout the state, and I do weddings because not many judges do Spanish ceremonies. I find gigantic pockets of Latinos."

Nancy Arguedas of Wells Fargo, co-leader of the Hispanic Heritage Month volunteer committee with Beth Doroff, also of Wells Fargo, said the dramatic increase in the Hispanic population in Minnesota can be attributed to economic opportunities. "We're not talking about people just from Mexico," said Arguedas, whose ancestors are from England and whose husband, Mariano, is from Costa Rica. "They come from all over, and in the last five or so years, these different nationalities have taken more of an identity."

Mangieri Harper said the purpose of the committee was to bring awareness of the contributions of ethnic groups like the Hispanics in Minnesota. "We wanted to present the positive image of immigrants, that immigrants contribute to the community," she said.