A COMMUNITY GIFT OR A TROJAN HORSE? 

This past month, on Friday, September 15th, the beginning of what has become known as “Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15), the Hispanic Heritage Council, along with a long list of who’s who in the political Kingdom, including the New York State governor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, did what they have long been waiting for, the ground-breaking ceremony for the Lower West Side “Hispanic Cultural Institute, on Hudson & Niagara Street, a center dedicated to arts, culture, history, and community service for the local Puerto Rican/Latino community. It is estimated that over 30 million will complete the project, which will begin within the next few weeks or sooner.

 The center is scheduled to be developed right on the corner of Hudson and Niagara on the Lower West Side, the heart and soul of the Puerto Rican community. This group makes up over 85% of the Latino population. It is estimated that over 70,000 Latinos live in western NY, with about 45,000 in the city of Buffalo, primarily Puerto Rican.

 The center, a three-story, 37,000 square footing building, plans to house an art gallery, museum, cafeteria, theatre space (Raices Theatre Company), gift shop, media program (radio, television & broadcast), and a 150-seating performing arts theater, among other community programs.

 The idea behind this institution came from Casimiro Rodriguez during 2019, a fixture in the community and founder of the Hispanic Heritage Council (HHC). To his credit, he convinced the city, state, and federal elected officials to support and help finance the project. Under his leadership, in 2021, HHC started an aggressive fundraising campaign to raise millions of dollars from the public (government) and private sector ($18 million). The local New York State legislators gave HHC about $12 million and nearly $2 million from the local federal elected officials. As of this writing, more tax money continues to pour in. While the Buffalo Latino Village gave thumbs up when the project idea was first revealed in 2018, and local Puerto Rican groups opposed it, we now have reservations.

 The support for the project comes mainly from HHC’s inner circle of friends or colleagues, including the politicians they support and donate for their political campaigns. There has also been a lack of transparency, and very few Lower West Side residents know anything about the project. Casimiro Rodriguez is articulate and a go-getter, a hard worker, and a long-time Buffalo resident with family roots. But we would like to see more transparency and communication with the grassroots community, open meetings, and press conferences with the public, not just the “chosen few.”

 Having said that, we keep our fingers crossed and hope the agenda is based on a passion for community and not political ambition or political theatre to advance the status quo at the expense of the Lower West Side community. Time will tell.

 For the sake of our community, we hope it is not a Trojan horse.