Latinos in Charlotte gathered Saturday at Johnson C. Smith University at an annual event to honor Afro-Latinos, Latinos of African descent.
Saturday’s Afro-Latino event featured music and dance performances by local artists.
The event also featured a panel with Afro-Latinos from Latin American countries residing in Charlotte. They spoke on Afro-Latinos' resilience and the cultural sharing between the African and Latino communities.
Fiestas Patrias, a nonprofit that preserves Latino culture in Charlotte, has put this event together for eight years.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles also proclaimed Saturday as Afro-Latino Heritage Day. Local elected officials including Charlotte City Councilmember Marjorie Molina, Mecklenburg County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell and N.C. Rep. Jordan Lopez were also in attendance.
About 12% of Latinos in the United States identify as Afro-Latino. As of 2020, close to 6,000 Afro-Latinos were living in Mecklenburg County.
