LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville's Hispanic community is growing, bringing more workers and business owners to the area than ever before.
A seminar was held at the Kentucky Derby Museum on Thursday to help organizations understand the growing Hispanic community. One of the fastest growing at this moment is the Cuban community.
"Starting from a new life -- I used to say to immigrate is like to be born again. You have to start learning about everything," Luis David Fuentes, owner/publisher of El Kentubano, said.
Three guest speakers, including Fuentes, told the audience why Cubans are moving to Louisville.
"Cuban escape from socialism. Cubans are here because they don't have any freedom," Fuentes said.
Fuentes said approximately 60,000 Louisvillians are of Cuban decent. He said as a descendent himself that American's shouldn't take the little things they have for granted.
"They told me the number this morning, 500 of our clients have received their work permit," Brinny Parraga, caseworker for the Kentucky Refugee Ministries, said.
Parraga said they are seeing people of all ages coming to their organization to find a new life. Just yesterday, she said she was helping someone who was 89-years-old and other families get situated.
She said when it comes to Cubans coming to Louisville, that they are telling the ministries it's for better work, families and overall more opportunities.
"Little Cuba in Miami is overcrowded and Kentucky [is] now one of the states that has more populations of Cubans so they really like it here in Kentucky," Parraga explained.
Parraga said she's glad GLI took this step to highlight how the Metro's communities are growing and need assistance to do so.
"It helps a lot when people donate and connect," she said. "We have a tremendous amount of people coming from like I said Congo, Africa, from Ukraine, from Cuba, from Haiti, and these people are in disadvantages."
Providing that the largest city in Kentucky is a beacon for new lives in America.
If you want to get involved in helping these communities get situated, you can reach out to Kentucky Refugees Ministries to volunteer, donate or start a sponsorship by clicking here.
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