SOMOS CENTRAL FLORIDA

An argument bubbles over which coffee makes the best espresso.

To thousands of migrant farmworkers across five counties in Central Florida, she is their hero. It’s an organization that in normal times provides food, medical supplies and educational services to migrant farmworkers in Osceola, Orange, Polk, Hillsborough and Highland Counties. “Isa has distributed about 800 gallons of milk per week to families all over Central Florida,” Kight said. It’s also why News 6 wanted to feature Jeffers for Somos Central Florida, our Hispanic Heritage Month coverage. I am a Mexican, I am an immigrant woman and people like me, that makes my community - my people - strong.”For more Somos Central Florida stories, check out clickorlando.com/hispanicheritage.

Two Orange County commissioners made a call to action to the Hispanic and Latino communities in an effort to change the statists when it comes to the 2020 U.S. Census. “Just 1970 is when the census actually started counting Hispanics but what we noticed over the years is traditionally African Americans and Hispanic communities are undercounted,” Mayra Uribe, Orange County Commissioner for District 3 said. Orange County government said while people are focused on their jobs, health, and families, they need to be reminded of the importance of responding to the 2020 U.S. census. Orange County government set up seven computer kiosks inside seven different community centers in the county. The centers will be open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.Those needing to visit a census location can visit one of the following sites:

PUERTO RICO – On Wednesday, FEMA reported nearly $7.3 billion approved to help rebuild Puerto Rico’s critical infrastructure and historical buildings still damaged from Hurricane Maria in 2017. FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2017, file photo, debris scatters a destroyed community in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico. Since Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico can’t seem to catch a break. We have reminders and continue to have reminders about the fragility of the system in Puerto Rico,” Dr. Rivera said. He said the Puerto Rico Research Hub is studying how communities who take people in after major events responded.

Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off with countries celebrating independence days.

“The Puerto Rican population in Central Florida is huge and continues to grow,” Dr. Luis Martínez Fernández, a UCF history professor and author said. Martínez Fernández estimates about 300,000 Puerto Ricans, or Boricuas as they are called, have called Central Florida home since the 1970s. “Part of it had to do with veterans who were retiring and moved to this area,” Martínez Fernández said. For Martínez Fernández, Hispanic Heritage Month should be a time to look past the stereotypes of Latinos. Somos Central Florida -- We Are Central Florida -- recognizes how history has shaped the heritage here in Florida and the culture that’s creating the future.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Vice President Joe Biden campaigned in Osceola County on Tuesday, seeking votes from a growing Latino community. According to Osceola County Commissioner Vivian Janer, 55 percent of Osceola residents are Hispanic. Some people held signs supporting Biden, while others held signs supporting Trump. According to the poll, 50 percent of the respondents in Florida support Biden, which 45 percent support Trump, with 5 percent either unsure or planning to vote for someone else. Biden said he knows every vote in Osceola County will count.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A number of Latino organizations held a press conference outside of the Orange County Public Schools School Board building on Tuesday. The organizations included Organize Florida, Voices Unidas para la Educación, and Pa'lante por mas. Organizers ended the news conference by heading inside the building and delivering a letter to the OCPS school board. In that letter, they request that live closed captioning be provided during every meeting in the top five non-English languages in Orange County schools, which they list as Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Arabic, and Vietnamese. Orange County Public Schools tells News 6, translations are provided for those who attend the meetings in person.

"These folks have a very high entrepreneurial spirit so folks want to start their business." Viera, who launched her own marketing business a few years ago says the lack of information in Spanish made the process more difficult for her. This inspired her to create a free business resource guide completely in Spanish for future small business owners and those already in business. The free business resource guide can be downloaded here. For more stories about how people in the community are stepping up to help during the pandemic, visit clickorlando.com/doyourpart.