An Open Letter From West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James On National Hispanic Heritage Month

From the City of West Palm Beach:

September 15, 2020

Dear Resident,

As Mayor of the City of West Palm Beach, my main priority is to create a community of opportunity for all. During National Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to acknowledge the countless contributions Latinos and Hispanics have made to our community. This observance runs from September 15 through October 15 and celebrates the stories, cultures and the roles that this demographic has played in in our society.

According to the latest U.S. Census information, Hispanics/Latinos make up 18.5% of the U.S. population and 24% of our City’s population of nearly 112,000. In City Hall, Hispanics make up 18.8% of our overall workforce, 11.8% of our management positions and 28.6% of our director positions. In fact, both Assistant City Administrator positions are held by Latinos, meaning they hold two of the three highest administrative positions within our City. This is truly a historic time for the City of West Palm Beach; never has there been such significant Hispanic/Latino representation in the senior management ranks at City Hall.

With the knowledge that such a significant portion of our City population identify as Hispanic/Latino, I appointed Jose Tagle as our Hispanic Community Liaison to make sure these residents had an open channel with City Hall. Every day, we work to make sure Hispanic residents are informed about the decisions happening in their City, know how they can participate in public meetings, and can provide their feedback on our various projects, policies and initiatives.

Recently, I announced the Mayor’s Task Force for Racial and Ethnic Equality, which was formed to identify and address issues of racial and ethnic inequality through education, research of best practices, and issuance of policy and funding recommendations. We have appointed members to the Task Force to specifically have the Hispanic voice heard in this important debate.

Additionally, over the past few years, the West Palm Beach Police Department (WPBPD) has hosted a family safety event at St. John Fisher Catholic Church so that our local Hispanic residents can familiarize themselves with the officers who work 24/7 to keep them safe. Members of the WPBPD patrol our predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods to build this trust and familiarity outside of an emergency setting, so that families know exactly to whom to turn when they most need them.

While one month is not enough time to recognize the Hispanic/Latin community for their contributions and successes, I invite you to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with the City. The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach will host events celebrating Hispanic culture, and the City will also host additional events throughout the month. I invite you to follow our City’s Spanish language Facebook page, @CityofWestPalmBeachEnEspañol, and stay informed through our translatable City of West Palm Beach Website: wpb.org. ¡Feliz mes de la herencia hispana!

Yours in service,

Keith A. James, Mayor

This press release was produced by the City of West Palm Beach. The views expressed are the author's own.