The vibe was bilingual and festive on March 3 in Redmond with tacos, music and margaritas as dozens of people came together to celebrate the Latino Community Association’s new headquarters.

Located in a two-story house at 636 NW Cedar Avenue and NW 7th Street, it will serve as a hub for the community to access a variety of services, such as workplace navigation, English classes, citizenship classes, and computer skills.

The house, which was repurposed as new offices for the organization, will also serve as a welcoming space where the community can get together for parties, Spanish language book clubs, or

simply to connect with

others.

The association serves as the connecting point for the vibrant and growing Latino community in Central Oregon.

Prior to getting the new house, the association’s offices in Redmond were at the Becky Johnson Community Center at 412 SW 8th St. Operations will now be out of the new home but some of the classes the organization offers will still be held at the Becky Johnson center.

On Cedar Avenue Friday, people chatted on the porch or came in and out of the house as the adults sat and discussed their weeks and the children darted around the room. The sound of laughter mixed with the warm embrace of greetings in Spanish.

“That’s the culture. It’s fitting,” Brad Porterfield, the executive director of the Latino Community Association, said of the Redmond home. “We want it to be a welcoming space. Welcome to entire families. That is going to be much more welcoming to the people we serve.”

Upstairs, Hilda Leon, the leadership coordinator with the association, sat in her brightly decorated office and described the different services the organization offers, including translation services and assistance getting on the Oregon Health Plan. The organization also does food distribution with NeighborImpact, Leon said.

“My main purpose as the leadership coordinator is to unite our Latino community with the city council, with the mayor. I want them to feel comfortable around them and know that we can have a good relationship,” Leon said. “We also help anyone who comes through our door. It doesn’t matter if they are Latino or not…we are here to help the community.”

While the doors are open to all, the place serves a special role for the Latino immigrant community in particular.

“It is important so people don’t feel alone. We come to the United States and it is hard to come to a different country and not find people from your country. So, the Latino Community Association is that spot where you can come and feel at home and know that there are people that speak your language,” Leon said. “We are here for you. If you need anything we are here to help you.”

Carolina Afre is the workforce navigator at the association. Her job involves helping members of the community create resumes, prepare for interviews, and search and apply for jobs, among other things.

“The other part of my job is business advice,” Afre said. “I facilitate workshops on how to start a business once a month in all our offices. And there I share all the information entrepreneurs need in order to start a business, register a business in Oregon, and obtain licensing and permits, depending on what field they want to start their business in.”

Afre said having a space like the new home in Redmond is reflective of the growth that the community has experienced in the past few years.

“It is so nice to finally have a chance to have our own space where people can come, feel welcome, and as soon as they enter the building they see a face that looks like them, that is familiar to them, that someone is going to greet them in their own language, and we can meet them privately in our own offices,” Afre said.

Andrés García came from Portland for the grand opening of the new house. He said the house is more than just a place to access services but it is a place where people can connect and lean on each other for support.

“This is a really important place not only for the Hispanic community, but for everyone, because these days a lot of people lack not only services but lack communication,” García said. “This place can be a familiar place for people to come…and vent…and get other people’s perspectives on things. And I think this is really important for the community.”