NEWS
A mural at Su Casa Hispanic Center of Cincinnati P H OTO : O L I V E C O L L I N S N I E S Z
Greater Cincinnati Nonprofits Funnel COVID-19 Information to Hispanic Communities Hispanics largely have been shut out of the vaccine discussion, but Su Casa, Santa Maria Community Services and Community Action Agency are changing that BY O L I V E C O L L I N S N I E S Z
H
ispanic people are the fastestgrowing immigrant group in Ohio, with a 63.4% increase in population since the year 2000, according to the Greater Cincinnati Latino Coalition. And since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, this same group has also faced some of the highest coronavirus infection rates in the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that Hispanics in America are twice as likely as white Americans to contract COVID-19 and 2.3 times as likely to die from it due to “underlying conditions that affect health, including socioeconomic status, access to health care and exposure to the virus related to occupation.”
To help this vulnerable population during the pandemic, three Greater Cincinnati organizations — Su Casa Hispanic Center, Santa Maria Community Services and the Community Action Agency — sprang into action, offering COVID-focused assistance and essential resources in addition to their existing services. “Su Casa” roughly translates to “your home,” which is what Su Casa Hispanic Center strives to be for the Cincinnati Hispanic community: a home base, a safe space and, most importantly, a vital resource. “When (immigrants) are new to the community, they come to Su Casa because they find a place that is friendly to them; a refuge in the city,” says Director Giovanna Alvarez. “They come here first and then we help them navigate all of these new environments.” Run by Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio since 1997, Su Casa offers dozens of resources ranging from social to educational to health services. Since the rise of COVID-19, the organization — like SMCS and CAA — has adjusted to focus on needs rooted in the pandemic, such as putting together and delivering household care packages; contributing direct financial
assistance toward rent and utilities; offering notary and legal services; conducting health screenings; hosting tutoring and English classes; providing laptops to children for remote learning; and distributing Spanish-language information packets about COVID-19 and the stay-at-home orders. “Many (people we serve) don’t speak English as a first language. They didn’t understand what was going on, or why their children weren’t going to school,” Alvarez says. “So we were able to explain COVID-19, the importance of social distancing and wearing a mask.” According to the last U.S. Census, Hispanics make up 3%-4% of the population in the Cincinnati area. Although this number is low, Hispanics and Latinos that were tested for COVID19 have had the highest positivity rate for the virus, says Alvarez — likely for the “underlying conditions” cited by the CDC. During a panel discussion on racism and public health at the University of Cincinnati in March, professor Ligia Gomez noted that many immigrant families live in multigenerational homes, and if one family member gets infected with COVID-19, the number of CONTINUES ON PAGE 06
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