August 4, 2021 — With the Latino population in Mendocino County growing, local Latino leaders are strategizing how to bring business owners in to fund scholarships and initiatives. And with the delta variant surging, Ukiah mayor Juan Orozco says he thinks he’s cracked the code when it comes to the best way to get public health messages out to the Spanish-speaking community: short, informative videos on social media.
Orozco is a member of UVA, Ukiah Vecinos en Accion, a local group that’s been working for ways to advance the interests of the Latino community. The group is now setting its sights on getting business owners to step into playing a social role beyond offering employment. For the younger generations coming up, he envisions leaders in government, healthcare, education, and business. “You know, I haven’t met a Latino CEO in our county yet,” he reflected. “And we really need to start figuring out how to get that going.”