Courier Eco Latino to Spotlight ‘Who’s Who of the Hispanic Community’ During Hispanic Heritage Month

As the nation observes Hispanic Heritage Month, the Courier Eco Latino Newspaper is launching a special recognition of the men and women whose leadership, service and accomplishments are helping shape the Hispanic community across Columbus, Fort Moore, Phenix City and the surrounding Chattahoochee Valley.

The newspaper’s “Who’s Who of the Hispanic Community” will spotlight local Hispanic and Latino leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, clergy, military personnel, health care professionals, public servants and community advocates throughout October.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. The observance celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose heritage traces to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The Sept. 15 starting date also coincides with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American nations.

For the Courier Eco Latino, the recognition carries special significance. Since its founding, the bilingual newspaper has sought to provide a platform for communities whose stories have too often gone untold or underreported.

The “Who’s Who” initiative is designed not simply to publish names and photographs, but to introduce the broader community to people who are building businesses, caring for families, educating children, serving the country, strengthening neighborhoods and helping move the region forward.

A celebration amid uncertainty

This year’s recognition also comes against the backdrop of a challenging period for the local Latino community.

The Tri-City Latino Festival, a longtime Columbus tradition featuring food, music, dance and cultural celebrations, was canceled in 2025. Organizers cited economic uncertainty and community safety concerns, while reporting documented fears within the Latino community about possible U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. The festival had been held annually at the Columbus Civic Center since 2013.

Those concerns reflected a broader national climate. The Associated Press reported in 2025 that Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in several U.S. cities were canceled, postponed or altered amid increased immigration enforcement and concerns about possible ICE activity.

Yet in the Chattahoochee Valley, the celebration of Hispanic and Latino heritage did not disappear. It moved forward in another highly visible way — through the Tri-City Latino Parade.

Parade carries the celebration forward

On Sept. 19, 2026, the Tri-City Latino Association held its fifth annual parade, bringing residents from both sides of the Chattahoochee River together to celebrate Hispanic and Latino culture.

The parade began at Dillingham and Broad streets in Phenix City, traveled along Broad Street, crossed the 13th Street Bridge into Columbus and continued along Broadway before ending at Ninth Street.

Participants represented different nations, organizations and segments of the community through decorated vehicles, cultural attire, music and performances. Organizers described the event as an opportunity to celebrate Latino traditions while strengthening connections throughout the region.

Unlike previous celebrations, the 2026 event consisted of the parade without a festival afterward. That distinction is important. The absence of the traditional festival did not erase the presence of the Hispanic community. The parade demonstrated that the culture, contributions and community remain visible.

Putting names and faces to the community

That same spirit is behind the Courier Eco Latino’s “Who’s Who of the Hispanic Community.” Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity to celebrate culture, but the Courier Eco Latino believes recognition should also extend to the people doing the everyday work of building the community.

Behind every statistic about the growth of the Hispanic population are people. They are business owners opening doors each morning. They are physicians and nurses caring for patients. They are teachers standing in classrooms. They are soldiers and military families serving their country. They are pastors, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, students, artists and volunteers. They are neighbors.

In the month of October, the Courier Eco Latino will tell some of their stories and recognize individuals whose work and service represent the diversity, strength and promise of the Hispanic community.

The newspaper invites the entire Chattahoochee Valley to join in that recognition. Because Hispanic Heritage Month is about more than remembering where a people came from. It is also about recognizing who they are, what they contribute and the important role they continue to play in where this community is going.