Latinos in Our Area
The purpose of this webpage, Latinos in Our Area, is to provide sociological and economic data and other references about our local Latino population, as well as to recognize local Latino leaders. We also have an archive about one of the area’s largest concentration of Latinos, Southwood. Please send suggestions and new references to cj.cville@gmail.com
Contents
Overview of the Latino Population in our Community and Beyond
Local Media Reports on Latinos
Statistics, Data, and Presentations on the Charlottesville Area Latino Population
OVERVIEW OF THE LATINO POPULATION IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND
While the Census has long been criticized for underestimating the number of poor, rural poor, and
immigrants, using Census data is helpful to establish a preliminary point of reference.
Nationally, Hispanics are the largest ethnic group, as well as the fastest growing, comprised largely of
Mexicans (64%), Puerto Ricans (9%), Cubans (3.5%), Salvadorans (3%) and Dominicans (2.7%). The
2010 Census counted 50.5 million Hispanics, making up 16.3% of the country’s total population. The
Latino population, which was 35.3 million in 2000, grew 43% over the decade, accounting for most of
the nation’s growth—56%—from 2000 to 2010. Studies indicate that the rise in the Hispanic population
is being driven by high birthrates. More than 70% of the 1.5 million additional Hispanics in 2009 were
born in the U.S., while immigration accounted for just 18% of the growth. Among Latinos, there are nine
births for every one death; for whites, the ratio is one-to-one. (For more national data visit http://cj-network.org/cj/national-resources)
In Virginia, the 2010 Census found that the number of Latinos/Hispanics doubled to 633,000 since
2000, comprising 8% – compared to 7.2% (570,000) in 2009 and to 5% (330,000) in 2000 – of Virginia’s
population. The State’s largest Latino populations are Mexicans, Salvadorans, and Puerto Rican. More
than half of Virginia’s Latinos are U.S. born citizens, a fourth are naturalized citizens, and the rest are
living in the State with or without legal authorization. Around 85% of Virginia’s Latino children under 18
are U.S. born. (Additional Virginia statistics can be found at http://cj-network.org/cj/virginia-resources/latinos-in-virginia)
Locally, the 2010 Census indicates Albemarle is now Virginia’s 10th most populous county. Its population
rose 24.9% from 84,186 (2000) to 98,970 (2010). Charlottesville’s population increased 3.5%, up to
43,475 from 40,099 a decade ago, making it the 13th most populous city in Virginia. (Click here for additional local data and media reports)
This chart shows how the Latino population in our area has dramatically increased in the last decade, doubling in the City of Charlottesville, and nearly tripling in Albemarle County between 2000 and 2010.
| % Latino/Hispanic Origin | Number of Latinos | % Change from 2000-2010 | |
| 2000 2009 2010 | 2000 2009 2010 | ||
| Charlottesville | 2.5% 3.9% 5.1% | 1,102 1,629 2,223 | 102% |
| Albemarle | 2.4% 3.9% 5.5% | 2,029 3,707 5,417 | 167% |
Some 8,000 or more Latinos/Hispanics reside in the greater Charlottesville area. Among them, Mexicans, Salvadorans and Hondurans – according to observations of local service providers, educators, churches, and Latinos – are the most populous. Latinos have been attracted to the Charlottesville/Albemarle area and keep coming because of the availability of employment in the service industry, construction, and agriculture. Many adults are U.S. citizens, legal residents or have permission to work; others are undocumented. Increasingly, Latino children are U.S. born and citizens. Most Latinos, especially adults, typically have Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and are thus:
- uninformed about community resources, benefits and services, their legal rights and laws;
- unaware of benefits they do receive and of processes to retain them and unable to ask questions about or follow up on them; and, as a result of these and other language barriers
- are underserved and, in the eyes of the law, discriminated against.
CJ uses this section to profile a Latino/a – from Charlottesville, Albemarle County or a nearby locality – who is engaged in initiatives that benefit the Latino community and/or enhance awareness about it. Since its beginning in April 2006, the section has recognized personalities from the media, non-profits, small businesses, and a UVA administrator and student. To recommend a future profile please contact the CJ Program Coordinator at cj.cville@gmail.com
July-August, 2011
Adriana Haynes
Adriana is the Shelter for Help in Emergency’s (SHE) new Legal Outreach Advocate for the Spanish speaking community. She was born in Colombia and grew up with her family in Bogota before coming to the US in 1999 to learn English through the airline company she worked for. Though she thought she’d return to Colombia, those plans changed when she met Jeff, her future husband. Jeff and Adriana moved to Charlottesville from Harrisonburg in 2007.
Adriana’s position as the Legal Outreach Advocate at SHE builds on her ten years of experience as a court and community services interpreter. She also works as a legal assistant in her husband’s general law practice to help him better serve the Hispanic community, and she volunteers her time to “Speaking Forward with Jeff and Olga”, a law, business and entertainment radio show Jeff co-hosts with Olga Morse, Editor of Forward/Adelante, the bilingual business journal.
Thinking about her work with our area’s Latino population Adriana says, “Let me begin by saying that is an honor for me to be able to give back to my community. I know how much of a challenge it was for me to transition from one culture to another and overcome the language barrier. It is very gratifying for me to act as a liaison between the two cultures. In my position at the Shelter I know that in each case I have an opportunity to help someone heal their lives as survivors of domestic violence. I also have the opportunity to raise awareness of domestic violence in the Hispanic community and to educate them on the resources that are available to those in need. Finally, it has been amazing working and getting to know other members of our community. I have an opportunity to witness firsthand the success stories out there and how they have come together with the general community to enrich their lives of so many different backgrounds.”
Adriana and Jeff recently became active in CJ’s Executive Committee, and of this experience Adriana says, “My husband and I have always wanted to become part of CJ because of the vital role they play in furthering the goals of the Hispanic population. In CJ there is such a diverse group of individuals that all share the same goals and passion to bring the whole community together. THANK YOU CJ FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE AND YOU ARE DOING TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY.”
And she adds, “I am very proud to be Latina and I am grateful to have this opportunity to work for my community.”