Due to imminent redevelopment of the site, there was an urgency to preserve the memories and history of this remarkable space for the Latin American families and community.
Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, increased conflict between stakeholders and its subsequent closure, we were unable to continue working in this market.
Participate in a unique project that will capture the past and present, leaving a cultural legacy for future generations.
We are pooling our diverse skills, knowledge and lived experiences in the UK but do not cover all areas of expertise. We we welcome contributions from all members of our community. Every little helps!
Due to imminent redevelopment of the site, there was an urgency to preserve the memories and history of this remarkable space for the Latin American families and community.
Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, increased conflict between stakeholders and its subsequent closure, we were unable to continue working in this market.
We are an independent, non partisan, not for profit initiative to support the Latin American Community in the UK and to promote our cultural heritage. Our inclusive content platform is run by volunteers, and some content is crowd-sourced by members of the community.
We are currently researching the following topics:
*Specific needs of Latin American families in the UK.
*The cultural identity of second generation Latinxs in the UK.
*The recognition of Spanish as the most desired language to be taught in schools and the promotion of teaching Spanish as a career.
Please fill our online survey here
Our ‘Community Hub’ also gives visibility to the relevant research, campaigns and support available from other organisations. We participate in SLAN (Southwark Latin American Network) and are especially concerned with the lack of recognition and representation of our community.
We promote and protect our cultural heritage by …
Hosting and updating a crowdsourced calendar where artists can upload their upcoming events directly from our website
Anyone can add their events in the relevant section of the calendar. Latin Hub may edit the copy for consistency if needed or remove content that is considered inappropriate.
Hosting and contributing content to our ‘Hub’ which gathers the very valuable (and dispersed) initiatives led by Latin Americans in the UK.
Unlike the crowdsourced calendar, in The Hub we intend to publish ‘evergreen content’ that goes beyond what’s happening now to enrich our cultural legacy for many generations to come.
We are diverse in our opinions and interests. We want to remain inclusive and provide an independent platform for promotion and expression avoiding hyperbole and respecting each other.
The aim is to give visibility to all LatAm organisations, artists and independent businesses featuring remarkable individuals, stories of resilience and our many contributions to the UK.
The hub
is divided into many sections of interest. Of particular relevance to our heritage work are:
Arts, Languages and Books: celebrates the diversity of our cultural heritage by promoting Latin American art in the UK. We also curate art from Latin America, contextualising it, for a deeper understanding of our diverse cultural expressions.
Our Countries: takes us back to LatAm. We blogs about places, events, icons, food, among others. We curating the best that our countries have to offer. The aim is to strengthen our ties with our home countries and to promote our countries as destinations for all UK visitors.
Kids and Youth: focuses on these demographics which are key to preserving our future heritage. We produce and share content that is age appropriate including the animation of traditional stories for children and mapping opportunities for children to learn Spanish in creative environments as well as more traditional forms of learning.
Everyone is welcome to contribute content about any topic of their interest, including independent LatAm business and professionals wanting to promote their products and services.
Creating hybrid online/off-line Exhibitions
Because art can be a great communicator, we developed 'Nuestras Historias' exhibitions.
We recorded stories narrated by Latin traders in London and provided the audio files to Latin artists who recreated the main ideas in their paintings. Below each painting we include a synopsis of the story that inspired the artist, contextualised by the wider challenges that the Latin American community faces related to each story. We also signpost to organisations where members of the community can seek support for a wider range of issues, from domestic violence to work exploitation.
By creating a permanent online exhibition and off-line mobile exhibitions to be displayed at LatAm events across the UK.
Our past exhibitions include Southwark Heritage Centre and La Placita Mall but we are open to collaborate with organisations in other parts of the UK.
Hosting and updating a crowdsourced calendar where businesses, traders and professionals can upload their upcoming events directly from our website.
Anyone can simply click on the plus sign on the calendar and add their event in the relevant section of the calendar.
Hosting and contributing content to our ‘Hub’ also offers a free platform for self promotion.
The hub is divided into many sections of interest. Of particular relevance to independent business, traders and professionals a re:
Food, Drinks & Markets all initiatives related to traders. So far we have published interactive maps with curated Latin food venues and markets and we are looking to expand our mapping into other industries.
Professionals & Businesses focuses on opportunities to learn, hire professional services and network amongst other people in your industry.
LatAm immigrants are well-educated with almost 51% having attained tertiary level/university education, higher than the London average where 34% hold higher level qualifications. However, a quarter of workers work in low-paid jobs and are overqualified for their roles. We face legal and language barriers, among others, that have prevented us from working in our chosen profession. Consequently some ‘end up’ as traders as a last resort to secure their livelihoods and avoid exploitative working conditions mostly in the hospitality and cleaning industries. However, the last few years have been particularly challenging for traders.
Free & Certified Training
In our ‘Hub’ we have a professionals and business section where we offer free and accredited online training and professional advise for those considering a particular career or trade but do not know where to start. Users can enhance their skills to secure employment or to generate alternative income with online sales, to mitigate the impact of lock-down and market closures.
All training is in English and Spanish and independently certified by CPD. We promote the Spanish language in educational institutions as well as funded opportunities to train as Spanish teachers.
E-courses will be available by April 2022 and they will cover the following areas:
Business planning and access to finance: the fundamentals of business planning, designing and presenting your business model, legal structures, market research and managing finances for non-financial people. Funding your idea and accessing other business support.
Digital marketing: planning and executing your strategy, creating your website and social media channels, tactics to increase traffic to your website; E-commerce; Customer service, email marketing and CRM; Social media optimisation (SMO) and content marketing?
Digital skills: GDPR compliance and minimising data breach risks. Digital skills for working remotely, CRMs, online events, data visualisation and much more. Online safeguarding. Focus on digital marketing.
Social entrepreneurship: Understanding social enterprises and the UK landscape, identifying specific opportunities for the sector (social procurement and investment) and proving your social or environmental impact. Social enterprises and community-based marketing.
Oral history (available): oral history theory and practice, collection and recording of oral histories, capturing and archiving heritage, understanding memory, user-led research methods, learning to use video and audio, transcript to script, interview techniques and other qualitative research methods, archiving, campaigning and social policy.
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive training updates here.
We are a volunteer-led initiative committed to supporting initiatives from other Latin organisations for recognition and to other issues concerning our community in the UK. We are members of SLAN (Southwark Latin American Network), a wide range of charities working to improve the quality of life of Latin residents in Southwark.
In the ’Our Community’ section of our hub where we aim to gather all the support available including front line organisations, campaigns, research, sports, networks, etc.
We also aim to strengthen our cultural, economic and social links with our home countries by promoting dialogue and cooperation with our diplomatic representations. The ‘Experience Our Countries’ section of our hub highlights destinations, events, icons, festivals and much more with the aim of promoting our countries as destinations for all UK visitors.
We are currently seeking to explore promotional partnerships with other LatAm charities in the UK. For more information please contact Romina at r.lopez@iars.org.uk
Participate in a unique project that will capture the past and present, leaving a cultural legacy for future generations.
We are pooling our diverse skills, knowledge and lived experiences in the UK but do not cover all areas of expertise. We we welcome contributions from all members of our community. Every little helps!
HELP WITH OUR RESEARCH
BECOME A MENTOR
ATTEND OUR EVENTS
Join us!
We are a small team on a mission to create a legacy website that promotes our heritage and helps our community.
Team
Romina Lopez
Project manager and community outreachRomina Lopez is our communications and community outreach manager. She has a wide range of experience in government as well as the third sector. She started her career working for intergovernmental organisations such as the EU parliament and the Organisation of American States. She has also worked for NGOs such as Stamp Out Poverty and Progressio which shows her commitment to social change and international development. Romina holds a BA degree in International Affairs from Buenos Aires University and a MSc degree in NGOs and Development from LSE. She is a certified digital marketer, a native Spanish speaker and is fluent in both English and Portuguese.
Marina Ravicini
Sustainable businessesMarina joined LatinHubUK and brought a deep understanding of cultural interaction and adaptation. She first studied Anthropology focusing on aesthetics and social expression as part of cultural sensitivity, identity, originality and transformation. Having lived in different places, she found London diversity and chaos intriguingly reassuring. She embarked in interdisciplinary design studies at the University of London, focusing on social and environmental concerns. She has worked in NGOs such as Architecture for Humanity and CSR, such as Sustainable Cities Initiative by Siemens.
Anny Cordero
Artist & LawyerI studied law in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where I graduated as a lawyer. Subsequently, I studied a master's degree in Legal Argumentation in Alicante, Spain. I decided to turn my life around and I came to live in London a year ago. Today, I am exploring other alternatives to my career as a lawyer. I really enjoy drawing and painting. ch has led.My motivation to be a volunteer at LatinhubUK was born from the need I felt when I migrated to establish contact with the Latin community in the United Kingdom, to obtain information about the process of adaptation and establishment in this country, because like everyone else, we went through a phase of disorientation. of arriving in a new place with a different culture and lifestyle. Looking for projects that work with the Latino community, I found LatinhubUK and became interested in their approach to promoting the cultural heritage of this community. I am interested in participating to join efforts to strengthen the community and offer my support in the activities they develop to fulfil their goals.
Luciana Torrents
LawyerHello! I am Luciana Torrents. I emigrated from Argentina to Spain at the age of 19 and since then, 16 years ago, I have lived in Europe. I have a law degree from the University of Barcelona, and I am specialized both in foreigners and immigration as well as in Labor and Social Security Law. My profession and knowledge give me the opportunity to help people defend their rights, dignity, integrity and happiness. As a migrant woman, I understand first-hand how difficult it is to arrive in a new country and start from scratch. Start a new life in another society, in which everything is new. With different customs, language and idiosyncrasies. That is why I believe that in this integration process it is very positive to have the support of family, friends, acquaintances, organizations, etc., who help us fully develop in this new stage. This is the fundamental reason that drives me to actively collaborate as a volunteer in LatinHubUK. And I have the fervent conviction that if we unite strength, passion, enthusiasm and dreams, it is possible to achieve everything we set out to do, including feeling "at home" being thousands of kilometers from the country where we were born.
Eva del Rio
International RelationsI am Eva del Río, a 23-year-old Spanish woman from Madrid. I am currently based in London where I have been living, studying, and working for over a year now. I am passionate about international development, humanitarianism, and politics and graduated in International Relations from the University Complutense of Madrid, did my Erasmus in Political Science at the University Sorbonne in Paris, and recently finished my Master’s in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies at the London School of Economics. I have worked as an intern in the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a Graduate Consultant for the UNHCR and I am currently finishing an internship at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I have also worked part-time in hospitality for over a year. As a Spanish woman living in London, I would like to use some of my free time to help others to settle in this city and create a sense of community because I know how hard moving here can be. During my free time, I also enjoy traveling, reading, and drawing.
Maria Renedo
Languages teacher and consultantI am a recent graduate with a BA degree in English Studies and a MA degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language for Secondary students. I have a strong interest in the fields of education, translation, and communication. By becoming a volunteer in LatinHubUK, I would like to be part of an international community that allows me to expand myself, grow in the personal and intellectual areas and enhance my skillset while enjoying the challenges at hand and getting the warm feeling when helping and giving back. Besides, a volunteering service may help me broaden my cultural horizons, learn new ways to approach existing problems, new ways of looking at the world, and get me in touch with new languages.
Borja Costa
MarketingHey there! My name is Borja, I am a Spanish 27-year-old international trade graduate. Since I was a child I have developed an increasing interest towards the different cultures and languages worldwide. I believe this genuine interest pushed me to continuously think out of the box and help me develop a great empathy and tolerance for what is different. I am really keen on travelling, meeting new people and debating new ideas. I decided to do this volunteering with Latin Hub because I am currently looking for projects that interest me on a personal level and also, I have a special connection with the Latinamerican community.
Arelys Goncalves
JournalistHi! I am a Venezuelan journalist with experience in written press, radio production and media dedicated to migrant communities both in her country of origin and in London. In Venezuela I worked for the main newspaper for the Portuguese community (Correio da Venezuela) and in the United Kingdom she was for several years at the head of Express News, a medium dedicated to the Spanish-speaking community. In addition to my preparation as a journalist, I have a Master's Degree in Translation (English-Spanish) from the University of Westminster. Currently, I am seeking to continue strengthening my community work, gain experience in the field of translation and learn from the performance of charitable organisations that work for Latinos and Spanish speakers.
Cristina Martinez
ActressHi there! I am a Venezuelan girl in London. I am passionate about performing arts and audiovisual arts, as a way to explore human thinking and create common spaces to share without judgement. I believe that culture spreads through food and music. I am a volunteer because I eager to create deep and meaningful connections with people.
Desire Noriega
ArtistDesire is a Psychologist with a MSc focused on Political Psychology from Queen's University Belfast. She is a highly skilled researcher and project manager with +5 years of experience working with a number of think tanks and NGOs both in the UK and abroad. Skilled in data analytics, using qualitative and quantitative research methods. Desiree has combined her multidisciplinary knowledge to design, develop and manage local and pan-european projects while also making and influencing global, regional and national policy.
Graciela Martin
Fashion stylist & consultantJournalist, fashion stylist and consultant specialised in creative marketing strategies for fashion and luxury brands. Currently Latin American Markets contributor for The Business of Fashion. Graciela was born in Caracas, Venezuela. She graduated with distinction from the London College of Fashion Master of Fashion Journalism, and trained with The Love Magazine's stylist and fashion director, Panos Yiapanis, and in publications such as The Gentlewoman and The Business of Fashion.
Eilish Newmark
Hi, I'm Eilish. I am from London and have just finished my degree in Spanish and Philology at the University of Edinburgh. I am very interested in the Hispanic language, translation and Latin American cinema. I am very happy to be part of this project to learn more about the Latin American community in the UK and how we can preserve it.
Alberto Nin
Community OutreachHi everyone, my name is Alberto Nin and I am excited to be join the Latin Hub Project. My background is in political science and business. I was born and raised in New York city where I was exposed to a multitude of religions and cultures. Through this experience I have learned to appreciate and grown a passion for working with people who may not be from the same background as me. I hope to contribute to LatinHubUk's mission and vision statement.
Jose Guariglia
Journalism and PRJournalist, PR consultant and TV writer-producer from Venezuela/Italy. A firm believer in free speech and justice for all, I have covered topics that affect developing nations like human rights abuses, multiculturalism and immigration reform. At Latin Hub, I will be able to reconnect with my Latin roots and cover everything related to cultural expressions of the thriving Latin Community in London.
Bilkis Begum
Web Design & DevelopmentHi! I’m Bilkis and I am currently studying BA User Experience Design at UAL. Bilkis has designed and developed our 'About us' page and we are so grateful. Thank you!
Angelines Yakin
Valeria Destefano
Cecilia Rearte
Julia Bosh
Florencia Aoun
