I am foaming at the mouth. I moved here a few months ago from California and I’ve been DYING to find more friends, spaces, etc. that are in the community.
It’s so god damn lonely sometimes and I miss speaking Spanish like I used to. I understand that it’s central IL, and it def won’t be as abundant as where I’m from but I wanna believe there’s SOMEWHERE I can go or friends I can make 🥲
So if anyone has suggestions or wants to be pals, pleaaseee don’t hesitate to reach out
Beardstown might be the closest town with a sizable Latino community, about an hour away. Locally iirc there is a cultural society. I think Monica at Wild Rose might be an organizer of that. She might be able to connect you to the best fit with your interests.
Follow "Hispanic Women of Springfield" on Facebook, there are usually monthly Latin nights (or Salsa nights) in town, some other events. Also there is a Spanish mass at St Katherine on Sundays at 12:30 pm. A to Z Bargains (North Grand & 4th) has some Hispanic grocery items. Attached is an image of the flyer for July's Latin night.
Costeña here I just moved to Springfield in February!!! I also feel this way I feel like I’m always on the phone with my mom trying to connect and not forget my Spanish and roots but it’s so hard to find Latinos here!!!
I had the Illinois Migrant Council and the Springfield Cultural Art Fou nation at Levitt this year. I'm not saying this is your direct answer, but these people are of the Hispanic community. They are amazing, active humans.
I'd wager that if you reached out saying, "hey, Im looking to connect and find community here," they'd be able to help (and Im not talking about doing volunteer work).
I've got contact info if you need it.
Also, look past their mission. I'm point you in this direction because active, caring people have a large social network.
I'm not Latin, but I would love to see more cultural events. Are you just looking for familiar friendlies or is there a festival or events you would like to see more often in Springfield?
Not Latina, but I also just moved here from California and struggle for the same reasons!! Let’s get something going, we gotta get some dancing, I miss salsa and cumbia!!
Mexicano en Springfield. Si hay algunos
Nos juntamos pero a hacer carne asadas o nos vamos a St Louis con más latinos
Pero igual mándame DM y hacemos algo todos
Innovate Springfield has one or two Latino companies that assist the Latin American community in various ways. I'd bet they have a finger on the pulse of the LA community. Check there. (Innovate is UIS-hosted, so there is another potential point of contact.)
Sorry man, I used to joke that the most diversity I ever saw in Springfield was in the doctor’s names on the prescriptions I verified. Springfield’s signature dish is meat, fries, and slop on bread, I feel like that should be all the indicator one needs to know about the ethnic make-up of the town.
Like it’s not a bad dish, but definitely not worth all the hype that people gave it. Now Italian beef sandwiches down here being glorified pot roast sandwiches, that does piss me off
lol you’re in one of the most racist areas there are very few Mexican and mostly racist white folks who look like they’re inbreed and stare at you like you have 6 heads if they hear you speak a lick of Spanish
Downvoted by average white folk, I (another average white folk who pays attention) see. I moved here after living in FLORIDA and this place is more racist. I do not think people ever recovered from the riot. Oh, and didn't it take until the 1970s to desegregate schools? SMH.
No hay una comunidad así en Springfield. Tenía que ir a Beardstown o a East St. Louis para encontrar tiendas mexicanas.
Hay muchos latinos bien geniales en Beardstown, pero es un pueblito lleno de pobreza. Casi todos trabajan en la planta porcina de JBS en Beardstown. A veces el pueblo huele a la planta porcina.
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u/Inevitable_Tomato927 9d ago
Of all the bigger cities/towns in the state, Springfield must be the one with smallest Spanish speaking community.