COVINGTON, Ky. — When Katherynne Rodriguez first showed up at the Esperanza Latino Center in Covington, she needed help.

“I had no clue about college and how to get in, what were the requirements, and all that. So I came here to Esperanza. They helped me a lot,” she said. “They explained to me what the process was, and how I can get connected. They helped me to do the ACT and the prep.”

The Esperanza Center advocates for and provides services to the Latino and Hispanic communities of Northern Kentucky, who often face challenges created by language barriers. (Spectrum News 1/Sam Knef)

Now, Rodriguez is a student at Northern Kentucky University. She’s also been working at the Esperanza Center since January, helping others who come in like she once did. Rodriguez said she has always been involved in volunteering in the Hispanic Latino community, so it was a natural fit.

“When I came here, there were not a lot of people that were helping. So that’s what made me jump in,” she said. “I definitely tell people whenever they come here to take advantage when they go to school. They can get so many scholarships. They can do so much here.”

The Esperanza Center advocates for and provides services to the Latino and Hispanic communities of Northern Kentucky, who often face challenges created by language barriers.

Rodriguez said she has always been involved in volunteering in the hispanic latino community, so the Esperanza Center was a natural fit. (Spectrum News 1/Sam Knef)

The center provides educational opportunities like English classes. It’s also starting adult computer training programs and GED programs in the fall.

The center is also a one-stop-shop service center. Esperanza Center Director Reid Yearwood called it a bilingual point of contact to connect people with resources and services like job applications, housing applications, clothing, food, legal immigration services and a diaper program.

“If people don’t know what to do, if they have trouble getting connected to a resource or doing something because of the language, the first thing they can do is call us, and we can help with that case,” Yearwood said. “The biggest difficulty of living in a new country is always going to be the language. So we try to provide our service desk and offer that to the community, so that they can overcome that as much as possible.”

In addition to helping people who come in, the center is sharing in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with them. The period from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 honors the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture and achievements of the United States.

Yearwood said there’s been significant growth in the Spanish-speaking community in Northern Kentucky. He said city officials estimate between 10 and 20% of people in Covington are Hispanic or Latino.

Rodriguez said pride in her heritage is what drives her.

“It's like a special month for everyone. Because it unites us as a community,” she said. “So it’s a way for us to embrace our culture and traditions, and show it to people, and just be proud of who we are.”

Her message to the Hispanic and Latino community is: all are welcome at the Esperanza Center, they have the sources to get people connected and don’t be afraid, they speak Spanish.

Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point of Hispanic Heritage Month because it is the anniversary of the independence of five Hispanic countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.