Hispanics and Latinos in Washington, D.C.


In 2016 the Latino community made up nine percent of Washington, D.C.'s population, and 44.9 percent of non-English-speaking households spoke Spanish. The district’s Latino population has been increasing steadily since the 1980s as its total population has declined. More immigrants from Latin American countries have settled in the district, and there has been an increase in births to Latina mothers compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Latinos living in D.C. are more likely to be immigrants than non-Latinos, and Latino immigrants in the district are predominantly from El Salvador, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. D.C. Latino households are more likely to consist of a married couple than non-Latino households, and include more children.

Demographics

The population of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the district as of July 2018 is 79,249, 11.3% of its population. If treated as a category separate from race, Hispanics are the third largest minority group in DC.
The district has a very diverse Hispanic population. The largest ancestry group of Hispanics as of July 2018 are of Salvadoran descent followed by Mexican descent, Puerto Rican descent, Dominican descent, Cuban descent, Colombian descent, Guatemalan descent, Honduran descent, Nicaraguan descent, Peruvian descent, Venezuelan descent, Panamanian descent, Argentinian descent, Costa Rican descent, Uruguayan descent, and those of other Hispanic ethnicity or of mixed Hispanic ethnicity.
Over 800,000 Latinos live in the Washington metropolitan area. Latinos in the district. have a median household income of nearly $61,000, the highest Latino income in the United States. One-fourth of Hispanic adults in the district have at least a bachelor's degree, nearly double the national Latino rate. However, there is a significant education gap in the population; the number of Hispanic adults with less than a ninth-grade education is about the same as the number with bachelor's and advanced degrees.

Culture

Although the district’s Latino population has historically lived in its northwest quadrant, changes in the city’s neighborhoods and housing market have resulted in a demographic shift. The district’s housing boom, which began in 2001 and peaked in 2006, affected Latino neighborhoods; the Latino population has increased along Ward 4's southern border and declined in Wards 2 and 3.
Hispanic plays are performed year-round at the GALA Hispanic Theatre. Cultural programs and events for the Latino community thrive across the city, including frequent concerts by Latin music artists such as Juanes, Shakira, Alejandro Fernández, Juan Gabriel, and Ricky Martin. Latinos are widely represented in the LGBT community. Hispanic television channels include Univision, Telemundo, and Azteca America, and radio stations include El Sol and Radio Viva. Latin music is heard in supermarkets and restaurants. There are about five Spanish-language newspapers, including the Washington Hispanic, El Tiempo Latino and El Pregonero.
Most government programs and facilities provide services in Spanish. The Washington Metro and Metrobus provide announcements and schedules in English and Spanish.
Bilingual staff may be found in most supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, and laundromats. The Latino Federation of Greater Washington is the region's largest group of Latino organizations.
YearDate
2012September 23
2013September 22
2014September 21
2015September 22
2016September 18
2017September 17

Fiesta DC

Fiesta DC, an annual celebration of Latino heritage held on the third Sunday in September, has been held for over 45 years. The celebration had taken place between the 900 and 1400 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue. After the construction of Trump Tower at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, Fiesta DC organizers moved the festival to the area between 300 and 700 Pennsylvania Avenue. According to Fiesta DC president Maria Patricia Corrales, the move was due to the cost of installing barriers which would preserve the building's parking area. A Parade of the Nations takes place the day before the festival.

Education

Bilingual schools in Washington DC include Oyster-Adams Bilingual School, Bell Multicultural High School, and Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. The Latin American Youth Center helps meet the educational and professional needs of young Latino students. The Ana G. Mendez University System and the Catholic University of America are the district's most-accessible universities for Hispanic students. George Washington and Gallaudet Universities and the University of Maryland, College Park also recruit Latino students.
UniversityTotal student
population		Percentage of
students who
are Hispanic		Percentage of
graduates who
are Hispanic
Catholic University of America6,52112%14%
University of Maryland, College Park38,1408%8%
University of the Potomac6324%4%
American University12,3134%4%
Gallaudet University2,3401%1%
University of the District of Columbia5,3711%1%
Howard University10,3001%1%

Health

Several medical centers address the needs of the Spanish-speaking population, including La Clinica del Pueblo and the district's Office of Human Services. Centers such as the Whitman-Walker Clinic, Mary's Center, Columbia Heights Farmers Market, and Columbia Heights Clinic offer services in Spanish and programs for the Latino community. Ayuda is a Latino substance-abuse program.
Hospitals, including MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Providence Hospital, Howard University Hospital and the George Washington University Hospital, provide services in Spanish. Most district hospitals offer bilingual services, including translators and bilingual staff on call twenty-four hours a day.

Embassies

All Latin American countries, including Cuba, have diplomatic representation in Washington. The World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Organization of American States have groups and committees which gather Latinos from many countries. The Washington metropolitan area has the largest population of Salvadorans in the world outside San Salvador, and communities from Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, and other Latin American countries also exist.
Latino embassies in the district are: