Government

Hispanic Development committee to be formed in Riverhead

To expand access to opportunities and essential resources for the Spanish-speaking population in Riverhead Town, town officials, business owners and community leaders are uniting to create the town’s first-ever Hispanic-centric committee.

Alexander Escobar, owner of Café Victoria in the Riverhead Tanger Outlets, founded the Hispanic Development, Empowerment and Education Committee — or HDEEC — to “bridge” the systemic gaps in resources and representation by providing mentorship, financial literacy programs and workforce development to the Hispanic population in Riverhead.

The idea started when Mr. Escobar approached Riverhead Town Councilman Ken Rothwell about the challenges facing the Hispanic community. After a couple of months exchanging ideas on how to better empower Hispanic individuals and businesses, the committee was formed and officially presented themselves to the other town board members on Jan. 16.

The ultimate goal of the new committee is to “cultivate a stronger, more unified Riverhead — a community where all residents can live, work and thrive together,” Mr. Escobar said in a statement. At the town board work session, Mr. Rothwell, who will be the group’s town liaison, said he was “extremely proud” to be a part of this initiative and told the committee members that they serve as a “voice” that needs to be heard.

“It’s hard to reach out when you have a language barrier issue sometimes — and [as a town councilman, I] feel like am I really reaching out to everybody that we serve, I am really representing everybody we serve,” Mr. Rothwell said at the meeting. “I think this can be a great step in allowing us as a town board, and government itself, to represent everybody.”

Mr. Escobar said the committee is in the final planning phase and aims to formally launch the HDEEC in the coming months. Other the diverse group of community leaders in the committee include former Guatemalan diplomat Edgar Mejia; Montserrat Ruiz, a dentist and entrepreneur; Gary Vogel, managing partner of East Coast Nurseries; Pastor Elias Salcedo, founder of New Jerusalem Church; Annaly Kess, an employee of the Riverhead Central School District; and Daniel Sullivan, a businessman involved in green energy strategies.

The objectives of the HDEEC are to “empower Hispanic entrepreneurs and businesses through comprehensive resources and mentorship, expand education and workforce development initiatives to cultivate a skilled, future-ready workforce, strengthen community engagement and foster productive collaboration with local government entities and advocate for meaningful Hispanic representation and elevate cultural awareness within Riverhead.”

Mr. Rothwell also noted the committee’s work goes beyond representing solely businesses or the school district, but also communicating with the town’s parks and recreation on how to diversify town events and activities. He added the HDEEC will collaborate with other town committees as well, such as the Anti-Bias Taskforce, to further address any needs.

Mr. Escobar called the committee a “strategic conduit between the Hispanic community and the Riverhead Town government.”

“Through open dialogue, needs assessment, and collaborative initiatives, we aim to ensure that Hispanic voices are not only heard but also influential in policy and decision-making,” Mr. Escobar said. “Councilman Rothwell’s role as the town liaison is pivotal in fortifying this relationship.”

Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard touched on the fear he realized Hispanic individuals have around reaching out to the town government for help. He hoped the formation of the committee will make the town hall more welcoming and ease any anxieties Hispanic people may feel.

“I like to think of Riverhead as one community, and it’s really not right now,” Mr. Hubbard said. “There is a stigma out there right now and it’s got to be erased.”