Sacramento launches Spanish-speaking podcast to showcase region’s Latinos, attract visitors
Sacramento’s Latino population has surged in recent years, and new podcast series is trying to build on that growth and attract more Spanish-speaking visitors.
The Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, also known as Visit Sacramento, recently launched “Bienvenidos A Sacramento,” which seeks to delve into the Latino community in the region. It comes as the city’s multilingual population continues to grow and coincides with National Hispanic Heritage month, which is typically celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
Roughly 25% of Sacramento residents are Hispanic, according to a 2023 report from the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. That number is expected to grow to 26% by 2040.
“We want to invite people that speak Spanish and that listen to podcasts to come visit Sacramento and just experience the diversity of cultures and the melting pot that is Sacramento,” said Lily Cortes Wyatt, host of the podcast. “It’s really it’s an offering to them while showcasing the pride of Latinos, who are making an impact here in the community.”
Cortes Wyatt said the podcast idea arose from her research into the popularity of Spanish-speaking podcasts. An estimated 33% of U.S. Latinos have listened to a podcast mostly in Spanish, according to a 2021 report from Edison Research. In Sacramento County, Spanish is spoken at home by about 14% of the population.
“It was a great opportunity for Visit Sacramento to talk to people that live across the country and the world and really share how awesome Sacramento is,” Cortes Wyatt said.
The first episode was released last week and features Dinorah Klingler, a musician and founder of Sacramento’s first all-female Mariachi band. Future interviewees will be Alex Rodrigo, senior vice president with the Sacramento Kings and general manager of Golden 1 Center; Ernesto Delgado, Sacramento restaurateur; Carissa Gutierrez, executive director of Latino Center of Art and Culture; Carlos Kandia, local musician; and Nancy and David Garcia, owners of shops in the region.
“Most of these people came here for work or to visit and now they’re actually living here,” Cortes Wyatt said. “So it’s basically a tribute to the vibrant and the good thing that are happening for Latinos in Sacramento.”
If successful, Cortes Wyatt said the podcast will continue producing episodes.
Last year, Visit Sacramento also launched a new webpage called “Bienvenidos a Sacramento.” The webpage showcases the cultural heritage of Latinos living in the Sacramento region and gives a Spanish language guide to the city.
Podcast episodes can be heard on the Visit Sacramento website, or by subscribing to platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts. They will be released each Tuesday and Thursday until the end of Hispanic Heritage Month.
This story was originally published September 18, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
