As Gainesville welcomes newly elected local government officials, members part of and involved in the Hispanic community find themselves reflecting on what the future holds for their representation in local politics.
An announcement by City Commissioner At-Large Seat A, Reina Saco, the only Hispanic member of the Gainesville City Commission, stating she will not seek re-election has prompted concern and contemplation, but also hope.
Without Saco’s presence on the commission, residents are left wondering whether their voices will continue to be heard in the corridors of power.
Saco’s departure marks a significant moment for the community. The first-generation Cuban has embedded her roots into her work, taking part in perfecting Alachua County Public School’s Language Line and adding an Immigrant Affairs Manager position in government.
“It really is something I had to do for myself and for my family,” she said. “I love this community. That's why I ran for office, and I wanted to do good for it, and I think we've achieved some of those steps.”
With her exit, a question arises: Who will now advocate for the issues most pertinent to Gainesville’s Hispanic residents.
Gracia Fernandez, a 29-year-old first-generation Salvadorian and Dominican and the coordinator of Alachua County’s Immigrant and Language Access Department, said she’s both optimistic and pragmatic.
“I think it's really challenging... because as someone who is part of the community, you know exactly what your community's needs are — what the challenges that your community faces are,” she said.
Fernandez acknowledged that while Saco’s departure leaves a void, it also opens the door for others to step up.
“Reina is such an incredible leader... she’ll be leaving a Reina-sized hole in our government and in our commission,” she said. “But she leaves the city in really good and capable hands.”
Fernandez said she believes that the responsibility of representation does not rest on one person alone.
“There are so many of us in our community,” she said. “It’s really all of our responsibilities and all of our civic duties to stand up.”
Fernandez noted Gainesville and Alachua County have the potential to be a diverse and inclusive community where all voices are heard.
Gainesville is the largest city in Alachua County with a population of a little less than 146,000. Hispanic people make up 12% of the population, according to a 2023 U.S. Census.
The city has prioritized language access, a circling issue in the community.
Alachua County Public School’s language line and the addition of an Immigrant Affairs Manager position within the government are two initiatives Saco said she’s proud of. She’s hopeful language access will continue to flourish without her.
Saco said James Ingle, who will fill her seat, has shown an interest in learning about Hispanic culture.
“We actually used to do Spanish conversation time because we were neighbors,” she said. “While not a member of the community, he does care for it.”
Valeria Maggiolo said she feels the weight of underrepresentation keenly.
A complicated and lengthy journey from Venezuela led her to Gainesville in January.
The 21-year-old UF biology junior is still searching for a place of belonging; she’s reflected on what role models and representation she can look towards.
"It's quite difficult because … as Hispanics living in Gainesville, we do want to be somewhat represented and be considered when making big decisions in Gainesville,” Maggiolo said, “especially because there is a huge community of Hispanics already living here.”
Maggiolo’s story has been one of adaptation and meeting people she can relate to in her new environment. The lack of visible Hispanic leaders in positions of power has made it harder for her to connect with her new community, she said.
For Maggiolo, the presence of Hispanic role models in government isn’t just important — it’s essential to fostering a sense of inclusion and possibility for herself and others like her, she said. Naomi Eshghi, a Venezuelan 19-year-old UF business administration sophomore, emphasized the importance of trust between the Hispanic community and its leaders.
“People always trust their people more, so they’re definitely not going to be as trustworthy of the government,” she said, noting that officials outside the Hispanic community may not fully understand its unique needs.
For Eshghi, increased representation is vital to ensuring that the perspectives of the Hispanic community are adequately understood and addressed by the local government. She believes there’s a need for Hispanic voices in positions of power to inspire and guide the community, especially in the absence of a clear Hispanic representative, she said.
“The more representation, the better,” she said.
As primaries come to a close and November’s elections loom over the nation, the community is hesitant yet hopeful their voices will be represented in the places where decisions are made.
Contact Eneida Escobar at eescobar@alligator.org. Follow her on X @EneidaMariaEsc.
Eneida Escobar is a junior majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Business Administration and a writer and translator for El Caimán. She was born in Cuba and raised in Miami and since childhood, she's had a love for learning languages, and currently knows English, Spanish, Italian, and a bit of French. She also likes learning various programming languages.
