The first-ever Herriman city council meeting exclusively for members of the Spanish-speaking community was held Thursday, May 18 at city hall. The city is often lucky to get 10 people in attendance at city council meetings, but attendees were estimated at a whopping 180 for this meeting. Council members, city officials and Herriman Mayor Lorin Palmer were all amazed by the turnout. 

“We were blown away by their participation, excitement and willingness to be involved!” Palmer said.

The meeting was a fulfillment of a campaign promise Palmer made after repeatedly hearing from Latino residents that they want to be involved and give back to their new community. Among residents from other Spanish-speaking nations, Herriman houses a significant Venezuelan population. Sadly, many are refugees seeking political asylum whose experiences have taught them to distrust police officers and the government; they are largely well-educated, and in their native countries, many were professionals, including doctors. But city officials understand how difficult it can be to get involved when you don’t speak the language.

Wanting to take advantage of the fact that Palmer speaks Spanish, council members have been excited to include Herriman’s Spanish-speaking residents in the government process, though it has taken the better part of two years to make the meeting a reality. One challenging aspect was publicity. The city worked with Carlos Moreno, a local activist from Venezuela, who helped spread the word. There were also social media and word-of-mouth campaigns, and the meeting was announced in local Spanish-speaking church congregations.

Because city officials were worried about spooking attendees, there was not much of an official meeting agenda; the goal was to enable open conversation and receive feedback. “When we planned the meeting, we thought that we’d love for maybe 40 people to come. We had no idea we’d get such a response!” Palmer said. 

Many attendees disclosed that leaders in their native countries were generally unapproachable, so Herriman officials strove to convey the message that local leaders are regular, approachable people. 

“We just wanted people to talk to us and to tell them they’re in a safe place and that they can be involved. If we can create that trust, then I think we’re headed down the right path,” Palmer explained. 

Three bilingual police officers were also present to help the Latino population understand that they do not need to be afraid of law enforcement.  

Among the attendees was a mix of parents, professionals, employees and business owners from countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and, of course, Venezuela. Some have only been Herriman residents for six months while others have been here for 10 years. One attendee, an engineer from Venezuela, explained how he has resorted to taking a job at Amazon simply because his degree doesn’t transfer. Palmer lamented, “He could give so much more to this community and the state, but he’s unable to do so.” 

By helping to find possible connections and job leads, the city hopes to make a difference for this resident in the short term, but to improve long-term prospects for all those in the same boat, Herriman has discussed lobbying lawmakers for broader change. 

A highlight of the evening was the recognition of 22 Latino students attending Athlos Academy, Mountain Ridge High and Herriman High. Nominated by their principals, they were each presented with the City Council Future Leaders of Herriman Award. 

Another noteworthy focal point was the introduction of Friends of Herriman to those in attendance. The relatively new nonprofit organization boasts Spanish-speaking members and seeks to support the arts, culture, parks and trails in Herriman. The group also utilizes its diversity committee to recognize the growing diversity within the city and to help facilitate involvement. 

“It’s just a way to bring anyone to the table who wants to be there,” Palmer said. “There’s a bigger percentage of Latinos now, and we want to celebrate them.” 

It was clear that the members of the Latino population of Herriman are eager to be involved in the community—they are interested in local art, dancing and music and want the city to spotlight their cultures. The city hopes this meeting will be the first step in embracing its Latino residents and will open the door for ongoing conversations. Proposals to further encourage and empower residents include an annual fall citizen police academy in Spanish, which would be the first in the state and would incorporate active shooter training, a multicultural fair and a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. λ