KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 2023 NFL Draft is in full swing, and it’s happening minutes away from Southwest Boulevard and the Westside neighborhood — home of several Hispanic families and Latino businesses like Cafe Corazon.
Cafe Corazon is located in the Crossroads and is owned by the Herrera family.
Staff says foot traffic is up with people from all over the country stepping into their coffee shop, getting a taste of a wide variety of flavors from all over Latin and Central America.
“It’s really fun, and we’re excited to welcome people here and have a good time, have a fiesta,” said Dulcinea Herrera, owner of Cafe Corazon.
In Kansas City, it’s no secret the Westside neighborhood is deeply rooted in Hispanic culture with murals, tiendas, and panaderias proudly showcasing their Latin pride and passion for football with Chiefs logos scattered throughout.
“Latinos love soccer, but we love football too — it’s the American soccer,” Herrera said. “We are probably the most caring and welcoming population, and we want you to come.”
Recent data shows the Hispanic population in the US is the fastest growing minority, and the NFL is taking notice with Mundo NFL, the official Spanish language cross-platform branch of the NFL cultivating content for its 32 million Hispanic fans.
“We are the number one sports league for Latinos, which is incredible, and a lot of those fans are young — 53% are under the age of 35,” said Sarah Bishop, vice president of Brand and Consumer Marketing with the National Football League.
John Fierro with the Mattie Rhodes Center in KC explained there’s power in companies like the NFL catering to Latinos.
“It’s our time, and the NFL and other establishments need to embrace us," Fierro said. "It’s not a fad, it’s not a trend, we are here to stay."
This NFL Draft, Mundo NFL says they’re focusing on engaging their Latino audience by highlighting the eight prospects with Latin roots, amplifying their presence on social media and across their four Spanish podcasts.
“The Latino audience is the fastest growing, and the one we wanted to focus on the most representation and the most we cater toward,” Bishop said.
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