"Bienvenidos a Sacramento": Former TV journalist shines spotlight on Sacramento's Latino culture with Spanish podcast
SACRAMENTO -- Visit Sacramento, in collaboration with former TV journalist Lilly Cortes Wyatt, is shining a spotlight on the rich Latino culture of Sacramento through the first-ever Spanish podcast in the capital city.
"We want to be able to showcase how proud we are of the community here in Sacramento and the Latinos/Latinas that are shaping our area," said Lilly Cortes Wyatt, host of Bienvenidos a Sacramento.
Bienvenidos a Sacramento, which means "Welcome to Sacramento," presents a unique local perspective for those interested in discovering the city's authentic culture. The first three episodes feature the likes of Sacramento Kings Senior Vice President Alex Rodrigo and the all-female Mariachi Bonitas, coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month.
"Sacramento is growing as a music festival destination and Latinos make up a large percentage of those visitors. If they're coming here for say Golden Sky, we need to make sure that they can find the visitor welcome they deserve!" Cortes Wyatt said. "So, we thought, 'Why not develop a podcast all in Spanish?'"
Complementing the podcast, Visit Sacramento offers a comprehensive Spanish-language website complete with welcoming guides and curated itineraries, aimed at engaging the vast global audience of over 548 million Spanish speakers.
"Many people think that Latinos are just one square but there's so much diversity within Latinos from the way that we look, the way that we are, our morals, our values and even our opinions," Cortes Wyatt said. "So it's beautiful to see that."
According to the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, in 2021, nearly 590,000 Hispanics lived in the Greater Sacramento region. By 2030, the population growth is projected to increase by 12%.
Wyatt said this project was a response to the need for connection and education. The podcast delves into a diverse range of cultural elements, such as Hispanic cuisine, art, music, language, community stories, activism, entrepreneurship, and family traditions.
"We do hope to bring more topics that are important to our community," Cortes Wyatt said. "We want to be able to show authenticity and the value of podcasts is you can share who you are and be authentic, and everyone has the right to have an opinion."
Every guest is asked: "Where's the first place you take out-of-town visitors?" So far, the answer is unanimous: Old Sacramento.
"We are showcasing that this community is strong and people can come visit," Cortes Wyatt said. "And if you visit, you may stay."
Bienvenidos a Sacramento is streaming on Apple, Spotify and Spreaker.
