Growing up, Lewis says she was surprised to learn that there were Hispanic communities in Mississippi in the early 1900s and likely earlier.
“I think learning about that led to my epiphany of ‘oh my gosh, I have these mexican friends that live in the Delta and those were their ancestors,’” she said. “They speak English more than they do Spanish. They've lived for generations in the Delta, Greenville, Cleveland. Cities like those.”
Nearly four percent of the state’s population identify as Latino, according to the most recent census data. That’s up from around three percent in 2010. Lewis says the Hispanic identity is not a race, but a complex representation of Latin America’s history.
“We're not a monolith,” she said. “When we gather together, it's not just one type of face that you'll see. There's Black Latinos, there's still indigenous folks, and a lot of them speak their indigenous dialects in those spaces. I think it's important to uplift that.”
Lewis says recent immigration crackdowns have increased fear among some Latino communities across the state. Announcements for Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations anywhere in the state have largely been absent from social media. IAJE’s weekly immigrant rights sessions have been more empty.
“We used to have huge turnouts,” Lewis said. “Since Project 2025, since the election of our president, it's been tough to invite people to things that are more than 20 miles away. People are really hunkering down and trying to create family plans, emergency plans, rapid response plans.”
Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized through October 15. Lewis says IAJE is taking precautions to keep upcoming celebrations for Dia de los Muertos safe and accessible for everyone.
