Latino Group Hola Marching in Pride Parade, Toronto, June 28, 2009. Courtesy of Samuel Lopez
Club Colby's, 5 St. Joseph Street, circa 1990s, Courtesy of the City of Toronto Archives.
Pin from Club Colby's, circa 1990s, Courtesy of the Arquives.
Latino Group Hola
Vital Information for Spanish Speakers
Latino Group Hola was formed in 1991 by Salvadoran immigrants and brothers Samuel Lopez and Mario Raul as a way to educate Toronto’s Latin American gay community on HIV/AIDS. At the time, much of the public health information on the virus and how to prevent transmission was only available in English.
This restricted access to vital health information within Toronto’s Latin American community, many of whom were predominantly Spanish speakers, and left the community disproportionately vulnerable to the disease. Latino Group Hola initially met at Club Colby’s on St. Joseph Street, a popular 2SLGBTQ+ nightclub owned by George Pratt.
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Latino Group Hola
A Welcoming Community
Latino Group Hola also worked with Little Italy nightclub El Convento Rico in the early 1990s as another space to provide information and a gathering space for its members. Over its more than 30-year history, the group has expanded to welcome members from numerous Spanish-speaking countries, including Mexico, El Salvador, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina and Cuba.
Although the group began as a support network for men, the organization expanded in the 2000s to welcome all gender identities and sexual orientations. In 2010, the group welcomed its first woman president: Paolo Solozano.
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Latino Group Hola
Latino Group Hola Today
Presently, the group meets at the 519 Community Centre on Church Street which has long been a vital resource for the city’s 2SLGBTQ+ community. Latino Group Hola also provides resources for newcomers settling into the country as well as emotional support for individuals coming out to their loved ones.
Recent newcomers to Canada make up the majority of members, as the group offers an environment for social bonding. Lopez has also continued his work in HIV/AIDS awareness in Toronto through Latinos Positivos, an organization that seeks to break the language and cultural barriers that continue to exist for Latin American newcomers living with HIV/AIDS.
