Hispanic Heritage Month: Get to know Rockford's Latino council members

How much do you know about the history of Hispanic and Latino culture and community in Rockford?

In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Rockford Register Star has partnered with La Onda, a newly-formed nonprofit organization, to help share and celebrate the impact of Hispanic and Latino people, businesses and organizations in and around the Rockford area.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Visit rrstar.com or the Rockford Register Star newspaper each day to read about the people and places that make up Rockford's Latino community.

This week, we share biographies of remarkable Latino leaders who made historical strides in Rockford. It is both an honor and a challenge to encapsulate the contributions of only a few incredible individuals from the community in a single week.

Teophelo “Tuffy” Quiñonez was a veteran, a businessman and a dedicated community servant. Quiñonez was the first Latino elected to the Winnebago County Board in the 1970s. He used his voice and political savvy to help people.

In 2017, he won a seat on City Council to represent the 11th Ward, which is in south central Rockford and includes the Broadway business district. He advocated for small businesses and the revitalization of the district.

In 2021, Quinonez was re-elected and focused on public safety and improving infrastructure. Quiñonez passed away on Feb. 26, 2023, after suffering a stroke. Isidro Barrios, who moved to Rockford in 1997, was appointed to serve out the remainder of Quinonez's term.

Barrios continues in the same spirit to help others and continue Quinonez's legacy. Along with his wife, Barrios founded a community center, EL Barrio, to assist the ward’s residents. He also served on the Winnebago County Board from 2009-2012.

This year, Isidro and EL Barrio Community Center continued with their annual parade and celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 14, 2024, with the “Viva Mexico Celebration” at Keye-Mallquist Park.

Patricia Chavez Jimenez is a member of the newly founded La Onda board of directors. The mission of La Onda is to serve as a cultural leader for all to celebrate the heritage and diversity of the Latino identity and community throughout the Rockford area.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Hispanic Heritage Month: Get to know Rockford's Latino council members