Following years of controversy, the Hispanic Cultural Center in Nampa has a new Facilities Manager.
Born and raised in Nampa, Jose DeLeon was previously Director of Programs at the Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and worked for the State Department of Labor. He started his new role on Monday.
“My vision is for it to become eventually a one stop source of information for anyone that walks through the door, whether they speak Spanish or not,” he said.
In 2022, the city filed a complaint against the center’s former leadership for failing to provide budget reports and in May 2023, they were evicted. Community members had expressed concerns over the center’s management for years. DeLeon says he wants people to feel welcome again.
“First and foremost, I want to gain that trust back from the community,” he said, adding that transparency was incredibly important for him and the staff. “The doors are always open.”
Deleon said he is working on providing daily open hours at the center and expanding the reach of the cultural events to include all members of the Hispanic Community.
“Not only the Mexican American community, but also the Cuban community, the Dominican community, the Puerto Rican community,” he said. “The communities that have a lot in common culturally.”
The Center hopes to offer English as a second language classes and possibly daycare services. DeLeon said the center was also looking into converting the center’s kitchen into a full commercial space for workshops and rental.
The City of Nampa is currently reviewing applications for an advisory group made up of local organizations and community members.
