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NEW ORLEANS — WGNO celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a special report highlighting the influence of the Hispanic community on our lives in the New Orleans area and around the country.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15th to October 15th. We are getting a head start with this special report, hosted by Isis Casanova and LBJ.

LBJ starts off the special with a visit to KGLA Telemundo 42, and speaks to general manager Ernesto Schweikert about the Spanish-language TV station’s role informing the Hispanic community–a role which has become more important than ever.

“We were like 85,000–counted–Latinos in the New Orleans area before Katrina,” says Schweikert. “After the 2010 census, we almost doubled.”

Then, WGNO’s Christopher Leach talks with Chef Melissa Araujo about her restaurant Alma, opening September 27th, which will offer a taste of Honduran cuisine and culture.

“We have dreams. We have desires, ambitions. And, we are hard-working people,” says Chef Araujo. “I am proud of who I am.”

Isis Casanova explores the connection between New Orleans and Cuban music with artist Alexey Marti. He explains that Cuban music, like his music, has continued to evolve.

“I’m a dreamer. And, that’s the most important thing–to have a dream and go for it and not allow an external force to keep you in the box,” he says.

Marti’s album Mundo, which he recorded at Esplanade Studios, shows off a diversity of styles from around the world.

You can see the entire Hispanic Heritage Special on WGNO.com. And, throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, WGNO will air stories showcasing our Hispanic community. You can see them all on WGNO and WGNO.com.