St. Louis resident Haniny Hillberg, 70, moved to St. Louis more than 40 years ago. A native of Bolivia, Hillberg recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for her contributions to Hispanic culture—a culture which, Hillberg says, is on the rise.
“There were very few of us back then or we weren’t as visible,” Hillberg says, recalling her early days in St. Louis.
Hillberg and her daughter, Elisa, are responsible for some of the biggest Hispanic celebrations in the metro area. Their organization, aptly named Hispanic Festival Inc., organizes the Greater St. Louis Hispanic Festival in Soulard in the fall; Fiesta in Florissant in the spring; and a celebration of Dia de Los Muertos at the Missouri History Museum in November. Each of the events attracts hundreds of vendors and thousands of attendees, many of them yearning for a taste of home.
This year, Hispanic Festival Inc., is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Hillberg says she is still is amazed with how much the festival has grown from its humble beginnings. “A lady offered me $1,000 more than 20 years ago to start a small celebration of Hispanic culture at Faust Park,” Hillberg remembers. “Look at where we are now.”
She said the growing Hispanic population yearns to reconnect with their roots and is loyal to all the local festivities. “We want to showcase our culture,” Hillberg explains. “There are many Hispanics—like my daughter—who have not lived back home. They want to reconnect with their heritage, dance and enjoy themselves, so they may never forget where they are from.”