The Hispanic community in Utah has a friend in Kiko Cornejo, who runs a center dedicated to helping them assimilate into a foreign culture.

Ernesto "Kiko" Cornejo founded the Utah Minority Community Information & Education Center in February 2002, two weeks before the Winter Olympics came to Salt Lake City. The purpose of the nonprofit organization was to help the minority community coming into the city during the event, but the plan was for it to stick around afterward, Cornejo said.

"Somebody has to educate them, and we are doing it," he said.

Cornejo, though strapped for funds, produces a 30-minute television program every week, inviting public officials to speak about issues of concern to Hispanics. He operates the camera and edits the film all in his rented space at 353 E. 200 South.

"It's a constant battle for him to try to obtain and maintain the funding," said Phil Kirk, Utah Probation and Parole administrator who helps oversee the center. "With all the budget cuts, it has been difficult for him."

A central feature for the Spanish-speaking crowd is a phone line that allows them to call 1-800-570-2270 and ask any question of Cornejo, who will speak with them in their native tongue about various issues, he said. The advertising for the phone line, as well as other center components, goes out on the Spanish-language television and radio stations as well as in magazines.

"Everyone who calls over here, they finish happy," Cornejo said.

Cornejo can empathize with people who come to him for help because he illegally entered the United States 24 years ago, he said. While he now speaks and understands English and has a job as the public information officer at the Utah Department of Public Safety, he refuses to forget his initial confusion and fear.

"I will keep working with this community because no one else is doing it," he said.

Cornejo said he understands the anger people feel about illegal immigrants committing crimes. But there are bad people everywhere, whether citizens or not, he said. Immigration raids, such as the February raid at Provo's Champion Safe, which resulted in 47 Mexican nationals being sent home, are counterproductive, he believes.

"You are sending back to Mexico the people who are working hard," Cornejo said. "One hundred twenty go, 500 come. What are they trying to accomplish there?"

Cornejo agrees that if illegal immigrants are committing crimes not related to their citizenship status, sending them to their native countries is justified, but the ones who are working should be allowed to stay.

Free Spanish classes for law enforcement officers were another must in Cornejo's mind, not only to teach an increasingly common language but also to better explain Hispanic cultures around the world. One problem for local immigrants occurs when they are pulled over in traffic situations. In Mexico, drivers get out of their cars to talk to police officers, which they "could get killed" for doing here, Cornejo said.

Another issue is telling the difference between Immigration and Naturalization Service officials and police officers, Cornejo said. Illegal immigrants tend to run instead of pull over when they see flashing lights.

By the end of the year, Cornejo hopes to give officers a Spanish book and video to help them learn the language.

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Cornejo wishes he had more support from Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and Sen. Orrin Hatch, but said Gov. Mike Leavitt has always been supportive and found time to appear on the TV program.

Kirk said all the credit belongs to Cornejo, who is busy but gives time to the center, his "labor of love."

"He took this as a personal goal of his to do what he could to help," Kirk said. "I wish there were more people like Kiko out there."


E-MAIL: shelps@desnews.com

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