Latinos Aqui began as the West Michigan Latino Network in 2015, born from a simple but powerful idea: Latino men in West Michigan needed a space to connect, build community, and learn from one another.

The idea first took shape when Carlos Sanchez, a respected West Michigan leader, began conversations with others across Grand Rapids about creating a social and supportive space for Latino men. Inspired by the Latina Network of West Michigan, Carlos saw an opportunity to build something similar, while also creating a distinct space centered on belonging, connection, and community.

He soon brought together Salvador Lopez, Sammy Publes, and Santiago Gayton, and together the four co-founded the West Michigan Latino Network. From the beginning, they were intentional about creating something different from a traditional networking or business-focused group. They wanted a space where people could show up as themselves, feel welcomed, and build authentic relationships.

The group began by organizing informal gatherings at local Latino-owned establishments, inviting others to share food, conversation, and community. What started as a few conversations quickly grew into a listserv and an expanding network of members across the region. Over time, leadership grew into an 11-member board, and although the group’s activity fluctuated over the years, the network itself continued to grow.

Today, that original vision remains as relevant as ever. In a region where Latinos are often underrepresented, the need for spaces where Latino men can connect, support one another, and expand their networks is still urgent.

In early 2026, current network leader Maximiliano Velasco reached out to Carlos Sanchez to ask whether he would support bringing the network back with a renewed name, brand, and purpose. Soon after, Maximiliano connected with co-founder Salvador Lopez, and together they began reimagining what the next chapter could look like.

Through conversations with Latino leaders across West Michigan, they came to a clear conclusion: the network needed to feel broader, more welcoming, and more reflective of the many identities, experiences, and communities that make up the Latino community in this region.

From that vision, Latinos Aqui was born.

Salvador introduced the name Latinos Aqui, and Maximiliano added the tagline, Compas in Community. Together, they moved quickly to bring the new vision to life — developing the brand, selecting colors, building the first website, and planning a reintroduction of the network. Within just four weeks, they launched the first iteration of the site, organized a gathering to bring the community back together, and began building a calendar of events for the rest of 2026.

Latinos Aqui is both a continuation and a new beginning — rooted in the original spirit of connection, and reimagined for this moment.