Erie Mayor Joe Schember on Thursday announced the creation of the city’s Latino-Hispanic Advisory Council. It’s an effort that’s been in the works for several months.

The council is made up of 14 Erie residents who work closely with local Hispanic communities. This announcement took place during Hispanic Heritage Month.

One member of the council is being honored for his dedicated service to the Erie community.

“Anything that I can, however I can, just to help the community just to be able to be better. Especially the Latino community, because it’s the community that I represent,” said Pastor Sonny Concepcion Sr. “We have a lot of businesses, churches, community members working in different places in the city, but we have grown, and we have done different things.”

The goal of the Latino-Hispanic Advisory Council is to give more community members a voice.