About Us

Latin Elephant starts off as a blog by Dr. Patria Román Velázquez following her extensive academic research on Latin Americans in Elephant and Castle

First Small Business Survey on Latin American owned businesses in E&C  outlining the concerns of the Latin American community in Elephant and Castle regarding existing spatial and design issues, the lack of a unified Latin character of the area and the impacts of future development on businesses and the wider community.

Registered with the charity comission – charity number 1158554

The workshop was followed by ‘The Latin Quarter Community Vision Report’ presenting the results of the Latin Quarter Workshop, with participation of Latin American traders and business owners, local councillors, developers, and representatives of community and voluntary organisations, architects and researchers.

My Latin Elephant Dossier

The case for London’s Latin Quarter: retention, growth, sustainability

The Case for London’s Latin Quarter: Retention, Growth, Sustainability is the output of 18 months of research with the local community and other key stakeholders at Elephant and Castle, which is the current focus of one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects. 

Planning Application to demolish the Shopping Centre submitted by Developers Delancey; pre-consultation period starts

Delancey’s Planning Application for the Elephant & Castle Town Centre Development was rejected at the Planning Committee of 16th January 2018. This was a great win for all the local groups that have been advocating for a fair and just deal for the communities of Elephant and Castle.

Delancey’s Planning Application for the Elephant & Castle Town Centre Development was rejected at the Planning Committee of 16th January 2018. This was a great win for all the local groups that have been advocating for a fair and just deal for the communities of Elephant and Castle.

Latin Elephant represented the local community as Objectors, accompanied by local traders, Elephant Amenity Network and 35% campaign, the owner of the Bingo Hall, and representatives from Oswin Street and the Metropolitan Tabernacle.
Elephant and Castle town centre application rejected

Socio-economic value at the Elephant and Castle

A research collaboration between Latin Elephant, Loughborough University and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
The project supplements the existing research conducted by Latin Elephant on the spaces and practices of trade at the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, which highlights the role of ethnic minority and migrant transactions.

Following our successful Business Readiness programme, Latin Elephant launches 4 guides for micro businesses
https://latinelephant.org/migrant-ethnic-business-readiness-guides/

On-going advocacy work to achieve a fair relocation package for all independent businesses due to the lack of affordable space for everyone.

Hosted at ‘Distriandina’, over 300 attendees shared an evening to remember with food, drinks, DJs and the 1st community mural by local artist Gisella Stapleton Prieto.

Arts Programme in collaboration with Tate Exchange, bringing together artists, researchers, activists and scholars to open up a discussion around colonialism and de/anti-colonialism in Latin America.

This program included several iniciatives such as Covid Business Support guides and resources, MyElephantMask campaign and further advocacy work. 

Campaigning and advocacy work done together with displaced traders and a local architect. The traders’ proposals were presented to local councillors and London Assembly members, designed for new stalls to be sited around the Faraday Memorial, by the railway arches along Archer St and outside the new Elephant Arcade, at the bottom of Perronet House.
https://latinelephant.org/elephant-castle-relocation-proposal/

The fight isn’t over’, by Santiago Peluffo Soneyra and Patria Román Velázquez

https://www.runnymedetrust.org/blog/the-fight-isnt-over-for-elephant-and-castles-latin-american-community

Advocacy efforts allowed for the transition to begin the very next day of the closure of the Centre, although not everyone could be relocated. On-going support for those without a space.

Latin Elephant publishes a report to provide some insights and lessons learned into the processes of advocating for fair regeneration processes, sharing our experiences working directly with groups impacted by a form of regeneration that excludes racialised and other economically disadvantaged groups in processes of urban change in London.
https://latinelephant.org/ec-regeneration-lessons-learned/

Digital Archive of E&C launched on the 1st anniversary of the closure of the Shopping Centre together with a Street Festival, a walking tour, commemorative speeches and Memory building exercises
https://myelephantstory.latinelephant.org/

A serie of monthly walks around the area sharing food and stories with relocated traders and residents. Collective reflections, keeping the memory alive and bringing new people to the area.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-elephant-walking-tour-tickets-365428495467?aff=ebdsoporgprofile