FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
July 15, 2015 Camila Gallardo
(305) 215-4259
cgallardo@nclr.org
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Last night NCLR (National Council of La Raza) honored Hispanic leaders and organizations that have demonstrated exemplary accomplishments in their fields and in service to the Latino community in the United States. NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía recognized the honorees at the organization’s annual Awards Gala, celebrating with thousands of Latino activists and community leaders and bringing to a close the 2015 NCLR Annual Conference, which was held July 11–14 at the Kansas City Convention Center.
This year’s honorees include El Concilio, a nonprofit organization based in Stockton, Calif., and member of the NCLR Affiliate Network; Dr. Juliet V. Garcia, former President of the University of Texas at Brownsville and current Executive Director of the University of Texas Institute of the Americas; Luis Garden Acosta, Founder and President of El Puente, a Brooklyn-based community and youth development organization; Mandalit Del Barco, an award-winning journalist and NPR correspondent; Octavio (Cookie) Rojas Rivas, a celebrated Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager; and Tony Salazar, former Chair and current member of the NCLR Board of Directors.
“It gives me great pleasure to recognize such a remarkable group of individuals and spotlight the strides they have made to drive meaningful, positive change for our Latino community. Their work and vision stand as the hallmarks of true leadership and echo the need to maximize the role of Latinos to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of our great nation,” said Murguía.
El Concilio, recipient of the NCLR Affiliate of the Year Award, was established in 1968 and is the largest Latino nonprofit in California’s Central Valley. The organization serves an estimated 16,000 people every year with services that include preschool education, case management, rural home health visits, transportation to medical services, and legal assistance to seniors and immigrants. Since 1985, El Concilio has been a strong partner in NCLR’s efforts to expand Latino participation in the electoral process and contributed to NCLR’s largest voter registration drive to date, which registered more than 123,000 citizens in 2014. That year, El Concilio registered 1,200 people and leveraged its network, clients and partners to reach over 3,000 people as part of their get-out-the-vote efforts.
The Affiliate of the Year Award is the most distinguished honor bestowed upon an NCLR Affiliate for its exemplary efforts in collaborating with NCLR to achieve positive, meaningful, long-term change for Latino communities.
Dr. Juliet V. Garcia was honored with the Graciela Olivarez La Raza Award. A pioneering educator, Garcia is the first Mexican American woman to serve as president of a U.S. college or university and has devoted her life’s work to making higher education accessible for all students. As president of the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB), and in her previous tenure as president of Texas Southmost College (TSC), a community college in the Rio Grande Valley, Garcia oversaw the launch of an innovative partnership between TSC and UTB designed to help students with a seamless transition from community college to a four-year institution, an initiative that has been extremely successful. Under her leadership, UTB’s full-time student enrollment more than doubled and the number of baccalaureate and master’s degrees awarded increased significantly.
NCLR presents the Graciela Olivarez La Raza Award annually to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to promoting the interests of Hispanic Americans.
The Maclovio Barranza Award for Leadership was presented to Luis Garden Acosta for his work at the helm of El Puente. Established in 1982, El Puente has been a prominent force in the push for peace and justice on the south side of Williamsburg, a predominantly Latino neighborhood. Under Acosta’s leadership, the organization has transformed into a true champion for social justice, spearheading major initiatives designed to bridge health, the environment, education and the arts into one holistic, goal-oriented membership for community members of all ages. Chief among these projects has been the launch of El Puente’s Academy for Peace and Justice, the first school focused on human rights in the United States and environmental justice, as well as the “Green Light District,” an initiative geared toward transforming the city of Williamsburg to America’s model neighborhood for community health and environmental wellness. A graduate of St. Mary’s Seminary and Harvard Medical School, Acosta’s diverse career paths as public health researcher, educator, hospital director and disc jockey have been instrumental in rooting his passion for social action and human rights activism—and more importantly—his unwavering commitment to empower the Latino community.
The Maclovio Barraza Award for Leadership recognizes those who have worked for the betterment of the Hispanic community at the grassroots level and whose leadership has served as a source of strength and support to the Hispanic community.
Mandalit Del Barco received the Ruben Salazar Award for Communications. Born in Lima, Peru, Del Barco is an accomplished fourth-generation journalist and Fulbright fellow, best known for her work on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” “Morning Edition,” “Weekend Edition” and “Alt.Latino.” Through an extensive and versatile career in journalism, Del Barco’s insightful news coverage has helped drive a national conversation on the most pressing issues today, including police and prisons, immigration, and race relations. Her international resume has proven equally impactful, lending coverage to the devastating aftermath of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake and a raw, investigative light on immigrant smugglers in Mexico and street gangs in Central America. Driven by a desire to uplift the next generation of women and journalists through NPR’s Next Generation Radio, Global Girl and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Del Barco has and continues to make measurable strides in raising the profile and visibility of Latinos—in and outside of the newsroom.
The Ruben Salazar Award for Communications is given to an individual who has dedicated his or her professional life to portraying issues, concerns and/or news relevant to contemporary Hispanic America and promoting the positive contributions that Latinos have made to U.S. society.
The Roberto Clemente Award for Sports Excellence went to Octavio Victor Rojas Rivas, better known as Cookie Rojas. A former second basemen and outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, Rojas’s impressive career spans multiple teams and roles. Born in Havana, Cuba, Rojas proved a tremendous talent from a young age, signing his first professional contract at the age of 17. His steady career climb through the minor leagues led to his debut as a major league second baseman in 1962 and reached a career high in his being named the first non-American-born player to a hit a home run for the American League in an All-Star Game. Since retiring, Rojas has leveraged his talent and expertise to serve as coach and scout for the California Angels, New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays, among other teams. His continued involvement off the field is best reflected in his role as board member of the Baseball Assistance Team, a nonprofit that helps former Major League, Minor League and Negro League players through financial and medical hardships. For his illustrious career, Rojas was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.
The Roberto Clemente Award for Sports Excellence is presented to an individual renowned in the world of sports and committed to the advancement of Hispanic Americans.
The Raul Yzaguirre President’s Award was presented to Tony Salazar, former NCLR Board Chair and rotating member of the Board. Under his tenure, Salazar became a driving force behind NCLR’s growth, helping to shape everything from NCLR’s policy strategies to institutional finances and serving an instrumental role in the development of the organization’s housing and community development work. His tenacious spirit and vision helped lay the groundwork for success and guided NCLR during challenging financial periods. Leveraging an extensive background in finance and housing, Salazar has been a principal at McCormack Baron Salazar, one of the largest low-income housing developers in the nation. His dedicated service to Latinos and vested interest in their success has also fueled his leadership roles as Executive Director of the Kansas City Neighborhood Alliance, a community development agency that included several NCLR Affiliates, and his service on countless national and regional boards.
The Raul Yzaguirre President’s Award is presented each year to an individual or organization that has shown outstanding support for NCLR’s mission, goals and philosophy.
The NCLR Awards Gala was co-sponsored this year by Eli Lilly and Company, Ford Motor Company, UPS, and Walmart.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Latinos. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.