Latinos are the fastest-growing segment of the population in the United States and in Wisconsin and this Saturday’s 39th annual UMOS Hispanic Awards Banquet will be one of the premiere annual events in the state of Wisconsin honoring the contributions of Wisconsin Latinos to their communities.

“UMOS was hosting this banquet long before Hispanic Heritage Month came into play. Because of the date of this banquet, we will be culminating the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month in Milwaukee at the Potawatomi Hotel,” Rod Ritcherson, spokesperson for UMOS, tells Madison365.  

“This is a major gathering of not only folks from the Hispanic community but from all walks of life who come together to share in the celebration of the Hispanic community,” Ritcherson adds. “There will be many community leaders there and elected officials including Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and Mayor of Milwaukee Tom Barrett.”

United Migrant Opportunity Services(UMOS) is the largest Hispanic-managed nonprofit in the state of Wisconsin. The non-profit advocacy organization based out of Milwaukee, provides programs and services which improve the employment, educational, health and housing opportunities of under-served populations. 

The Hispanic Awards Banquet is one of UMOS’s signature events. Folks travel from throughout Wisconsin and beyond to attend this event. 

“Previous award recipients have been selected from throughout Wisconsin including many from Madison including Juan Jose Lopez, Jessica Cavazos, Pedro Albiter, Sal Carranza, and Dora Silva,” Ritcherson says.

The UMOS Hispanic Awards Banquet honors the contributions of Wisconsin Hispanics to their communities. Nominations are submitted to an awards committee, which presents the following awards each year in October: Hispanic Man of the Year, Hispanic Woman of the Year, Hispanic Youth of the Year, and Hispanic Family of the Year.

“The 2019 UMOS Hispanic Man of the Year will be presented to Héctor Colón who is a national boxing champion who is now the President and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, one of the largest nonprofits in the state,” Ritcherson says.

Lily Alvarado

Lily Alvarado will be honored with the 2019 UMOS Hispanic Woman of the Year. Alvarado  is a Senior Bilingual Small Business Consultant for the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) and has helped many Latinos across the state start and grow successful businesses through her bilingual consultations, workshops and wide-ranging professional guidance.

 

Gene and Gladys Manzanet and Family

 

Gene and Gladys Manzanet and Family will be honored with the 2019 UMOS Hispanic Family of the Year Award.  UMOS says that the Manzanet family has a “passion for improving their world and the world around them.”

Veronica Cecilia Salinas will be honored with the 2019 UMOS Hispanic Youth of the Year. Veronica is a student at St. Thomas Moore where she participates in the Latino Club and stays involved in the community by volunteering with Mexican Fiesta, El Conquistador Latino Newspaper and the recent LULAC National Convention.

Veronica Cecilia Salinas

“We are very happy with our selections this year,” Ritcherson says. “They have really upheld the standards we have set for the previous UMOS Hispanic Awards recipients.

The Master of Ceremonies for the 39th annual UMOS Hispanic Awards Banquet will be Lupe Martinez, UMOS president and Chief Executive Officer. The invocation/welcome will be given by Ben Obregon, UMOS Board Chair.  Music will be performed by Junior Rivera y su Orquesta Los Arenales de Tejas

The reception for the banquet starts at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15 p.m., and the awards program at 7:30 p.m. The event is sold out, Ritcherson says.

“It should be a lot of fun. It’s a great networking event and a chance to learn about all of the things that UMOS does,” Ritcherson says. “It’s one of the events that we really look forward to.”