Centro Hispano, the leading non-profit organization working with the Latinx population in Dane County, will celebrate a night dedicated to honoring the spirit, strength, and creativity of the Latinx community at its 42nd Annual Celebration on Oct. 4. This year’s event will be titled La Magia del Pueblo (The Magic of Community.)
“In a lot of Latin American countries, there are small communities where you call them pueblos magicos, and basically they’re magical communities where they hold a lot of the history, the stories, the architectural design of how things used to be in the past,” Dr. Menéndez Coller, executive director of Centro, tells Madison365. “I think we’re doing a lot of remembering this year, remembering who we are, where we came from … our strengths and really our magic.
“We’re even creating that kind of feeling on the South Side of Madison right now, where there’s so much wonderfuul development happening, but there’s also so much history,” she adds. “So we just want to have a huge party this year to celebrate all of that.”
Centro Hispano annually hosts this event, where the community, allies, and Centro supporters come together for a night of fun and fellowship and to honor outstanding community members. Centro’s “Magic of Community” evening will honor culture, creativity, and the spirit of community, according to a press release from the non-profit organization founded in 1983.
“We’re inviting everybody to come and just be their full self and whatever makes them shine. But I think of more than any years, I want this to be just a huge celebration, so that you can really feel the vibrancy and the magic that happens when we all come together,” Menéndez Coller says. “I think when we come together, it can be very magical … especially at a time where there are so many people trying to divide us so much.”
Attendees will celebrate the past year and look forward to opportunities to help continue to advance the organization’s critically important work, bolstering youth, workforce development, immigration and crucial family support services.
“I’m excited for this event. There are a lot of wonderful touches and some surprises that we are going to do in this space,” Menéndez Coller says.
The annual La Magia del Pueblo celebration will feature live music, good food, and networking, along with a live auction, storytelling, and a raffle, wine & tequila pull. A highlight of the evening will be the community program awards, which will honor Madison-area community members who have done exceptional things. The honorees include:
- Linda Ketcham, executive director of JustDane (previously Madison Area Urban-Ministry), will be honored with the Ilda Conteris Thomas Award, named after Centro’s founder and honoring community figures who have uplifted Centro and its mission in the most authentic of ways.
- Joselyn Diaz-Valdes, the assistant director of Advising & Outreach for Bucky’s Pell Pathway and BANNER programs at the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA), will be honored with the Roberto G. Sanchez Award, an award that recognizes individuals who advance educational opportunities for Latinx
- Gabriel Saiz, part of the Sustainability and Resilience Team inside Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s office in the City of Madison, will be honored with the Mario Garcia Sierra Young Dreamer Award, named after past Centro board chair Mario Garcia Sierra. The award honors young people who demonstrate leadership and dedication to community building grounded in community voice.
- Marisela Tellez-Giron, who Menendez Coller describes as “a true ambassador for community engagement, an important pillar of our mission,” will be honored with the Marcus S. Miles Volunteer Award, given in honor of community photographer Marcus S. Miles, to a volunteer who significantly helped to advance Centro’s goals and mission through their talents and expertise. This annual award is given to an individual whose energy and support are essential to the advancement of Centro.
- Luis and Lupita Montoto, trailblazers in Spanish broadcast media with La Movida Radio, will be honored with the Centro Visionary Award, which recognizes individuals who contribute to the community with vision and leadership, going above and beyond to connect the dots and advancing Centro’s vision of a thriving Latinx community.
“The event will be held both inside and outside at Centro’s new space. The building is meant to be pretty fluid,” Menéndez Coller says. “There will be a lot of meaningful activities going on at the event. It will be a fun atmosphere. I think people will have a chance to explore all over Centro and there will be a big white tent outside with different delicious food options.”
Organizers ask attendees to wear sparkles, patterns, and vibrant colors “that reflect the spirit of both Centro as an organization and this community, celebrating joy.”
“Centro’s foundation is built upon the successes we accomplish when we come together as a community and focus on belonging, hope, and possibility,” Menéndez Coller said. “This event invites us to reflect on the magic our community brings to Wisconsin and the value of the positive impact.
“This event is actually our biggest fundraiser for youth programs. It will help support the magic that kids bring to the next generation and who we want to be,” she adds.
For the 42nd Annual Celebration, you can get your tickets here. Tickets are almost sold out, Menéndez Coller says.
“This is a night to reflect, rejoice, and recommit to the work we are doing here,” she adds. “We want to celebrate the strength and magic of our community while ensuring it has the tools it needs to continue to thrive, inspire, and dream.”
Centro Hispano is located at 2403 Cypress Way in Madison.
