LYNN — The city awarded five Latino leaders citations Tuesday evening at City Hall’s Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month celebration, recognizing their achievements and hard work in the community.
The celebration, initially intended to precede a flag raising, was moved indoors because of the rain. Around 4 p.m., Merengue music played from speakers in the first floor lobby of City Hall while Mayor Jared Nicholson’s outreach director Jean Michael Fana distributed flags of various hispanic nations to the crowd.
Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans the 30 days between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15, began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a full 30-day period. It was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988.
When Nicholson approached the podium to speak about the importance of diversity within the Hispanic community and the way in which that diversity serves as an emblem of the city’s diversity at-large, state delegation members, school committee members, and city councilors stood behind him, ready to present awards to the citation recipients.
“One of the really exciting parts about this part of this day to day is to see the diversity within the Hispanic community— the different countries, the different heritages, The different stories that you all are bringing to this city,” Nicholson said. “That aspect of the Hispanic community is something that we share as a city, and it’s something that we all are really proud of.”
Of the 13 nominees for citations, only five walked to the podium to receive their awards, and shake hands with city and state officials: Quendia Martinez of the New Lynn Coalition, Rosario Fresco of the Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development, who worked to expand affordable housing resources for low-income and immigrant families in the city, and Raw Art Works Art Therapist and Clinician Supervisor Jason Cruz.
For his work as a community leader at the Church of God of Prophecy, Pastor Eduardo Caceres received a citation, and Lynn Public Schools Family and Community Coordinator Garry Torres received a citation for expanding language access through the school district.
The city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Faustina Cuevas played a lead role in organizing the celebration. In an interview, she said that she felt excited to recognize community leaders that would otherwise, likely go unnoticed.
“It was awesome to be able to elevate latino leaders that are doing amazing work, and no one hears about it. This nomination process was able to elevate that and be able to bring those unsung heroes for doing great things,” Cuevas said.
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected]
