Twelve Latino Women Honored For Their Leadership And Community Work In Milwaukee

Ladies of the Milwaukee Latino Community were honored for their activisim, community contributions and leadership.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 21, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - On Friday, twelve Milwaukee area Latino women were honored for their community volunteer work service, activism and leadership to make Wisconsin a striving state for Hispanics and its populace. The event was sponsored by the local El Conquistador, LLC at their annual dinner at the Clarion Hotel Airport.

The recognition awardees are for the Community Volunteer Award, Nedda Avila, Carmen de la Paz, Marla Gonis, Christella Juarez and Sandra Madrigal; for the Leadership Award, JoCasta Zamarripa, Lourdes Castillo, Teresa Mercado, Carmen Lerma and Carmen C. Cabrera; for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Guadalupe Vasquez King and Delfína Guzman.

Incumbent Representative Zamarripa is the first Latina Democrat elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 8th District, Mercado is the Executive Director for Mexican Fiesta/Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc., Cabrera, is a community activist and was involved in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in the higher education movement in August 1970, Castillo is a retired Milwaukee Public School District Principal, Juarez as a City of Milwaukee employee testified in support of an optional employee César E. Chavez holiday, which passed and was part of the Chavez lifesize bronze statue committee, De la Paz is the Public Relations of La Casa de Ezperanza, Inc. Gonis is an instructor at MATC, a long time Mexican Fiesta volunteer and daughter of the late Marla O. Anderson who on August 27, 1970 was arrested at UWM Chapman Hall along with four men including Dante Navarro Gregorio "Goyo" Rivera, José Luis Huerta Sanchez and Jesús Salas that fought for higher education for Latinos in Wisconsin. Avila worked at the Latina Resource Center and retired from UMOS. Lerma is the Executive Assistant/Events Coordinator at UMOS.

Congratulations to all the ladies of the mentioned awards.