The third annual Iowa Latino Leadership Banquet had a full house on Saturday October 31 the Holiday Inn-Airport convention center in Des Moines, Iowa.
Community leaders from across the state of Iowa gathered at this great event where they celebrated the achievements of individuals and organizations that empower the Latino community in Iowa.
“Each year we recognized Latinos and individuals supportive of our community who have gone above and beyond to play a positive role in raising the profile of Latinos in Iowa and improving their lives,” says Joe Enriquez Henry, president of Council 307.
This year’s recipients were:
• LULAC Builder Award – Janet Weaver, a member of Council 10 in Davenport. Weaver, who works as the assistant curator of the Iowa Women’s Archives at the University of Iowa.
• Latino Business Person of the Year Award – Miriam De Dios, chief executive officer of Coopera Consulting.
• Latino Hero Award – Sgts. Yanira Scarlett, Vince Valdez and David Murillo, all with the Des Moines Police Department. Each of these individuals has worked to serve and protect the Latino community and has advanced among the ranks of the police department to leadership positions, which demonstrates to Latino youth the potential in which they can succeed. (picture on the top)
• Iowa Latino Leadership Award – Monica Reyes, and Omar Padilla and Rob Barron. Reyes is founder of DREAM Iowa, an organization that advocates for immigrant children and families. Padilla and Barron are co-founders of the Latino Political Network, which works to increase the number of elected Latinos in office throughout Iowa.
• Emerging Latino Leadership Scholarship Award – Edward Guillermo Sanchez and Emily Bergez, both freshmen at Iowa State University. They will each receive a $1,000 scholarship. (picture right)
● Community Engagement Award– The Latino Forum
This year two influential members of the Latino community were honored posthumously: Warren Morrow and Lorenzo Jasso’s families received the Honorary Achievement Award in their name.
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