The Hispanic Community Engagement Advisory Board

We're less than 2 weeks away from VIVIR UNIDOS (June 18), our community engagement event that will connect Hispanic communities with nonprofits and doing good in Central Texas! In order for any nonprofit, initiative or community event to be successful, it needs community support and buy-in; they have to believe in the goals and mission. Well, we did our homework and that's exactly who we have on our Hispanic Community Engagement Advisory Board. I tell you, it is one of the most diverse groups coming from the Hispanic community. We were able to recruit the usual suspects to the non-usual to the ones that don't necessarily get asked to serve. And really, that's the main focus of the board - To VIVIR UNIDOS - LIVE UNITED. The (40 member strong) board is chaired by Austin City Council Member Mike Martinez and the board's role is to provide guidance, counsel, feedback & direction to Hands On Central Texas & United Way on engagement strategies as it pertains to the Hispanic communities. I for one, am excited about our engagement with this board and even more on the work that is ahead of us. As my abuelita used to say, "Siempre para adelante, nunca para atras!"

2009 Hispanic Community Engagement Advisory Board Roster

Mike Martinez, Austin City Council (Chair)
Art Acevedo, Austin Police Department
Janis Guerrero, Executive Director for Planning and Community Relations, AISD
David Escamilla, Travis County District Attorney
Linda Medina, Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation & Founder, Young Hispanic Professional Austin Association
Sandy Alcala, Con Mi Madre
Mark Williams, Austin ISD Board of Trustees
Peggy Vasquez, HISOPANIC TODAY "LIVE" TV Show
Rita Gonzales-Garza , LULAC District VII
Dolores Ortega-Carter, Travis County Treasurer
Claudia Kramer-Santamaria, Supervisor of Parent Programs for AISD
Perla Cavazos, Community Leader
Lori Moya, Austin ISD Board of Trustees
Vanessa Sarria, CAN Executive Director
Monica Pinon, TDI Staff Attorney, Financial Counsel
Monica Williams, GivingCity
Mateo Esquibel, City of Austin
Javier Valdez, President, Young Hispanic Professional Austin Association
Tommy Darwin, The University of Texas at Austin Division of Diversity and Community Engagement
Cynthia Colbert, Catholic Charities of Central Texas
Jose Velasquez, American Bank Of Commerce
Alfredo Santos, La Voz de AUSTIN
Donato Rodriguez, City of Austin
Barbra Boeta, People Fund
Laura Garcia , Community Leader
Alfredo Sarria, Austin Energy
Priscilla Guajardo Cortez, FuturoFund
Sebastian Puente, Cultural Strategies, Inc.
Juan Tornoe, Hispanic Trending, Cultural Strategies, Inc.
Cristina Tzintzun, Workers Defense Project
Jose Martinez, Strategic Planning/Program Management/Facilitation
Oné Musel-Gilley, Visibly PR, RiverCity Youth Foundation
Victor Saenz, Professor, UT College of Education
Paul Saldaña, Adelante Solutions
Oliver Bernstein, National Sierra Club
Monica Sanchez, Community Advocate
Annabelle Arteaga, Community Advocate
Adriana Argaiz, Mexican Consulate

What do you think? Anyone missing? Let us know so we can get them connected with our board!

Mando
Director, Hands On Central Texas

P.S. Don't forget to RSVP for Vivir Unidos!