44 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 31, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
From left: Kevin Montalvo, Martha Sanchez, Memo Salazar, Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, Rosalie Quinones, Beny Castro, Maritza Silva-Farrell at the 10th Annual Hispanic and Latinx Leadership Awards.
Six Queens-based leaders honored at
Hispanic & Latinx Leadership Awards
BY ANGELICA ACEVEDO
On the last day of this year’s National
Hispanic Heritage Month, Councilman
Jimmy Van Bramer hosted the 10th
Annual Hispanic and Latinx Leadership
Awards at the Th alia Spanish Th eatre in
Sunnyside.
“Western Queens is an amazing place.
We love these neighborhoods that we call
home for a reason and part of that reason,
I believe, is because of our diversity
— because we are so rich in so many
cultures and nationalities, races, people
of diff erent sexual orientation and gender
identities, all coming together to make
one community,” Van Bramer said during
the Oct. 15 ceremony.
Th e intimate event recognized six
Queens-based Hispanic and Latinx community
leaders.
Th e honorees were Beny Castro, marketer
and liaison for Sunnyside Shines
BID; Kevin Montalvo, founder of Queens
Distance Runners and race director of
Queens Marathon; Maritza Silva-Farrell,
executive director of ALIGN NY; Martha
Sanchez, education activist and community
organizer; Memo Salazar, fi lmmaker
and activist; and Rosalie Quinones,
Queens community advocate and former
public school administrator.
Th ey all had a chance to give a short
speech aft er Van Bramer introduced them
and presented them with their framed
proclamations.
Silva-Farrel said that she moved from
Ecuador to the U.S. to become an activist,
and has felt “very connected” to the
Latin American and immigrant communities
ever since.
Van Bramer credited her for being
one of the leaders in the fi ght against
Amazon’s proposed headquarters in Long
Island City earlier this year.
“Th e thing that is amazing to see every
single time, and the reason why I do this
work, is the power of the people,” Silva-
Farrell said. “Th e overwhelming power
that people have when they come collectively
and fi ght for what is right.”
Sanchez, a mother, wife and education
advocate, has lived in Corona, Jackson
Heights and Elmhurst for various years.
She’s certain that anyone can fi nd food
from all over the world in those very
neighborhoods.
Th e honoree, who spoke only in
Spanish, talked about the importance of
campaigning for better education and less
overpopulation in districts 30 and 24 in
Queens. But most importantly, she wanted
fellow parents to understand that “language
shouldn’t be a barrier.”
“Sometimes, because we might come
from small villages, we think that our children
do not deserve more, but all children
are equal and all children deserve quality
education,” she said, receiving rounds
of applause from those in attendance.
“If we all come together, we can accomplish
even more things — that’s why I
always say, ‘Th e united people will never
be defeated.’”
Th e light-hearted and joyful evening,
also featured enchanting performances by
the Mestizo Art Center, who were introduced
by the artistic director of Th alia
Spanish Th eatre, Angel Gil.
“Hispanic and Latinx community leaders
play a critical role in strengthening our
borough and enriching the cultural tapestry
of our city,” Van Bramer said. “Th ese
six distinguished leaders may come from
diff erent places and work in various fi elds,
but they all share a deep-rooted commitment
to Queens values and community
advocacy.”
/WWW.QNS.COM
