Hispanic Professional Action Committee, Celebrating 31 years!
Award
Recipient Biographies
Once a year, Hispanic Professional Action Committee HPAC acknowledges the
service and leadership of members of our community who work to promote the
culture and well-being of Latinos. HPAC begins the process by asking for
nominations from the community at large, awards are then presented to
individuals and organizations that receive the most support from the public.
The following biographies provide some of the reasons these individuals and
organizations have been selected to receive awards.
Andrea
J. Romero, Ph.D.,
will be awarded HPAC 2011 Woman of the Year. She is an Associate Professor
with joint appointments in Family Studies and Human Development, and Mexican
American and Raza Studies at the University of Arizona. She earned a
doctorate in Social Psychology and Quantitative Methods from the University of
Houston. Then she worked at Stanford University on prevention of obesity
and substance use among minority children. At the UA for the past ten
years, her research focuses on understanding cultural strengths of ethnic
minority adolescents and how these strengths can help prevent health
disparities. In particular on understanding how teenagers navigate
cultural, familial and neighborhood contexts and how these processes relate to
health disparities problems, including mental health and adolescent risky
behaviors. She has 24 articles and chapters documenting cultural strengths of
ethnic minority adolescents that increase their resilience to discrimination and
stress. Her research shows a positive ethnic identity; strong family unity and
values; and neighborhood resources can help adolescents thrive even when they
face challenges. Although discrimination can increase stress and has a negative
impact on adolescent mental health and risky behaviors, adolescents with a
strong ethnic identity fare better. Her work on bicultural stress has
brought attention to cultural factors associated with mental health disparities
of Latino adolescents, and the high rates of depressive symptoms. Dr. Romero
uses participatory action research, dialogue and collaboration with community
members. She has been working with the South Tucson Prevention Coalition for
the past 10 year to prevent underage drinking and HIV/AIDS through youth
empowerment and community level change. She received federally funded grants to
conduct research on substance use and HIV prevention programs for middle school
aged Latino adolescents. In 2010Andrea was named one of the 40 Under 40 who are
making a positive impact on Tucson, and Woman of the Year by the Arizona Daily
Star. Andrea and her husband of 13 years Scott have two children, Nicolás
6 and Joaquín 3 years old.
Augustine Romero, Ph.D,
HPAC 2011 Man of the Year, is Tucson Unified School District’s Director of
Student Equity and Co-Founder of the Social Justice Project, along with Dr.
Julio Cammarota, a collaboration between Tucson Unified School District, and
UA's Mexican American Studies and Research Center. Dr. Romero’s
dissertation research was entitled: Towards a Critically Compassionate
Intellectualism Model of Transformative Education: Love, Hope, Identity, and
Organic Intellectualism through the Convergence of Critical Race Theory,
Critical Pedagogy, and Authentic Caring. His research interests include the
understanding of the ontological and epistemological impact of race and racism
upon youth, and the intersectionality of transformative resistance and organic
intellectualism. He has been heavily involved in developing mechanisms for
empowering students. Dr. Romero, Lorenzo Lopez Jr., Dr. Julio Cammarota and
their students co-created the Critical Compassionate Intellectualism Model of
Transformative Education (CCI). This model is grounded in critical race theory,
merging components of participatory action research, cultural responsiveness,
authentic caring, and critical pedagogy. Most noteworthy, CCI has had
unprecedented impact on the academic performance of the students enrolled in
TUSD Mexican American/Raza Studies course. Dr. Romero has served on advisory
boards for numerous individuals and organizations, including Former Arizona
Governor Janet Napolitano Latino Advisory Council; the Center for Cultural
Competency; City of Tucson’s Public, Education, and Government Commission; the
University of Arizona’s College of Education Professional Preparation Board; the
University of Arizona's Mexican American Studies and Research Center; the Board
of Directors for the Tucson International Mariachi Conference; Access Tucson
Board of Directors, and Former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano’s Youth and
Education Task Force. Dr. Romero and his wife Eydie Soto are the proud
parents of Raúl Edgardo Soto-Romero (10 years old) and Talisa Dian Soto-Romero
(7 years old). Dr. Romero is committed to the teachings of Paulo Freire, Cesar
Chávez, Robert F. Kennedy, Jesus Christ and his father Raúl Lopez Romero. “All
of whom were driven by love.”
Sarah
Gonzales
will receive the Lucero, Rising Star Award. Ms. Gonzales has served as Director
of the Racial Justice Program for the YWCA Tucson since 2004. She is a young
activist who works tirelessly to increase the humanity and appreciation for
diversity in our community. She has developed and implemented numerous
programs and events meant to empower youth and provide them the tools to be
active participants in their community and in their own success. Recently
Sarah and the YWCA received a $200,000 grant to support the Latino Youth
Initiative, Nuestra Voz/Our Voice, to promote equality and understanding from
the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The funds are part of a $75 million national
project "America Healing" to improve life outcomes for vulnerable children and
their families. Sarah has been dedicated to facilitating racial healing,
promoting unity and collaboration most of her adult life. Previously, Ms.
Gonzales was employed at Oklahoma State University, AmeriCorps Washington, D.C.,
The UA and Duke University. She earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from
OSU in Sociology and a Master’s of Arts at the UA in Higher Education, where she
created and facilitated diversity trainings and developed campus wide diversity
programming. As Director for the Racial Justice Program at the YWCA Tucson,
since July 2004, she has led over 40,000 people through Racial Justice Programs.
Both youth and adults participate in Racial Justice programs addressing
genocide, human trafficking, bullying, hate crimes, white privilege and youth
activism using facilitated dialogue as a central point. This year Sarah launched
the Nuestra Voz/Our Voice, Latino/a Youth Leadership Initiative to address
issues facing the Latino/a youth in Tucson. She has helped hundreds of youth
find their voice and make positive change for Tucson. Sarah is an alumna of the
Social Justice Training Institute, and received a number of prestigious awards
including 2006 Tucson’s Top 40 Under 40 and UA Alumni’s Distinguished
Citizen Award in 2008. She is a member of the Elite Krue Muay Thai Martial
Arts Academy and holds a yellow belt in Judo. Sarah also tutors a refugee
family from the Congo weekly and participates in community activism supporting
Ethnic Studies and opposing SB1070.
Amistades, Inc.
will receive the Community Service Corporate Award. Amistades, Inc. was formed
in 2006 as a non-profit, community development and substance abuse prevention
organization serving the growing Latino population in Tucson and Pima County.
Amistades provides culturally competent leadership to prevent alcohol, tobacco,
and other substance abuse problems affecting Latino youth, families, and
elderly. Amistades promotes youth development, reduction of risk-taking
behaviors, and building assets and resilience. Using culture as a core value
Amistades, and has become known for its commitment to educating the community in
the areas of diversity and inclusion. Amistades shares its cultural expertise to
increase community-wide capacity in cultural competence with other
coalitions, task forces, and prevention/treatment agencies in the area and
state. Amistades programs include: The Amistades Substance Abuse Coalition; The
STOP Underage Drinking Project; Proyecto REGALOS, for parents of youth ages 3-18
years of age to help increase parent involvement in substance abuse prevention
in partnership with Arizona Youth Partnership. Amistades provides Hispanic
outreach and cultural competency efforts through annual community events
including: The Cinco de Mayo Non-Profit Celebration and Family Festival promotes
safe and alcohol-free events. Amistades also commemorates Segundo de Febrero,
February 2, 1848, the day the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed and
consequently ended the Mexican American War in a celebration of Mexican American
history and culture. Amistades will host the
original
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848 usually housed at the National
Archives in Washington, D.C. The Treaty will be in Tucson for 30 days for public
exhibition and educational purposes.
Victor
Soltero
will receive the Community Service Individual Award. Mr. Soltero has had a
lifelong history of service and dedication to serving the needs of our
community, including numerous affiliations and community involvement throughout
the years. He is a native of Arizona, born in Globe then he came to live in
Tucson at the young age of 5. He graduated from Pueblo High School and
attended Pima Community College. Victor Soltero served as Senator in the Arizona
State Senate from 1991-2000. He was also elected to the House of Representatives
for one term. Then again was appointed to the Arizona State Senate in 2003,
retiring in 2009. While in the Senate he served as a member of the
Appropriations, Commerce, Rules, Education, Human Services, Transportation and
various Joint Legislative Committees. Mr. Soltero has been dedicated to public
service since 1980. He also served as Councilman of the City of South Tucson and
was elected Mayor in 1988 for the City of South Tucson. He served with the
Arizona National Guard, 162nd Fighter Interceptor Group, attaining
the rank of Staff Sgt. He currently serves on the Rio Nuevo Multi Facilities
District Board, Cope Community Services board of Directors and the Pima County
Board of Adjustment. He was involved with the Greater Tucson Economic
Development Council GTEC in Tucson, Arizona, National Association of Latino
Elected & Appointed Officials (NALEO), and was a Democratic Precinct
Committeeman, as well as numerous other affiliations and community involvement
throughout the years. Victor Soltero has been recognized by LULAC , F.B.I.
Community Service Award, the Arizona Parks and Recreation
Association-Outstanding Public Official Award, Leagues of Cities and Towns Award
and numerous other awards.He is married to Mary Soltero, City of South Tucson
Councilwoman and has 2 children, Dr. Roman Soltero, wife Sandra and Mr. Victor
Soltero, wife Julian and has 2 grandchildren.
Dr.
James S. Griffith
will receive the Medallion Award. Dr Griffith, a Research Associate at the
University’s Southwest Center, was born in Santa Barbara, California, and came
to Tucson in 1955 to attend the University of Arizona (UA). He earned three
degrees at the UA, including a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and art history in
1973. From 1979 until his retirement in 1998 he ran the University’s
Southwest Folklore Center. He has considered himself a permanent Tucson resident
since 1963 and has been involved in numerous service projects. One of his most
well known projects is the the annual Tucson Meet Yourself folklife festival
that he started with his wife, Loma. Although he retired as director of the
festival in 1995, he is once again heavily involved in this project. From about
1985, he wrote and hosted “Southern Arizona Traditions,” a weekly 3-minute spot
on KUAT-TV’s Arizona Illustrated program. For 2 ½ years in the late 1980s
he wrote a monthly column on “Local Custom” for the now-defunct City Magazine.
He curated eleven exhibitions of regional traditional arts, the most recent
being “La Cadena Que No Se Corta/The Unbroken Chain: The Traditional Arts of
Tucson’s Mexican American Community,” at the UA Museum of Art in the winter of
1996-97. Jim Griffith’s professional commitment has always been to try to
understand the cultures of this part of the border, and to pass along that
understanding, as respectfully and accurately as possible, to the general
public. He is currently researching for a book on the religious art of Sonora,
and finishing a guide to regional folklore. Griffith is a prolific writer and
has written seven books.
Antonio
Arroyo
will be acknowledged for his long history of service. Mr. Arroyo will
receive a Special Recognition Award. Tony was born in Mexico and raised in
the United States, and is the oldest of eight children. Although he did
not have many of the advantages as he was growing up, through hard work,
dedication, and help from a high school librarian and mentor, he became the
first in his family to graduate from college. Tony attended Whittier College and
Cal State Fullerton, ultimately earning his Masters in Library Science. While in
college, Tony discovered he has a flair for languages. He was bilingual in
English and Spanish, and added French to his list of languages. To this
day, Mr. Arroyo likes to practice conversational phrases of various other
languages that he’s learned along the way. His numerous service and volunteer
activities, include AACHE (Arizona Association of Chicanos for Higher Education,
served time as its president, treasurer, historian, and webmaster), Reforma (was
president of the Orange County chapter in California, documented two national
conferences), LULAC (photographed events, received the FBI Community Service
Award three consecutive years), and AzLA (Arizona Library Association, named him
official photographer). He was also involved with the Tucson International
Mariachi Conference (Board of Directors), HPAC (Hispanic Professional Action
Committee), the Tucson Hispanic Coalition, and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce.
After
briefly dabbling in the restaurant business by opening up a Mexican food
restaurant “Tina Linda’s,” Tony became a librarian at Pima Community College,
Desert Vista Campus and is currently its library director. He is also a
consummate photographer, always carrying with him two or three cameras, ready to
capture a moment at any given instant. He chronicles important community events
using photographs and his famous website postings. Tony is also the proud
father of two girls, Jennifer Dora Lee, 28, and Christina Lira Arroyo, 19.
Tony’s cheerful outlook, constant commitment, and dedication to his endeavors
make him a respected and beloved individual in the Latino community, deserving
the Special Recognition Award for 2011.
The
Canchola Family
will receive the Special Recognition Award as an acknowledgement of the Legacy
of Philanthropic Giving and impact Jose Canchola and the entire Canchola Family
has had in the community of Southern Arizona. Jose L. Canchola,
(1931-2008), was born in Parsons, Kansas, and raised in Chicago by his
grandfather, Esteban. He was taught early in life that the way to pay back
those who helped you during difficult times in the past was to pay forward by
reaching out to people who need your help now. His grandfather also taught
him never to forget his humble roots, which eventually led to the immediate
achievements he accomplished in his life. You have to wonder that it’s a far cry
from being a poor child raised by relatives on the West Side of Chicago to being
not only a successful entrepreneur in the McDonalds Corporation but an endeared
civil servant to several past United States Presidents. Still from such
humble beginnings he never forgot where he came from and always believed in
giving something back to the community. In the Southern Arizona
communities of Tucson and Nogales where he established his McDonald franchises,
Jose provided hundreds of scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students at
the University of Arizona; furthermore he initiated plans to begin a Ronald
McDonald House in Tucson never losing a sincere concern for families having to
face the unknown horrors of cancer in a cold and sterile setting. Instead
he sought to provide a more humane setting for young patients and their parents.
Jose along with Carmen, his wife of 56 years and the entire family, received
dozens of humanitarian awards from groups, including the Lions Club and the
Valle del Sol/ Phoenix. He was the 1996 recipient of Hispanic Magazine’s
Lifetime Achievement Award and was honored as Citizen of the Year by “Una Noche
Plateada” in Tucson, and with the National Spirit of Life Award by the City of
Hope. He also served as past Chairman of the board of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce, as well as being on the boards of Tucson Electric Power, Northern
Trust Bank of Arizona, and the Hispanic Professional Action Committee. However
the one activity he was most proud of and the one that brought him the most joy
was the annual Christmas Holiday Party, which he and the entire Canchola family
sponsored over three decades for the needy children of Nogales, Mexico.
The family remembers all of these children visiting Santa Claus, receiving gifts
of clothing and toys and munching on Quarter Pounders. Mr. Canchola left behind
the true spirit of volunteerism and that drive to always give back to the
community. And today the family, Mrs. Canchola, Roger, Tony, Bob, Rick, Carmen
and Mary Ellen Canchola continue with the legacy Jose left behind. The Canchola
Family name continues to be active in supporting our families and communities in
Southern Arizona. There are five McDonald’s establishments owned by Roger an
Robert Canchola in Tucson under the organization of Arcos De Oro dba McDonald's®
Rick Canchola owns, Canchola Technical Services, Tony Pre College Counseling
Services LLC, Mary Ellen Canchola de Besdes Chimps lives in Nevada and
Carmen Canchola Shimm resides in West Virginia.
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Automatic Slide Show
Ms. Gloria Corral
Ms. Nina Corson, Division Dean, Desert Vista Campus
Ms. Nina Corson, Division Dean, Desert Vista Campus
Ms. Nina Corson, Division Dean, Desert Vista Campus
Ms. Nina Corson, Division Dean, Desert Vista Campus
Ms. Nina Corson, Division Dean, Desert Vista Campus
L-R Conrad Mendez, A-V Tech at Community Campus and Ms. Alma Yubeta, PCC Foundation
Mr. Oscar Luján, University of Arizona Hispanic Association
Dr. Louis Albert, PCC West Campus President
Dr. and Mrs. Celestino Fernández
L-R Ms. Gloria Corral and Ms. Kim Fernández
L-R Dr. Sylvia Lee, PCC Community Campus President and Dr. and Mrs. Celestino Fernández
Dr. Sylvia Lee, PCC Community Campus and Dr. Dolores Durán Cerda, PCC Downtown Spanish Language Professor
Dr. José Leyba and ?
Mr. & Mrs. Humberto Stevens
Mr. Humberto Stevens
Mr. Ricardos Jasso and his daughter Ms. Claudia Jasso Stevens
Mr. & Mrs. Raúl Aguirre
Mr. & Mrs. Raúl Aguirre
Mr. & Mrs. Raúl Aguirre
Mr. & Mrs. Raúl Aguirre
Mr. Daniel Hernández and Dr. Celestino Fernández
L-R Ms. María García and Dr. Dolores Durán Cerda
Mr. Ted Roush, PCC Desert Vista Campus, Vice-President of Instruction
L-R Dr. Louis Albert, Dr. Sylvia Lee and Mr. Daniel Hernández
L-R Dr. Dolores Durán Cerda, Mr. Daniel Hernández and Ms. María García
L-R Dr. Dolores Durán Cerda, Mr. Daniel Hernández and Ms. María García
L-R Mr. Antonio Arroyo, Dr. Dolores Durán Cerda and Ms. María García
L-R Daniel Hernández and Sylvia Ortega
Dr. Celestino Fernández
Augustine Romero, Ph.D,
HPAC 2011 Man of the Year, is Tucson Unified School District’s Director of
Student Equity and Co-Founder of the Social Justice Project, along with Dr.
Julio Cammarota, a collaboration between Tucson Unified School District, and
UA's Mexican American Studies and Research Center. Dr. Romero’s
dissertation research was entitled: Towards a Critically Compassionate
Intellectualism Model of Transformative Education: Love, Hope, Identity, and
Organic Intellectualism through the Convergence of Critical Race Theory,
Critical Pedagogy, and Authentic Caring. His research interests include the
understanding of the ontological and epistemological impact of race and racism
upon youth, and the intersectionality of transformative resistance and organic
intellectualism. He has been heavily involved in developing mechanisms for
empowering students. Dr. Romero, Lorenzo Lopez Jr., Dr. Julio Cammarota and
their students co-created the Critical Compassionate Intellectualism Model of
Transformative Education (CCI). This model is grounded in critical race theory,
merging components of participatory action research, cultural responsiveness,
authentic caring, and critical pedagogy. Most noteworthy, CCI has had
unprecedented impact on the academic performance of the students enrolled in
TUSD Mexican American/Raza Studies course. Dr. Romero has served on advisory
boards for numerous individuals and organizations, including Former Arizona
Governor Janet Napolitano Latino Advisory Council; the Center for Cultural
Competency; City of Tucson’s Public, Education, and Government Commission; the
University of Arizona’s College of Education Professional Preparation Board; the
University of Arizona's Mexican American Studies and Research Center; the Board
of Directors for the Tucson International Mariachi Conference; Access Tucson
Board of Directors, and Former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano’s Youth and
Education Task Force. Dr. Romero and his wife Eydie Soto are the proud
parents of Raúl Edgardo Soto-Romero (10 years old) and Talisa Dian Soto-Romero
(7 years old). Dr. Romero is committed to the teachings of Paulo Freire, Cesar
Chávez, Robert F. Kennedy, Jesus Christ and his father Raúl Lopez Romero. “All
of whom were driven by love.”
L-R Ted Roush, PCC Desert Vista Campus Vice President of Instruction and Ms. Char Fugett, PCC East Campus President
Dr. Celestino Fernández introduicing Dr. Andrea J. Romero as Woman of the Year
Andrea
J. Romero, Ph.D.,
will be awarded HPAC 2011 Woman of the Year. She is an Associate Professor
with joint appointments in Family Studies and Human Development, and Mexican
American and Raza Studies at the University of Arizona. She earned a
doctorate in Social Psychology and Quantitative Methods from the University of
Houston. Then she worked at Stanford University on prevention of obesity
and substance use among minority children. At the UA for the past ten
years, her research focuses on understanding cultural strengths of ethnic
minority adolescents and how these strengths can help prevent health
disparities. In particular on understanding how teenagers navigate
cultural, familial and neighborhood contexts and how these processes relate to
health disparities problems, including mental health and adolescent risky
behaviors. She has 24 articles and chapters documenting cultural strengths of
ethnic minority adolescents that increase their resilience to discrimination and
stress. Her research shows a positive ethnic identity; strong family unity and
values; and neighborhood resources can help adolescents thrive even when they
face challenges. Although discrimination can increase stress and has a negative
impact on adolescent mental health and risky behaviors, adolescents with a
strong ethnic identity fare better. Her work on bicultural stress has
brought attention to cultural factors associated with mental health disparities
of Latino adolescents, and the high rates of depressive symptoms. Dr. Romero
uses participatory action research, dialogue and collaboration with community
members. She has been working with the South Tucson Prevention Coalition for
the past 10 year to prevent underage drinking and HIV/AIDS through youth
empowerment and community level change. She received federally funded grants to
conduct research on substance use and HIV prevention programs for middle school
aged Latino adolescents. In 2010Andrea was named one of the 40 Under 40 who are
making a positive impact on Tucson, and Woman of the Year by the Arizona Daily
Star. Andrea and her husband of 13 years Scott have two children, Nicolás
6 and Joaquín 3 years old.
Amistades, Inc.
will receive the Community Service Corporate Award. Amistades, Inc. was formed
in 2006 as a non-profit, community development and substance abuse prevention
organization serving the growing Latino population in Tucson and Pima County.
Amistades provides culturally competent leadership to prevent alcohol, tobacco,
and other substance abuse problems affecting Latino youth, families, and
elderly. Amistades promotes youth development, reduction of risk-taking
behaviors, and building assets and resilience. Using culture as a core value
Amistades, and has become known for its commitment to educating the community in
the areas of diversity and inclusion. Amistades shares its cultural expertise to
increase community-wide capacity in cultural competence with other
coalitions, task forces, and prevention/treatment agencies in the area and
state. Amistades programs include: The Amistades Substance Abuse Coalition; The
STOP Underage Drinking Project; Proyecto REGALOS, for parents of youth ages 3-18
years of age to help increase parent involvement in substance abuse prevention
in partnership with Arizona Youth Partnership. Amistades provides Hispanic
outreach and cultural competency efforts through annual community events
including: The Cinco de Mayo Non-Profit Celebration and Family Festival promotes
safe and alcohol-free events. Amistades also commemorates Segundo de Febrero,
February 2, 1848, the day the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed and
consequently ended the Mexican American War in a celebration of Mexican American
history and culture. Amistades will host the
original
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848 usually housed at the National
Archives in Washington, D.C. The Treaty will be in Tucson for 30 days for public
exhibition and educational purposes.
Victor
Soltero
will receive the Community Service Individual Award. Mr. Soltero has had a
lifelong history of service and dedication to serving the needs of our
community, including numerous affiliations and community involvement throughout
the years. He is a native of Arizona, born in Globe then he came to live in
Tucson at the young age of 5. He graduated from Pueblo High School and
attended Pima Community College. Victor Soltero served as Senator in the Arizona
State Senate from 1991-2000. He was also elected to the House of Representatives
for one term. Then again was appointed to the Arizona State Senate in 2003,
retiring in 2009. While in the Senate he served as a member of the
Appropriations, Commerce, Rules, Education, Human Services, Transportation and
various Joint Legislative Committees. Mr. Soltero has been dedicated to public
service since 1980. He also served as Councilman of the City of South Tucson and
was elected Mayor in 1988 for the City of South Tucson. He served with the
Arizona National Guard, 162nd Fighter Interceptor Group, attaining
the rank of Staff Sgt. He currently serves on the Rio Nuevo Multi Facilities
District Board, Cope Community Services board of Directors and the Pima County
Board of Adjustment. He was involved with the Greater Tucson Economic
Development Council GTEC in Tucson, Arizona, National Association of Latino
Elected & Appointed Officials (NALEO), and was a Democratic Precinct
Committeeman, as well as numerous other affiliations and community involvement
throughout the years. Victor Soltero has been recognized by LULAC , F.B.I.
Community Service Award, the Arizona Parks and Recreation
Association-Outstanding Public Official Award, Leagues of Cities and Towns Award
and numerous other awards.He is married to Mary Soltero, City of South Tucson
Councilwoman and has 2 children, Dr. Roman Soltero, wife Sandra and Mr. Victor
Soltero, wife Julian and has 2 grandchildren.
Sarah Gonzales will receive the Lucero, Rising Star Award. Ms. Gonzales has served as Director of the Racial Justice Program for the YWCA Tucson since 2004. She is a young activist who works tirelessly to increase the humanity and appreciation for diversity in our community. She has developed and implemented numerous programs and events meant to empower youth and provide them the tools to be active participants in their community and in their own success. Recently Sarah and the YWCA received a $200,000 grant to support the Latino Youth Initiative, Nuestra Voz/Our Voice, to promote equality and understanding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The funds are part of a $75 million national project "America Healing" to improve life outcomes for vulnerable children and their families. Sarah has been dedicated to facilitating racial healing, promoting unity and collaboration most of her adult life. Previously, Ms. Gonzales was employed at Oklahoma State University, AmeriCorps Washington, D.C., The UA and Duke University. She earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from OSU in Sociology and a Master’s of Arts at the UA in Higher Education, where she created and facilitated diversity trainings and developed campus wide diversity programming. As Director for the Racial Justice Program at the YWCA Tucson, since July 2004, she has led over 40,000 people through Racial Justice Programs. Both youth and adults participate in Racial Justice programs addressing genocide, human trafficking, bullying, hate crimes, white privilege and youth activism using facilitated dialogue as a central point. This year Sarah launched the Nuestra Voz/Our Voice, Latino/a Youth Leadership Initiative to address issues facing the Latino/a youth in Tucson. She has helped hundreds of youth find their voice and make positive change for Tucson. Sarah is an alumna of the Social Justice Training Institute, and received a number of prestigious awards including 2006 Tucson’s Top 40 Under 40 and UA Alumni’s Distinguished Citizen Award in 2008. She is a member of the Elite Krue Muay Thai Martial Arts Academy and holds a yellow belt in Judo. Sarah also tutors a refugee family from the Congo weekly and participates in community activism supporting Ethnic Studies and opposing SB1070.
Dr.
James S. Griffith
will receive the Medallion Award. Dr Griffith, a Research Associate at the
University’s Southwest Center, was born in Santa Barbara, California, and came
to Tucson in 1955 to attend the University of Arizona (UA). He earned three
degrees at the UA, including a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and art history in
1973. From 1979 until his retirement in 1998 he ran the University’s
Southwest Folklore Center. He has considered himself a permanent Tucson resident
since 1963 and has been involved in numerous service projects. One of his most
well known projects is the the annual Tucson Meet Yourself folklife festival
that he started with his wife, Loma. Although he retired as director of the
festival in 1995, he is once again heavily involved in this project. From about
1985, he wrote and hosted “Southern Arizona Traditions,” a weekly 3-minute spot
on KUAT-TV’s Arizona Illustrated program. For 2 ½ years in the late 1980s
he wrote a monthly column on “Local Custom” for the now-defunct City Magazine.
He curated eleven exhibitions of regional traditional arts, the most recent
being “La Cadena Que No Se Corta/The Unbroken Chain: The Traditional Arts of
Tucson’s Mexican American Community,” at the UA Museum of Art in the winter of
1996-97. Jim Griffith’s professional commitment has always been to try to
understand the cultures of this part of the border, and to pass along that
understanding, as respectfully and accurately as possible, to the general
public. He is currently researching for a book on the religious art of Sonora,
and finishing a guide to regional folklore. Griffith is a prolific writer and
has written seven books.
Antonio
Arroyo
will be acknowledged for his long history of service. Mr. Arroyo will
receive a Special Recognition Award. Tony was born in Mexico and raised in
the United States, and is the oldest of eight children. Although he did
not have many of the advantages as he was growing up, through hard work,
dedication, and help from a high school librarian and mentor, he became the
first in his family to graduate from college. Tony attended Whittier College and
Cal State Fullerton, ultimately earning his Masters in Library Science. While in
college, Tony discovered he has a flair for languages. He was bilingual in
English and Spanish, and added French to his list of languages. To this
day, Mr. Arroyo likes to practice conversational phrases of various other
languages that he’s learned along the way. His numerous service and volunteer
activities, include AACHE (Arizona Association of Chicanos for Higher Education,
served time as its president, treasurer, historian, and webmaster), Reforma (was
president of the Orange County chapter in California, documented two national
conferences), LULAC (photographed events, received the FBI Community Service
Award three consecutive years), and AzLA (Arizona Library Association, named him
official photographer). He was also involved with the Tucson International
Mariachi Conference (Board of Directors), HPAC (Hispanic Professional Action
Committee), the Tucson Hispanic Coalition, and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce.
After
briefly dabbling in the restaurant business by opening up a Mexican food
restaurant “Tina Linda’s,” Tony became a librarian at Pima Community College,
Desert Vista Campus and is currently its library director. He is also a
consummate photographer, always carrying with him two or three cameras, ready to
capture a moment at any given instant. He chronicles important community events
using photographs and his famous website postings. Tony is also the proud
father of two girls, Jennifer Dora Lee, 28, and Christina Lira Arroyo, 19.
Tony’s cheerful outlook, constant commitment, and dedication to his endeavors
make him a respected and beloved individual in the Latino community, deserving
the Special Recognition Award for 2011.
The
Canchola Family
will receive the Special Recognition Award as an acknowledgement of the Legacy
of Philanthropic Giving and impact Jose Canchola and the entire Canchola Family
has had in the community of Southern Arizona. Jose L. Canchola,
(1931-2008), was born in Parsons, Kansas, and raised in Chicago by his
grandfather, Esteban. He was taught early in life that the way to pay back
those who helped you during difficult times in the past was to pay forward by
reaching out to people who need your help now. His grandfather also taught
him never to forget his humble roots, which eventually led to the immediate
achievements he accomplished in his life. You have to wonder that it’s a far cry
from being a poor child raised by relatives on the West Side of Chicago to being
not only a successful entrepreneur in the McDonalds Corporation but an endeared
civil servant to several past United States Presidents. Still from such
humble beginnings he never forgot where he came from and always believed in
giving something back to the community. In the Southern Arizona
communities of Tucson and Nogales where he established his McDonald franchises,
Jose provided hundreds of scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students at
the University of Arizona; furthermore he initiated plans to begin a Ronald
McDonald House in Tucson never losing a sincere concern for families having to
face the unknown horrors of cancer in a cold and sterile setting. Instead
he sought to provide a more humane setting for young patients and their parents.
Jose along with Carmen, his wife of 56 years and the entire family, received
dozens of humanitarian awards from groups, including the Lions Club and the
Valle del Sol/ Phoenix. He was the 1996 recipient of Hispanic Magazine’s
Lifetime Achievement Award and was honored as Citizen of the Year by “Una Noche
Plateada” in Tucson, and with the National Spirit of Life Award by the City of
Hope. He also served as past Chairman of the board of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce, as well as being on the boards of Tucson Electric Power, Northern
Trust Bank of Arizona, and the Hispanic Professional Action Committee. However
the one activity he was most proud of and the one that brought him the most joy
was the annual Christmas Holiday Party, which he and the entire Canchola family
sponsored over three decades for the needy children of Nogales, Mexico.
The family remembers all of these children visiting Santa Claus, receiving gifts
of clothing and toys and munching on Quarter Pounders. Mr. Canchola left behind
the true spirit of volunteerism and that drive to always give back to the
community. And today the family, Mrs. Canchola, Roger, Tony, Bob, Rick, Carmen
and Mary Ellen Canchola continue with the legacy Jose left behind. The Canchola
Family name continues to be active in supporting our families and communities in
Southern Arizona. There are five McDonald’s establishments owned by Roger an
Robert Canchola in Tucson under the organization of Arcos De Oro dba McDonald's®
Rick Canchola owns, Canchola Technical Services, Tony Pre College Counseling
Services LLC, Mary Ellen Canchola de Besdes Chimps lives in Nevada and
Carmen Canchola Shimm resides in West Virginia.
Daniel Hernandez University of Arizona student receiving a special recognition award for unselfish action and service to the community for his acts of bravery helping to save Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford
L-R Dr. Dolores Durán-Cerda and Antonio Arroyo
L-R María García and Antonio Arroyo
