Tampa Hispanic Heritage has named its Leadership Class of 2024, an annual event that recognizes outstanding Hispanic leaders who have made significant contributions in their respective fields.
The organization’s president, María Bermúdez-Torres, highlighted each of the award designees, mentioning their dedication and unique contributions.
Among those named are Dr. Larissa Ruiz Baía in education and Santos Morales in civic engagement, both lauded for exceptional commitment to the community.
Bermúdez-Torres also emphasized the crucial role of individuals such as Felix Figueruelo in business and Viviam Sifontes in healthcare, whose work has had a profound impact on Tampa.
Founded in 1979, Tampa Hispanic Heritage has been a pillar in promoting Hispanic culture and education in the region. Each year, the organization presents a variety of events that generate significant community participation.
“Tampa Hispanic Heritage is dedicated to promoting Hispanic education and culture in the community,” said Bermúdez-Torres, a Puerto Rican native who’s lived in the United States for more than 40 years.
Categories
Each year, individuals are nominated in eight categories: education, pride, business, civic engagement, public service, arts, media and health.
In the education category, Baía, president of the Ybor City campus of Hillsborough Community College, has been instrumental in securing significant grants and developing student support programs.
“She is of Dominican descent, raised in Puerto Rico, and greatly supports students in the Ybor City area,” said Bermúdez Torres.
In the pride category, Dr. Paige Niehaus, president of the Dale Mabry campus of HCC, has promoted diversity and inclusion in higher education, highlighting her support for the Hispanic community.
Félix Figueruelo, awarded in the business category, is the founder of DJ Felix Event Productions. “His company has evolved to offer complete audiovisual solutions, and he has dedicated himself to philanthropy in community events,” said Bermúdez-Torres.
Likewise, in the civic engagement category, there is Santos Morales, director of Economic Prosperity at Enterprising Latinas, who has worked to support Latino micro-entrepreneurs by establishing business development programs and microcredit funds.
Melisa Martínez, awarded in the Public Service category, has been instrumental in revitalizing neighborhoods through her work with the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency.
“She has promoted gender diversity in the construction industry and has been an advocate for the Hispanic community,” said Bermúdez Torres.
In the arts category, Elisabeth Timbal, a prominent percussionist, has inspired many through her music and teachings, overcoming gender challenges in her profession.
In the media category, Venezuelan Carlos Bohórquez was named for having a significant impact on the Hispanic community of Tampa through his work in radio, television and event production.
“Carlos has provided a platform for the Hispanic community, highlighting his commitment to community service,” said Bermúdez Torres.
In the health category is Viviam Sifontes, founder of Latinos Unidos por un Nuevo Amanecer and someone who has dedicated her life to supporting Latino individuals affected by cancer.
“Her personal experience as a cancer survivor and her career in social work have been pillars in her mission to offer resources and support to the community,” Bermúdez-Torres said.
The organization
Tampa Hispanic Heritage is a nonprofit organization founded in 1979, dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating Hispanic heritage in the Tampa Bay area.
“We have the mission to promote our culture, safeguard it, and celebrate the vast Hispanic heritage in the Tampa Bay area,” said Bermúdez-Torres. THHI brings together Hispanic groups in the area and others interested in sharing the richness of the Spanish language, culture, and traditions during the annual celebration of Tampa Hispanic Heritage.
The history of this entity dates to 1975 when a committee of Hispanics, designated by then-Tampa Mayor William Poe, organized the first Hispanic Heritage celebration in Tampa. The initial ceremony, held on Columbus Day in front of his statue on Bayshore Boulevard, has evolved significantly over the decades.
Today, the celebrations have expanded to over 90 days of events during the months of September, October, and November each year.
“With the increase and diversity of the Hispanic population, we feel the need to share our roots with the entire community,” Bermúdez-Torres said.
“Our vision is to contribute to the cultural richness of the Tampa Bay community by fostering among young Hispanics a desire for higher education and leadership to become examples and advocates of our language, music, food, traditions, and values,” she said.
This vision is reflected in the varied calendar of events that THHI presents each year, including its annual Gala that honors its Hispanic Woman and Man of the Year, and the annual essay and poster contests. These events not only address educational and recognition purposes for Hispanics in the community but also generate great interest in participation and the process of involvement between leaders and their community in various professional branches.
“It is essential that we support each other and take advantage of available opportunities to achieve our dreams,” said Bermúdez-Torres.
The Essay Contest is open to students in grades 6-12, and the Poster Contest’s theme this year is “Expression: Hispanic Identity through Music.” These contests not only highlight the creativity and cultural expression of the Spanish-speaking community but also award cash prizes to the winners.
Communication and participation
Bermúdez-Torres encourages those who are afraid to get involved with community aid organizations.
“I personally believe that organizations to help the community exist and are always willing to lend a hand. It’s a matter of informing ourselves; there’s always something to do or contribute,” she said.
She emphasizes the importance of trust and communication, acknowledging that while there are good resources there is also misinformation.
“The resources do exist, the dilemma is knowing what questions to ask and where to go properly; that’s where we fail most of the time, and it’s that people don’t know everything Tampa has to offer,” she added.
Similarly, she believes that a lack of clarity and the language barrier are common obstacles for many Hispanics seeking to improve their situation in a new country.
The Puerto Rican native shared the story of a student from Cuba, a dentist in his country, who faced difficulties integrating into the community due to the language barrier.
“We have the right to ask questions, and sometimes we step back instead of moving forward, because we have that fear and don’t know where to go; there are barriers that fill us with fear and prevent us from moving forward. We must be brave to ask for help and participate in all the calls that support our community,” she said.
Bermúdez-Torres said organizations such as Enterprising Latinas in Wimauma and RCMA, which offer valuable services to the community.
“It’s a matter of asking questions, questions, questions, and we have the right to ask questions,” she said.
Bermúdez-Torres also highlights the importance of not isolating oneself as migrants or descendants of Hispanics.
“We must make ourselves noticed, show our talents, skills, and if no one knows about those abilities, it will be very difficult for the community to find out and reward those skills,” she said.
She also highlighted the role of education. For her, education is a fundamental tool to overcome challenges in the United States.
“For me, it is a great thing to see all the challenges that these people face to study, and that is very good; Hispanics need to get involved in education and studies to advance,” she said.
Similarly, she reflects on the perception of continually communicating community efforts.
“Many people might consider it a bit arrogant to inform about what is being done with the community, but beyond that, it is not arrogance; rather, it is about communicating so that people can be inspired and motivated,” she said. “We want to be the spokespersons for all those individuals in this Tampa Bay area because sometimes, along the way, many talents are left out, waiting to be heard or taken into account.”
She urges the community to publicize all the programs they are working on.
“Do and collaborate to excel and be a resilient community,” she said. “These are the most important characteristics to achieve success here in Tampa.”