Adelante Awards

Erika C. Brothers

Founder, Creator, and Digital Artist. Owner of Paint Your Dreams Corp., Kikasworkshop by Erika C. Brothers and Erika C. Brothers designs

Erika C. Brothers is a Mexican-born entrepreneur, founder, creator, and digital artist. She is the owner of Paint Your Dreams Corp., Kikasworkshop by Erika C. Brothers, and Erika C. Brothers Designs.

Erika and her family are proud to call Saint Louis home. Saint Louis is where her family thrived and where she found her purpose and inspiration which is now Erika’s motto “Paint your dreams! Be at the Right place, Right time”. It was in Saint Louis that she found the right place and the right time, where collaborations with people who believed in her, helped and supported her all the way came to be the artist she is today. This is why she believes in paying it forward and doing her part to support others.

Erika hopes her story inspires other Mexican and Latin-American women artists to live their dreams and follow their passion, and represent their culture through art. Her biggest impact as an artist is to have been recognized as one of the top Mexican Women Artists and a prominent art influencer of 2024/2025 by Agueda Editorial. Her work was selected to be printed in Mujeres Mexicanas en el Arte vol. II, Agueda Editorial (English: Mexican Women in Art, vol II). She was named as one of the top 5 Mexican woman artists currently changing the Mexican art scene. Also in 2024, Erika’s work was published in the book Art Through My Eyes, a coffee table book with art inspired by Erika’s Latin American roots, created at her workshop in St. Louis.

Erika's work has not only been recognized but celebrated in various international exhibitions and publications. Her works have become part of book covers with prominent publishers and writers, such as the famous Mexican writer Angeles Mastretta, James Patterson of the Alex Cross Thriller series, and the Jane Austen Society with Natalie Janner. She has earned several First Place Awards and Honorable Mentions in Mobile Photography's most prestigious photography contests, IPPAWARDS - MPA, MDAC Mobile Digital Art, and Creativity Online, just to name a few.

Leslie Hernandez

Founder, Mama Pacha Sabor AKA De Mi Madre Aprendí

Leslie Hernandez is the innovative force behind "Mama Pacha Sabor", a vibrant line of Latin Flavor seasonings. As an entrepreneur, Leslie's journey began with a deep-rooted passion for traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, learned firsthand from her mother in Puerto Rico. Her mother, renowned for her delectable Puerto Rican "Pasteles" and other simple, natural dishes. Her mother introduced Leslie to the values of love, humility, and community. Her mother’s remarkable ability to feed her 16 children and extended family with limited resources inspired Leslie to create products that bring people together through food.

Today, Leslie channels this legacy into her brand, crafting high-quality marinades and seasonings that burst with rich flavors without relying on salt or artificial additives. With her brand, Leslie aims to share the warm, familiar atmosphere of her mother's kitchen, delivering traditional Puerto Rican home cooking everywhere.

Maria Mullis

Community Relations Specialist, Saint Louis Crisis Nursery

I have always been passionate about helping others, a value I carried with me from my home country, Colombia. When I arrived in the U.S., I faced the challenge of a language barrier, which made everyday tasks, like understanding doctors and school staff, frustrating. Determined to overcome this, I committed to learning English, a journey I continue every day.

For the past 24 years in St. Louis, I’ve dedicated my career to supporting families and communities. I started as a caseworker at the International Institute, assisting Colombian refugees facing the same fears I once had. I later spent a decade in retail, providing jobs and support to many local families.

For the past 11 years, I’ve worked with an incredible organization, the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, helping thousands of families navigate new opportunities and challenges. Seeing them succeed brings me immense joy. My efforts have been recognized with numerous awards, including the HCC Civic Award in 2022 and nominations for the Adelante 2024 Civic Award and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Each day, I am grateful for the opportunity to make a difference, and I look forward to continuing this important work.

Elisa Bender

President, Latinx Arts Network & Director, Hispanic Festival, Inc.

Elisa Bender is a powerhouse behind some of St. Louis’ most vibrant Hispanic cultural initiatives. As Director of Hispanic Festival, Inc. and President of the Latinx Arts Network, she leads major festivals, public art projects, youth programs, and artist advocacy efforts—all on a volunteer basis. Elisa is the driving force behind the push to nationally recognize the Hispanic Heritage Flag and recently helped launch the first-ever Latinx Arts Week in St. Louis. She also serves on the advisory boards of Opera St. Louis and the Missouri History Museum, and as Board Treasurer of the St. Louis Visionary Awards, championing women in the arts. Through every role, Elisa brings people together, amplifies Latinx voices, and turns bold ideas into lasting impact.

Jorge Medina

AVP Mortgage Loan Officer, Midwest BankCentre

Jorge has been a dedicated advocate for the Hispanic community for over 10 years, earning national awards and recognition for his exceptional work and commitment. Serving not just St. Louis, but the entire metropolitan area, Jorge has spent the past 8 years specializing in mortgages and has spent the past 3 years at Midwest BankCentre as a Senior Mortgage Loan Officer, helping over 400 Hispanic families—and counting—achieve the dream of homeownership. He is passionate about making the American dream a reality for the Hispanic community and works tirelessly to empower and uplift those he serves.
Jorge’s impact extends beyond mortgages. He is deeply committed to his community, volunteering and participating in various organizations and churches to continue his mission of giving back. In addition to making homeownership a seamless process, Jorge helps families open bank accounts, secure lines of credit, and guide individuals as they begin their credit journey. His dedication to serving the community goes far beyond homeownership, making a lasting difference in the lives of many.

Susan Gobbo

Civic Leader, International Spouses/Expat Women Group and International Mentoring STL

Susan Dealis Gobbo's journey from Brazil to the U.S.A. marked a transformative entry into a new chapter of her life. She navigated and overcame multiple challenges, learned from her setbacks, rediscovered her identity, and rebuilt herself. Transitioning from a successful healthcare professional to an impactful social entrepreneur in a new land, Susan found her calling! Through 10+ years of her civic work, she’s supported many international women to feel heard, recover their identities, find their path, build meaningful relationships, and integrate into their new community while championing diversity, equity, and inclusiveness. Susan appreciates her husband, daughter, and friends' encouragement throughout her pathway and embraces her Latina heritage with pride and affection. Her numerous accolades for her achievements fuel her ongoing commitment to advocating for the international community. By sharing her story with vulnerability, Susan intends to resonate with and uplift other international women who may feel “alone” in a new country.

Hispanic Leaders Group

Prosperity Connection

Prosperity Connection was founded in 2009 in response to the community’s need for reliable, safe, and accessible financial resources. Through financial education and coaching, we empower St. Louisans with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to improve their financial well-being. By collaborating with local organizations, we ensure that both our services and the right financial products reach those who need them most.

St. Louis Cardinals - Spanish Broadcast Team

The Cardinals broadcast team is committed to reaching Spanish speaking fans across all platforms. The St. Louis Cardinals Broadcast team has been an advocate for the Hispanic community in St. Louis for 10 years now with a significant impact in our community and we plan to do more. Cardinals fans can hear every home game in Spanish thanks to Cardinals broadcaster team, Polo Ascencio, Bengie Molina and Celina Allen. Polo and Bengie have been calling Cardinals games since 2016. The original plan was only to do two games during Hispanic Heritage Month, but immediately we knew St. Louis needed a regular Spanish broadcast all season.

Today, Cardinals Spanish broadcasts can be heard locally on La Tremenda 880AM, KXOK 102.9 FM, online via MLB Audio at cardinals.com, on the MLB app or by using SAP on FanDuel Sports Network. This among other radio stations in the Mid-West, the St. Louis Cardinals now have the largest Spanish Radio Affiliate in all MLB.

“Spanish voices need to be heard at every game!” – Celina Allen

Doing so helps us better connect with Latinos in St. Louis. Polo Ascencio and Bengie Molina, have become community figures as they regularly invite kids, particularly Latino children and their families, to games. Each guest is invited to meet the team on the field, then watch the game from a great seat. Plus each guest gets a t-shirt, a free hot dog and soda. Polo’s “Los Pajaritos de Polo” and Bengie’s “Bengie’s Buddies” had over 500 guests in 2023-2024. They will have close to 300 guests invited to Busch Stadium in 2025. They also host baseball clinics to teach kids the fundamentals of baseball. “We also always invite guest to the booth to see where the Spanish Voices can be heard the loudest! Those homerun calls by Polo can be heard from each booth in the broadcast suites and we love to hear it!”

As the Latino population grows in St. Louis, its important for the Cardinals to cultivate Hispanic fans, but more importantly we want to make Busch Stadium and the St. Louis Cardinals more welcoming to the growing Latino population in St. Louis. Allen says the broadcast team is consistently working on inserting more Spanish-language voiceovers during the home games, imagery with the Cardenales branding throughout the stadium, and adding snippets of Ascencio and Molina’s voices for everyone to hear ¡¡Bienvenidos!!

Celina schedules appearances for Polo and Bengie to serve our community. Visiting K-12 schools to talk to ESL students is most impactful. We visited, with 300 plus Hispanic students in 2024 and plan to do more this year.  When kids see Polo and Bengie, whose first language is Spanish and see the long paths they have had to get to where they are, it leaves a long-lasting impact on each student.

Diego Cuerda-Gil

Scientist, Bayer Crop Science

Diego joined Bayer in 2021 as a scientist at the Plant Biotech Discovery team. He has been an active member of Bayer Unidos, and for the past 3 years has served as the STL Community Outreach committee co-lead. Originally from Mexico, Diego moved to STL in 2018 to work at the Danforth Plant Science Center, after finalizing his PhD in Columbus, Ohio.

Diego Cuerda-Gil is an unwavering champion for Diversity and Inclusion within the Latinx community. He has emerged as a pillar of the BRG community, extending his influence beyond Bayer to engage with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HCC) and the broader St. Louis community organizing events such as the annual BizDash run and the annual United Way Soccer tournament.

Johny Sanchez

Vice President Community & Economic Development, Midwest BankCentre

Johny has been an active and dedicated member of the HCCSTL since joining over three years ago. Throughout his time with the organization, he has played a key role in supporting the Hispanic community by providing education, resources, and access to capital for individuals looking to start their business and business owners looking for ways to grow and streamline their business.

Johny has also been instrumental in the development of the Hispanic Business Success Program, both as a volunteer consultant and as a member of the committee. His contributions have been essential in shaping the program’s impact and expanding its offerings to participants.

Currently serving as a new board member of the HCC, Johny is focused on extending the reach of the Hispanic Chamber throughout the greater metro St. Louis region. His work demonstrates that even a small investment of time and effort can create lasting solutions and foster meaningful growth for the Hispanic community in the area. Johny is currently a Vice President of Community and Economic Development with Midwest BankCentre where he helps entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of growing their businesses into long-lasting and successful businesses.

Saida Cornejo-Zuñiga

Recruitment and Capital Access Lead, WEPOWER

Saida Cornejo Zuñiga, proudly born in Michoacán, Mexico, and raised in the Bay Area, California, has always embraced her heritage and entrepreneurial spirit. From helping her father run the family’s small business to earning degrees in Ethnic Studies and Legal Studies at UC Berkeley, Saida developed a deep passion for immigrant entrepreneurship and advocacy. 

Her journey led her to St. Louis as a Coro Fellow, where she expanded her understanding of the small business ecosystem. She later served as 6th Ward Legislative Aide for the City of St. Louis, championing local initiatives. Now, as the Recruitment and Capital Access Lead at WEPOWER, she empowers Black and Latino entrepreneurs. Saida also serves on the Board of the Hispanic Leaders Group. 

Brows By Mel Studio

Brows by Mel Studio was founded with the mission of enhancing each person’s natural beauty through the art of brow design and personalized esthetic services. Since opening, we’ve been committed to creating a welcoming, professional space focused on the well-being of our community. Thanks to the support of our clients and the passion of our team, we’ve grown quickly and continue striving to make a positive impact in St. Louis.

Collecting Heads Media

Collecting Heads Media is a young but quickly growing digital marketing agency. With a small team of core individuals, they have managed to doubled their revenue in their First two years of operation. Founded in January of 2023 by Stephanie Cháves and Fragoza, they are just now coming into their own. They have seven areas of focus within the market; Web Design, Organic Lead Generation, Advertisement Management, Social Media Management, Graphic Design, Public Relations and Film Production. With a wide range of digital services, there is no doubt a bright future ahead for them.

Rangel Tax Group & Service

At Rangel Tax Group and Services, we have been assisting the Hispanic community in the Saint Louis area since 2020. Our mission is to empower our clients by providing them with comprehensive tax education tailored to their language and emphasizing the significance of their contributions to the United States economy. We firmly believe that it is crucial for our community to uphold ethical standards and seek professional guidance to ensure that their actions align with their nation’s best interests. Through our services, we have strived by showcasing the substantial economic impact of the Hispanic community and have highlighted the invaluable role they play in shaping the United States. This is the essence of our contributions to the community. We are proud to have earned the trust and recognition of a reputable professional tax firm that collaborates with our clients to fulfill their tax obligations.

Advanced Renewable Concepts

At Advanced Renewable Concepts, we take immense pride in our journey—a journey made possible by the unwavering support of the Hispanic community. From the very beginning, we have been dedicated to providing sustainable energy solutions while fostering economic growth and creating opportunities for countless families.

Our success is deeply rooted in the values of hard work, resilience, and innovation. Thanks to the trust of our community, we have expanded our reach, installed countless solar systems, and contributed to a greener future. We have also created jobs, empowered local businesses, and provided educational opportunities to help more people access renewable energy.

As a Hispanic-driven company, we remain committed to giving back, supporting initiatives that uplift our community, and inspiring the next generation of leaders in the renewable energy industry. Our growth is a testament to the strength of our people, and we are honored to continue building a brighter, more sustainable future together.

Midwest BankCentre

Midwest BankCentre actively invests in the growth and vitality of the region by empowering individuals, families, and businesses. The bank plays a critical role in driving economic mobility, from tailored solutions for businesses to helping families achieve homeownership and supporting community and economic development projects, Midwest BankCentre creates a ripple effect that benefits the entire region. By investing in the communities it serves, the Bank is building a more inclusive and prosperous future for all. Midwest BankCentre has demonstrated its commitment to the Hispanic community by offering a full range of loans and deposit products to ITIN holders -individuals without a social security number -, supporting organizations like the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and multiple other organizations and programs, ensuring it has bilingual personnel to support the needs of Hispanic businesses and individuals, and by creating positive social impact through its Impact Banking initiative that reinvests deposits in St. Louis' 22 zip codes most in need of capital - so we all RISE TOGETHER.

Ponce Health Sciences University

At PHSU–St. Louis Campus, we are deeply committed to supporting the Hispanic community in St. Louis by investing in community events, health fairs, and scholarships each year. Through these efforts, we provide free healthcare services, educational resources, and financial support to help empower Hispanic students and families. Our dedication goes beyond academics; we actively engage with local organizations to foster health equity, cultural celebration, and professional growth, ensuring that the Hispanic community has the opportunities and resources needed to thrive.

Our mission is to deliver high-quality education in healthcare-related programs through an innovative curriculum that prepares students to become ethical and compassionate practitioners. We are proudly committed to serving underserved populations and ensuring that all students, regardless of background, are equipped to succeed in an increasingly global and diverse world. PHSU—where healthcare dreams become reality.

Betsabe Mantilla

North America Soybean Product Design Lead, Bayer Crop Science

Betsabe Mantilla is an enthusiastic mother, scientist, and leader who advocates for women and Hispanics in STEM and leadership. Originally from Ecuador, she earned her B.Sc. in Biotechnology from Universidad San Francisco de Quito before pursuing her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics at Iowa State University. Since joining Monsanto/Bayer in 2018 as a Spring Wheat Breeder, she has developed award-winning wheat varieties and currently serves as the North America Soybean Product Design Lead, leading a team focused on creating innovative soybean solutions for farmers. The work that Betsabe does at Bayer in collaboration with Global Soybean Breeding and Commercial teams generate annual net sales of around 2.5 Billion Euros (2.7 Billion US Dollars), making soybeans the second most important crop for the company. Betsa is proud to serve the farmer’s community across the US and the world and she wakes up every morning happy to know that she is contributing to achieve Bayer’s mission: “Health for all, Hunger for none”.

Betsa has received multiple recognitions for her contributions to science and community advocacy, including the “WiSE Woman of the Year Award” in 2022 and the First Runner Up for the prestigious “R&D Eclipse Award” received by Betsa and her team for their advancements in soybean breeding, and scholarships to participate in scientific and leadership trainings.

She actively participates in outreach, mentoring seven graduate students from diverse backgrounds, and has been a guest speaker at various universities, institutions, and societies across the US, Ecuador and Colombia to talk about plant breeding, science, innovation, and professional development. Betsa collaborates with the non-profit organization “Plant Breeders without Borders,” where she helped educate farmers in Ecuador on breeding programs that enhance nutrition for marginalized communities. Moreover, Betsa helped secure resources for the actual implementation of the breeding program of a crop species in Ecuador that will benefit farmers profitability and nutritional value in Ecuador.

Currently, she is part of the Hispanic Leadership Institute organized by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Metro St. Louis and she continues to engage in various outreach initiatives at Bayer and the community, including organizing conferences at Bayer and the National Association of Plant Breeding (NAPB) and supporting business resource groups focused on diversity and inclusion.

Martin Padilla

Associate Principal, Senior Project Architect, Trivers

Martin is an Associate Principal and serves as a Senior Project Architect on many of Trivers’ most challenging and involved works. He has extensive experience in each of the firm’s market sectors in both new construction and adaptive reuse projects. Working with non-profit, higher-education, and private clients, he skillfully navigates interests of all parties, finding common ground to execute the best possible end result for his clients. Martin leads Trivers’ continuing education and mentorship while serving as a licensing advisor for the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and a member of St. Louis’ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. From 2011 to 2022, Martin served as the assistant director for career services in architecture at Washington University’s Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts and transferred that experience into mentoring on a national level with the National Organization of Minority Architects, collaborating with the nations’ HBCU’s architecture programs to mentor the next generation of aspiring architects.

Victor Ponce

President and CEO, Expert Partners and Ponce Realty Group

Victor works as an experienced Real Estate Owner with Expert Partners/Ponce Realty Group, which is brokered by eXp Realty, LLC. Covering St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson, and Warren counties. Victor retired from the U.S. Army after 25 years of honorable service with the rank of First Sergeant. Using the acronym L.D.R.S.H.I.P, (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage), he conveys the same principles to his clients, demonstrating professionalism and outstanding work ethics. He was awarded the 2019 Rising Star Award from Five Star Professionals and achieved the RE/MAX 100% club award for 2019,2020,2021, 2022 and 2023. He has helped over 180 families buy and sell their homes with about 85% cliental being Hispanic. He speaks fluent Spanish and is an influencer in the Hispanic community. He is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Saint Louis Association of Realtors (SLAR) with over 10,000 members. He served as the Chairman of the Saint Charles Human Relations Commissions Board. He currently serves as the Vice-Chairman for the City of Saint Peters Veterans Memorial Commission Board. He is certified and instructs the Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification course. He is an expert in VA purchases and helps Veterans purchase homes using their VA home loan benefits. He is working on his B.S. in Management from Park University and is currently a resident of St. Peters, MO. Victor is married to his wife Patricia and has 3 children named Victor II, Jasmine, and Rudy.

Erika C. Brothers

Founder, Creator, and Digital Artist. Owner of Paint Your Dreams Corp., Kikasworkshop by Erika C. Brothers and Erika C. Brothers designs

Erika C. Brothers is a Mexican-born entrepreneur, founder, creator, and digital artist. She is the owner of Paint Your Dreams Corp., Kikasworkshop by Erika C. Brothers, and Erika C. Brothers Designs.

Erika and her family are proud to call Saint Louis home. Saint Louis is where her family thrived and where she found her purpose and inspiration which is now Erika’s motto “Paint your dreams! Be at the Right place, Right time”. It was in Saint Louis that she found the right place and the right time, where collaborations with people who believed in her, helped and supported her all the way came to be the artist she is today. This is why she believes in paying it forward and doing her part to support others.

Erika hopes her story inspires other Mexican and Latin-American women artists to live their dreams and follow their passion, and represent their culture through art. Her biggest impact as an artist is to have been recognized as one of the top Mexican Women Artists and a prominent art influencer of 2024/2025 by Agueda Editorial. Her work was selected to be printed in Mujeres Mexicanas en el Arte vol. II, Agueda Editorial (English: Mexican Women in Art, vol II). She was named as one of the top 5 Mexican woman artists currently changing the Mexican art scene. Also in 2024, Erika’s work was published in the book Art Through My Eyes, a coffee table book with art inspired by Erika’s Latin American roots, created at her workshop in St. Louis.

Erika's work has not only been recognized but celebrated in various international exhibitions and publications. Her works have become part of book covers with prominent publishers and writers, such as the famous Mexican writer Angeles Mastretta, James Patterson of the Alex Cross Thriller series, and the Jane Austen Society with Natalie Janner. She has earned several First Place Awards and Honorable Mentions in Mobile Photography's most prestigious photography contests, IPPAWARDS - MPA, MDAC Mobile Digital Art, and Creativity Online, just to name a few.

Gabriela Cornelius

President, Mexicanos en St Louis & Coordinator, Alma de Mexico

Ambassador and an advocate of Mexican and Hispanic culture, Gabriela Cornelius moved to St Louis in 1988 from Mexico (Guadalajara).

In 2013 Gabriela became the founder and President of “Mexicanos en St Louis”, a non-profit organization, whose mission is to teach, advance and show-case Mexican culture through the folkloric dance group “Alma de Mexico”. The ensemble showcases traditional Mexican dances, inspiring younger generations to adopt and celebrate Mexican culture and heritage. She has collaborated with the History Museum for the “Dia de los Muertos” event since 2018. She has also participated in many events like: Festival of Nations, Hispanic Festival, Cinco de Mayo on Cherokee Street and partnered with many other St. Louis organizations. She has volunteered for the past 7 years at the United Way Inspire Show representing Mexico. She has been a volunteer member of the Latix committee with the History Museum for the past 6 years and she helps organize the different Hispanic events like: Hispanic Heritage month, Dia de los Muertos, family Sunday’s. She volunteers with other organizations like the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Colombian Society, STL Juntos, the Magic house. She is a board member for the Hispanic Leaders Group.

Gabriela has been employed at the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis since 2014 where she holds the position of Coordinator for the Treasury department. In 2019 she Co-founded the internal organization, Hispanic/Latin ERG “Mi Gente” in effort to promote and help educate employees about Hispanic culture as well as to advocate for diversity at the Federal Reserve Bank. She has showcased Mexican folkloric dance during Hispanic Heritage month at the Bank.

Gabriela earned a BA in International Business from Southern Illinois University and her MBA from Webster University. She also completed the Hispanic Leadership Program through the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2020. She is heavily involved in the Hispanic and Latino Community.

As an ambassador and advocate for Mexican and Hispanic culture, she always finds ways to foster and teach Mexican culture in all the events she participates in.

Jackie Duty

Artist, Grafton Art Gallery

Jacqueline (Jackie) Duty is a first-generation Chilean-American visual artist, author, and storyteller. With a background in corporate media spanning newspapers, television, radio, and digital platforms, she eventually left the corporate world to pursue her passion for the arts. She rediscovered painting after a devastating house fire, reigniting her love for creativity.

As a writer and illustrator, Jacqueline brings vibrant stories to life, drawing inspiration from her Hispanic heritage and global travels. Her work has been featured at the St. Louis Art Museum, The Muny, Cortex, Monarca Art Space in Kansas City and the Grafton Art Gallery, where she helped launch the gallery, supporting artists of all backgrounds. She is a 3x Best-Selling author and 2x #1 International Best-Selling Author in 7 countries. Her first children’s book will be published in April 2025. This will launch her new series of children’s books that are designed to help children discover their identity and embrace what makes them unique.

She lives with her husband, two sons and dogs in the Midwest.

To explore her art and upcoming books, visit jackieduty.com. Follow her on social media @Artbyjackieduty.

Cecilia Velázquez

President & Publisher, Red Latina Communications, Inc

Cecilia Velázquez is the Owner and President of Red Latina Communications, the only bilingual Hispanic magazine in the St. Louis region since 2000. Originally from Mexico City, Velázquez holds a Master’s in Mass Communications and Journalism and has turned her passion for community and information access into a decades-long legacy. Despite legal and financial challenges—including deportation in 2006—she never gave up on her mission. Red Latina continues to thrive with a print circulation of 20,000 and a digital reach of over 72,000 followers. A former HR director turned media mogul, Velázquez is known for her bold leadership and dedication to uplifting the Hispanic community.

Celina Allen

Corporate Partnerships, St. Louis Cardinals

Prior to Celina’s activations with the St. Louis Cardinals, we had limited outreach to the Hispanic community. Celina has leveraged her position as the Corporate Sales Assistant to initiate, build, and implement a much more welcoming environment at Busch Stadium for the Hispanic community of the Greater St. Louis area. Through sponsorships, Spanish radio broadcasts, community outreach and theme night initiatives, to name a few, Celina has assisted in exposing the variety of Hispanic cultures on and off the field as well as highlighting and embracing the culture with fans at Busch Stadium.

Celina’s attitude is incredibly admirable. She is a pleasure to work with and never backs down in the face of adversity. One of our Spanish radio broadcasters, Polo Ascencio, was thrilled to share with us some of his experiences in working with Celina. From the day the Spanish broadcast was introduced as a concept, Celina has made it her goal to help it thrive. She knew it could be a huge opportunity for the Cardinals and the Latino/Hispanic community to come together, and the relationship between the two continues to drive her mission today. Polo highlights her “non-stop” and “never-say-die” attitudes, recognizing that against the waves of change, Celina will not stop until she feels her community is being accepted and appreciated. “You put something in her head,” says Polo, “she will find a way to make it happen...Without Celina, this operation (Spanish radio) would not grow.” Celina’s assertiveness has made the relationship between the Cardinals and the surrounding Hispanic community grow stronger.
Bringing ideas to reality is Celina’s specialty, which she does alongside her teammates in the Front Office. She is able to find balance between the goals of the Cardinals and her department and her personal goal of improving accessibility of the game to the Hispanic community. She is considerate and works towards solutions that are beneficial to all involved parties.

Celina’s passion for her Hispanic heritage have been a driving force for her accomplishments in bringing her community to Busch Stadium. Polo Ascencio highlights this determination, saying he asked Celina what the team could do to give opportunities to attend games to Hispanic children in the St. Louis area. Within one month, Celina worked with Cardinals Care, the team’s community foundation, to arrange for three groups of children from the local Hispanic Community to have meet and greets with players prior to attending games as well as tickets to the game. Many of these children, who live within a few miles of Busch Stadium, had never set foot in the stadium before.

Day in and day out, Celina’s mission to integrate the Hispanic community within the Cardinals experience, whether in-stadium or via game broadcasts, continues to expand in scope and volume. She is set to gain more responsibilities as she and her department work with the Cardinals retail arm to bring in more Hispanic-related merchandise. She has been encouraging pre-game announcements to be read in Spanish as well as English. Celina also just assisted in executing one of the most successful Hispanic Heritage Days, Fiesta Cardenales, in which a portion of ticket sales benefitted the Hispanic Education Cultural and Scholarship Foundation. Ticket sales for the 2021 event tripled from the event in 2019, cementing it as an annual celebration of Hispanic culture at the stadium.

Because of Celina’s efforts to create experiences for the Hispanic community, hundreds of Latino children have come to the stadium to enjoy their first Major League Baseball game. She is helping cultivate a love for the Cardinals, and the game of baseball, among our local youth. In gathering insight from Celina’s closest coworkers, everyone highlighted how at Busch Stadium, you can now see visual representation of the many Hispanic countries and the flags and pride that come along with it, something scarcely seen just five years ago. Her coworkers attributed much of this recent upswing in Hispanic pride to Celina’s passionate work.

Cristian Romero

Veterans Resource Representative, St. Louis Community College

A Saint Louis local, throughout his three years working with Saint Louis Community College, Cristian has managed to start a program for Hispanic Community College students and staff. This program will bring individuals together and allow them to familiarize themselves with the Hispanic community rooted in Saint Louis. In his free time, Cristian encourages students to continue their educational journey and directs them to the appropriate resources they need to succeed in their personal life as well. He serves as the secretary of the newly established Jovenes Profesionales Board organization under the Chamber. Outside of the College and the Chamber of Commerce Cristian has managed to unite the Hispanic Student Organizations in particular the undergrad organizations, law school organizations, and medical student organizations together. In addition to bringing awareness to the Hispanic community and leading students to success, he assists veterans transition into civilian life. He approaches this by building on established programs through advocacy and by creating meaningful relationships.