Queens Borough President Donovan Richards welcomed community members and locals to the Queens Museum for a night of fun, celebration and entertainment to mark Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday Oct. 11.
The event was one of positivity and celebration as various leaders of the Latin community and members of community-based organizations turned out to accompany Richards to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
There were also various dance performances throughout the night, as well as delicious food on offer for all attendees.
“Tonight, we are here to celebrate the diverse cultures and accomplishments of the Latino community and here in Queens, the world’s borough, we recognize that each wave of Latino immigrants contributed to building this country and this city to what it is today,” Richards said. “In Queens, we value the Latino community and we will do what we need to do to make sure that, even as individuals come here from other countries or any other parts of the world, we don’t say our borders are closed. Our borders are opened to everyone and we must fight for a better future for those who are coming in.”
Richards made it clear that Queens is a place where the Latino community is celebrated and acknowledged for the various contributions they have made to the borough and New York as a whole.
The first musical performance of the night was from Bossa Nova Entertainment, with traditional dances from Bolivia which was thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance.
Richards also handed out citation awards to special members of the community, including Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, Cecilia Gentili, David Caraballoso, Mirna Velasquez and Sergio Toxqui.
“I would like to take this opportunity to mention that in Argentina we have a long history of colorism and how we look down at people from other countries and look down on people who may be darker and we sometimes glorify white skin,” Gentili said. “This is a specific moment in history where there is no space for us to be divided as Latinos. We are all one color, it’s not darker, it’s not lighter. We are all one group of people trying to do the best that we can in a country that is sometimes not friendly to us.”
“Thank you so much for having us tonight. I always say this but here in Queens we have the best Queens Borough President and it is an honor to be here tonight and to be a part of this celebration,” MetroPlus Health Manager for Brand Partnerships and Experiential Marketing Gabriela Mayorga said.
Attendees also enjoyed a lively and engaging performance from Renacer, who performed traditional Argentinian dances.
“We are delighted to join President Donovan Richards and his office at this celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month as well as honoring individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary service in their communities, in the borough of Queens and across the city,” Ponce Bank Assistant Vice President and Manager of Government Affairs Glenda Silva said.
The night ended with a performance from the Dominican Dance Group Inc., with their performance ending with everybody up on their feet and enjoying themselves, concluding the night of celebration on a high note.
