Regional Leader Wins Prestigious Hispanic Excellence Award
Adriana Tamez to receive Willie Velasquez award during gala on October 30
HISD Central Region Region Superintendent Adriana Tamez has been named the recipient of the 2009 Willie Velasquez Hispanic Excellence Award for Education.
Tamez will receive the award during the 19th Annual Willie Velasquez Hispanic Award Gala at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2009, at Hotel Zaza (5701 Main St, 77005). The gala, hosted by Telemundo KTMD 47, honors the foremost Hispanic leaders in community service, health, education and business. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Rafael Estrada, vice president of Guatemala.
“I am very honored to be chosen by the awards committee to receive this award named in memory of a great man who tirelessly worked to empower the Latino community,” said Tamez. “As an educational leader, any success I experience I owe to those who have paved the way for me—not only fellow educators, but civic, business, and community leaders who have had the courage to step forward and assume leadership responsibility. I am proud to carry on Willie Velasquez’ legacy and work to build up my community and prepare them to be our next generation of leaders, thinkers, and creators.”
Willie Velasquez was a Hispanic leader who died in his early 40s, but left a legacy of service across the country. He is given credit as the Founder of the Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project. Through his efforts, more than one million Hispanics became registered to vote. His slogan, “Su Voto, Es Su Voz” (Your Vote, Is Your Voice) is a phrase that continues to raise awareness in the Hispanic community about exercising the constitutional right to vote.
The Willie Velasquez award ceremony has been hosted in Houston since 1990.