Tanji Patton joins us with a good taste of San Antonio she is featuring some delicious traditional foods from Los Barrios and some good wines to add to your list for the spring and summer months GOODTASTE WITH TANJIWatch GoodTaste Saturdays on News 4 San AntonioConnect with Tanji on InstagramInstagram @GoodTaste.TV A new program is bringing free Latin American film screenings to neighborhoods across Charlotte giving everyone a front-row seat to different cultures and experiences Puerto Rican native Giovanna Torres moved to Charlotte in 2015 and soon found out there were no screenings of Latin American films in the area I started the blog and we started writing film reviews,” Torres said “We started interviewing filmmakers and traveling to film festivals to cover the film festivals.” Cine Casual has grown from a blog to an annual film series hosting the city’s first-ever Latino Film Festival hosted at the Independent Picture House in April “We weren’t seeing ourselves represented in the arts and culture field here in Charlotte,” Torres said “We wanted to do something for our community here especially with Charlotte’s Latino community being among the fastest growing in the U.S.” Cuban native Ailen Arreaza has long lived in Charlotte She was excited when she discovered Cine Casual “Having these films in Spanish available to the community I think it’s such a gift because for new immigrants sometimes we’re limited in the things that we can do because of the language barrier,” Arreaza said Cine Casual is now starting a new initiative bringing free Latin American film screenings to neighborhoods across Charlotte: Cine en los Barrios “The idea with this was being able to bring the movies out of the theater and breaking those transportation barriers Stefania Arteaga first met Torres in 2016 and has since been a “super-fan” of Cine Casual She is a strong supporter of the new initiative “I've never found a place in Charlotte that provided that opportunity to go to a physical location and be in community with folks who also appreciated film and the diversity within our Latin American culture,” Arteaga said La Suprema is the film that will be screened at Saturday’s event the film follows a teenage girl whose dream is to become a boxer When she learns her uncle will box on live television she and the community find a way to watch the match According to the University of Southern California only 4% of films had a Latino lead or co-lead The screenings expose viewers to the broader diversity of the Latino experience than Hollywood films usually portray “What Cine Casual does is goes beyond just showing films,” Arteaga said “It is a program that validates Latino community members who don’t feel like they’re seen or they’re valued or that our stories can’t get past the cleaning lady or janitor or farmworker.” Arreaga says the films also create a sense of belonging for Latinos here in the United States “I’ve just always really loved Latin American film,” Arreaga said “It’s just helped me feel closer to my culture The film series’ first stop is Saturday evening at the Latin American Coalition in east Charlotte “We wanted to focus on east Charlotte and where most of our Latin community lives,” Torres said Torres is trying to determine the next stop Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsRebecca Salinas SAN ANTONIO – The Barrios Family announced they are closing one of their restaurants this summer La Hacienda Scenic Loop at 25615 Boerne Stage Road will close on June 30 It will continue to operate as a private event space until Nov The news release states the restaurant faced challenges COVID-19 impacts and competition along Interstate 10 “We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been a part of the La Hacienda Scenic Loop family Your support has meant the world to us,” co-owner Louis Barrios said in the release La Hacienda Scenic Loop opened in 2017 and was the latest eatery from Los Barrios Family Restaurants The chain’s other restaurants include Los Barrios at 4223 Blanco Road La Hacienda de Los Barrios at 18747 Redland Road and Viola’s Ventanas at 9660 Westover Hills Blvd Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved Rebecca Salinas is the Digital Executive Producer at KSAT 12 News Rebecca is an award-winning journalist who joined KSAT in 2019 Email Newsletters KSAT RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us KSAT Internships Careers at KSAT Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. New Yorkers work hard to build a better future for themselves and their families We know that in order to make New York City the best place on the globe to raise a family And we need to keep money in the pockets of working-class New Yorkers That is why from day one of this administration we have made it a priority to make sure opportunity reaches every borough We have gone to work to deliver for New Yorkers every day Unemployment is down across all demographic groups since we entered office we have done my favorite thing: break records From a record number of new small businesses to record amounts of affordable housing being created to record investments in minority- and women-owned businesses we announced that we set another record: For the eighth time since we took office this administration broke the all-time jobs record in our city New data released by the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) shows we have an all-time high of 4,770,981 total jobs in the five boroughs While these numbers show the strength of our economy our shared prosperity must continue to hit every zip code We know that a job is more than a paycheck and a chance to prosper here in the greatest city in the world We are going to keep that dream going strong by building a pipeline to ensure our young people and disadvantaged communities are on pathways to training opportunities and sustainable We are closing the gap and bringing jobs directly to the communities still facing unemployment And New York City will continue to lead the way and win the race to unleash new jobs in emerging sectors from life sciences and health care to tech and artificial intelligence our administration announced a report that outlined a series of findings and actions to secure New York City’s position as the premier Applied Artificial Intelligence capital of the world forward-looking investments will ensure New York City is at the forefront of an emerging sector and help create the jobs of tomorrow we are kicking off our administration’s “Jobs Week” by launching our “Race for Space” plan a comprehensive strategy to revitalize our commercial office sector attract the best companies across the country and the globe advance an ambitious goal of 50 million square feet of total leasing by 2025 create thousands of jobs for hard-working New Yorkers As someone raised by a single mother who worked several jobs to support our family I know the struggle many are still unfortunately facing That is what drives our administration to make sure that hard-working New Yorkers can get the chances I was given to get ahead our administration is going to put New Yorkers back to work ensure that prosperity touches every zip code and make New York City the best place to raise a family Eric L. Adams serves as the 110th Mayor of the City of New York since January 2022. For more, please visit nyc.gov los neoyorquinos se esfuerzan por construir un futuro mejor para ellos y sus familias Quieren tener la oportunidad de salir adelante pagar la universidad y ahorrar para la jubilación Sabemos que para hacer de la ciudad de Nueva York el mejor lugar del mundo para formar una familia Y tenemos que mantener el dinero en los bolsillos de los neoyorquinos de clase trabajadora nuestra prioridad ha sido garantizar que las oportunidades lleguen a todos los condados Hemos puesto manos a la obra para ayudar a los neoyorquinos todos los días y en todas partes y nuestros esfuerzos están dando resultados El desempleo ha bajado en todos los grupos demográficos desde que asumimos el cargo Y en los últimos tres años hemos logrado lo que más me gusta: batir récords Desde un número récord de nuevos pequeños negocios hasta cantidades récord de viviendas asequibles creadas pasando por inversiones récord en empresas propiedad de mujeres y minorías La semana pasada anunciamos que hemos batido otro récord: por octava vez desde que asumimos el cargo este gobierno ha superado el récord histórico de empleo en nuestra ciudad Los nuevos datos publicados por el Departamento del Trabajo del estado de Nueva York (NYSDOL por sus siglas en inglés) muestran que tenemos un máximo histórico de 4,770,981 puestos de empleo totales en los cinco condados Si bien estas cifras muestran la fortaleza de nuestra economía nuestra prosperidad compartida debe seguir llegando a todos los códigos postales Sabemos que un empleo es algo más que un sueldo es la base del sueño americano y una oportunidad de prosperar aquí Vamos a mantener ese sueño construyendo una vía que garantice a nuestros jóvenes y a las comunidades desfavorecidas el acceso a oportunidades de capacitación y a puestos de trabajo sostenibles y de tiempo completo Estamos cerrando la brecha y llevando el empleo directamente a las comunidades que aún se enfrentan al desempleo Y la ciudad de Nueva York seguirá liderando y ganando la carrera para crear nuevos puestos de trabajo en sectores emergentes desde las ciencias de la vida y el cuidado de la salud hasta la tecnología y la inteligencia artificial nuestra administración anunció un informe que describe una serie de conclusiones recomendaciones y acciones para asegurar la posición de la ciudad de Nueva York como la principal capital mundial de la Inteligencia Artificial Aplicada Estas inversiones inteligentes y con visión de futuro garantizarán que la ciudad de Nueva York esté a la vanguardia de un sector emergente y ayudarán a crear los puestos de trabajo del mañana ponemos en marcha la “Semana del Empleo” de nuestro gobierno con el lanzamiento de nuestro plan “Race for Space” una estrategia integral para revitalizar nuestro sector de oficinas comerciales para atraer a las mejores empresas de todo el país y del mundo para avanzar en un ambicioso objetivo de 50 millones de pies cuadrados de arrendamiento total para 2025 y para crear miles de puestos de trabajo para los neoyorquinos trabajadores Como alguien criado por una madre soltera que tuvo varios empleos para mantener a nuestra familia conozco las dificultades a las que desgraciadamente todavía se enfrentan muchas personas Eso es lo que impulsa a nuestro gobierno para asegurarse de que los neoyorquinos que trabajan duro puedan tener las mismas oportunidades que yo tuve para salir adelante nuestro gobierno va a lograr que los neoyorquinos vuelvan a trabajar que la prosperidad llegue a todos los códigos postales y que la ciudad de Nueva York sea el mejor lugar para formar una familia Eric L. Adams es el 110º alcalde de la ciudad de Nueva York desde enero de 2022. Para más información, visite nyc.gov     Los Barrios restaurant group has announced they will be closing one of their restaurants permanently La Hacienda Scenic Loop will close on June 30th The restaurant will serve as a private venue through November 30 road construction and the impacts of COVID-19 for the closure La Hacienda opened in 2017 at the site of the former Scenic Loop Cafe in northwest Bexar County The group also operates the original Los Barrios on Blanco Road Hacienda de Los Barrios on Redland Road and Viola’s Ventanas on Westover Hills Boulevard The original Los Barrios restaurant was founded by Viola Barrios. She was tragically murdered in 2008 when her home was burglarized. Her family began Viola's Huge Heart Foundation in her honor The non-profit organization provides scholarships for area youth by SBG San Antonio Staff Reports | Natali Castillo SAN ANTONIO - The 'Los Barrios' restaurant family is celebrating their 45th anniversary as one of San Antonio's favorite Tex-Mex spots they unveiled a new mural dedicated to the family matriarch This mural done by local artist Ana Hernandez honors the legacy and contributions of Viola Barrios to the San Antonio community "It's her journey from when she was 15-years-old since she was on the throwdown with Bobby Flay and a lot of different milestones along the way the picture of the old 'Los Barrios' sign that used to be the Dairy Queen sign when 'Los Barrios' first began that was painted over and the 'Los Barrios' was painted on," said Luis Barrios of 'Los Barrios' Family Restaurants The mural is now up for display at the restaurant's original location on Blanco Road This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page By 2025-01-07T08:00:00+00:00 Laso Transportes of Portugal has transported components for six towers to the Los Barrios wind farm in Andalusia Source: Laso Transportes Laso opted for Nooteboom’s Super Wing Carrier trailer to transport the components which included 66 trips from two locations – Aranda and Motril Heavy rain and strong winds did halt the project however Laso managed to deliver all of the components to the wind farm regardless “This project was quite distinct from our usual operations presenting new challenges that required us to develop and implement specific solutions,” said the project coordinator and collaboration were crucial to overcome each obstacle.” Last month, HLPFI reported that Laso is to open a new facility in the Basque Country, Spain Laso Transportes has concluded two projects having transported all the components for the Monte Becerril y Salguero wind farm in Spain and completing the delivery of a large reservoir to Estarreja Portugal’s Laso Transportes has transported a generator from the port of Funchal to Paúl da Serra The Netherlands-headquartered heavy-duty trailer manufacturer Nooteboom has expanded its wind turbine transporter range with the Mega Windmill Trailer XXL (MWT-XXL) Multipurpose shipping line AAL Shipping has delivered three fully assembly Konecranes port cranes from Schiedam and Westdorpe Shipyard and construction company Ravestein is delivering a ro-ro pontoon for Peel Ports Group in the UK Mexico’s Tradelossa recently completed a complex heavy haul operation for an important energy sector development in the north of the country Site powered by Webvision Cloud Our friends from the San Antonio Restaurant Group highlight a lunch plate that is under $8! Plus, a secret menu item at Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant that you have to ask for! Alan and Susie have more! The main threats are large hail, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rains with an isolated tornado also possible. FORECASTSHARE PHOTOS & VIDEOBurgers with a Twist Our friend Diana Barrios Trevino is here to tell us more Los BarriosLa Hacienda, scenic loopViolas VentanasLosBarriosRestaurant.com FORECASTSHARE PHOTOS & VIDEOThe chimichurri at La Hacienda De Los Barrios makes everything betterby San Antonio Living / Melody Goeken SAN ANTONIO - Today we are going out beyond Loop 1604 to Redwood Road to La Hacienda De Los Barrios You've probably been to the Los Barrios on Blanco Road and maybe you've even been to Violas Ventanas out by Highway 151 (same owners) It's got a beautiful deck with centuries old oak trees You really cannot beat that for a great patio I do love the Chilaquiles that I could get which you don't find on many Mexican food menus in San Antonio I have asked Deanna Barrios many a time for that recipe but she keeps a tight lip on that and will not tell me I don't think there's cilantro in it So it's just another one of those condiments that I add to all of my dishes there welcoming smile that the Barrios Family is known for but La Hacienda De Los Barrios is really a great place La Hacienda De Los Barrios18747 Redland RdSan Antonio, TX 78259(210) 497-8000lahaciendabarrios.com CLICK HERE to connect with Melody on Facebook... El Museo del Barrio has announced the artist list for its upcoming triennial entitled “Flow States,” which is scheduled to open on October 10th expanding on the idea of Latinx diaspora and hybrid identity the triennial will focus on artists considering migration and ideas of belonging Participants work across the greater Latinx diaspora with the selection broadening El Museo’s focus on artists in the United States and the Americas and the Caribbean more broadly The show has been curated by El Museo del Barrio’s chief curator Rodrigo Moura we have broadened the geographic scope to emphasize the multiplicity of the Latinx cultural experience as a lens to frame the contemporary artistic landscape this edition acknowledges the resonances and connections among Latinx entitled “ESTAMOS BIEN,” took place in 2020–21 and was the first large-scale survey of contemporary Latinx art in the U.S 2020kurimanzuttoThe artists included in the exhibition are as follows: Pity the rest of the world. What they think of as Tex-Mex bears little resemblance to the richly spiced stews Not only do we get to enjoy the glory of true Tex-Mex we also have access to a wide variety of styles with many cities boasting their own specialties and traditions The first place I turned for a classic Tex-Mex cookbook was one of these epicenters: San Antonio but her legacy lives on in these recipes and in her daughter’s stories about her mother Viola Barrios specialized in casero-style cooking Exemplifying her style are sugar tortillas The restaurant is famous for its enchiladas—you can even order a platter featuring five varieties if you want to try them all. Treviño shares four enchilada recipes in the cookbook, including a tempting double-sauced take on the classic Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas with chile gravy (we shared that recipe here). But it was the spinach enchiladas that caught my eye. Corn tortillas filled with chicken, onions, and two types of cheese are blanketed with a deep, velvety green sauce made from chiles, scallions, chicken stock, sour cream, and spinach. (I used crema in the sauce, as sour cream has a tendency to separate when heated through.) More cheese goes on top, and then the whole production is baked until bubbling. The recipe serves four to six. It’s Tex-Mex comfort food at its best, straight from San Antonio. It’s never too early to start thinking about a job or a career. Hundreds of students from across the region ventured to the Civic Center Complex to meet with business and industry leaders about jobs and career opportunities. (ABC 7 Amarillo-Drew Powell) AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — It’s never too early to start thinking about a job or a career. Hundreds of students from across the region ventured to the Civic Center Complex to meet with business and industry leaders about jobs and career opportunities. Los Barrios de Amarillo partnered with Workforce Solutions Panhandle as middle schools students paired up and visited prospective employers to discuss what the job entails and how they can be an asset to a company that offers internships. “We have machinists nobody knew what a machinist was but Bell Helicopter is here talking about that industry,” said Mary Bralley, president of Los Barrios de Amarillo. “It’s just letting students know that there’s more out there than just being a doctor or a teacher you know the thing that they normally think about.” “This is very helpful as we have multiple career paths that students can learn about what it is they want to pursue or study so it’s helpful for the entire city,” said Jennifer Gallardo, V.P. of Amarillo National Bank. “These are our future leaders of Amarillo so we think it’s definitely a priority.” This year’s career fair moved from Central Church to the Amarillo Civic Center Complex to accommodate more businesses and students. Large to very large hail, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rainfall could lead to flooding. An isolated tornado is possible as well. FORECASTSHARE PHOTOS & VIDEOLocal restaurant embraces solar energy expects significant annual savings with new solar carports by Mariza Mendoza SAN ANTONIO - Solar carports at two local restaurants owned by the Barrios family will provide shade for customers and help the venerable restauranteurs significantly offset their annual energy costs a San Antonio-based commercial solar company is installing the solar carports at La Hacienda de Los Barrios La Hacienda has two solar carports with 444 solar panels It is projected to deliver roughly $25,000 in annual savings or enough energy to power 27 average Texas homes for a year six solar carports with 462 panels will provide shaded parking for 58 spaces That’s an annual savings of $30,000 for the restaurant and equates to the energy required to power 28 average homes for a year La Hacienda de los Barrios will host a commissioning ceremony at the restaurant to “flip the switch” on its solar carport project This is not the first time the Los Barrios group has embraced renewable energy President and CEO of Los Barrios Enterprises was president of the San Antonio Restaurant Association he was the first restaurateur to sign up for CPS Energy’s Windtricity program we are always striving for excellence in every way When we searched for a partner to help us lower our carbon footprint and we’re excited to see this project come to fruition,” said Louis Barrios “We salute the Barrios family’s commitment to renewable energy They are an institution in the San Antonio restaurant industry and our community and will inspire others to explore the benefits of solar energy we know their customers will appreciate the covered parking in this punishing Texas heat,” said Robert Miggins The Viola’s Ventanas project is expected to be completed in August 2023 There are federal tax incentives for installing solar. You can visit energy.gov for more information ABB Energy Industries is working with Técnicas Reunidas to deliver automation and digital solutions for Endesa’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility at Los Barrios Harnessing ABB AbilityTM System 800xA distributed control system (DCS) Endesa will be able to constantly monitor and analyze plant productivity and optimizing process efficiency in real-time informed decisions to drive efficient use of energy across the terminal ABB will also deliver several systems aimed at ensuring the facility operates at the highest safety levels including an Emergency Shutdown System (ESD) Spain is the sixth largest LNG importer in the world with over 12 million tons of LNG imports year-to-date The country has the continent's largest LNG storage capacity as well as six LNG import terminals.1 Once complete the new Endesa facility will add a further storage capacity of 10,000 m3 of LNG making it the top LNG bunkering port in the country The start-up of Los Barrios LNG plant is expected to take place during the first half of 2023 1. Spain Reels Amid Spot LNG Surge | Energy Intelligence2 ABB's website uses cookies. By staying here you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more I agree Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsJulie Moreno SAN ANTONIO – The Broadway Diner is bringing its singing waiters to several pop-up events in San Antonio Broadway on Tour is a musical show and a meal featuring 90 minutes of songs and dance from more than two dozen popular Broadway musicals There will also be a Disney Sing-a-Long Brunch for younger musical fans The tour will stop at Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant at 4223 Blanco Road on Feb Showtimes for the Broadway on Tour are at 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Each ticket costs $55 and includes a meal The showtime for the Disney Sing-a-long Brunch is at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 24. Tickets cost $50 per person and also include a meal The experience is described as “immersive” with “amazing trinkets neon signs and Insta-worthy backdrops.” There will also be competitions including trivia and dance-offs and other opportunities to win prizes Here’s a list of some of the musicals that will be featured in the Broadway on Tour musical shows: Copyright © 2025 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Los Barrios de Amarillo chose to move its annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month to a virtual setting celebrating Hispanic culture in the Texas Panhandle as well as giving out awards to members of the community who have made an impact on Amarillo.  this celebration is hosted each year at the Wesley Community Center said he thinks it was still important to celebrate the Hispanic community in Amarillo.  “It may not be the ideal way to hold an event but we know it’s important to stay safe while we still get to celebrate,” he said.  including Amarillo Independent School District Superintendent Doug Loomis Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson and Potter County Commissioner Mercy Merguia spoke about the importance of the Hispanic community in Amarillo and what impact they make on the city as a whole.  Merguia said Hispanic Heritage Month gives the community time to reflect on all the Hispanic leaders that serve each day Highlighting leaders each year through this ceremony becomes a part of the city of Amarillo’s history.  “This becomes part of the archives for our city,” she said “It’s important that we take time we reflect on all of the work that everyone has done so this really does force us to stop and say thank you.”  executive director of the Wesley Community Center who gave the keynote address for the luncheon She spoke about growing up in a Hispanic household and the impact her family has made on her throughout her life.  Toward the end of Wednesday’s virtual luncheon Los Barrios de Amarillo honored one business as well as members of the Hispanic community with the following awards:  - Business Community Service: Atmos Energy - Lifetime Heart of the Barrio: George and Mitsy Veloz - Hispanic Young Rising Star: Erick Gutierrez - Hispanic Man of the Year: Daniel Martinez the business who received this year’s Business Community Service award said it is important to continue highlighting the success of people in the community Atmos Energy was honored after donating funds to help with food insecurity and energy assistance during this time.  “We are proud to belong to a community that invests in people and what they are doing I only play a small role in coordinating and being able to make this happen Our company has been gracious enough to allocate all these funds,” he said We want to continue all organizations and help their community thrive in any way that we can.”  the winner of the Hispanic Woman of the Year award “But now that I have gotten the award I have seen so many leaders in our community doing so much that I thought there was no way I would be one of them.”  was also caught off guard when he received the award.  it did make me feel grateful that there are members of the community that do see the hard work of people especially young Hispanic Americans,” he said who is a member of the Hispanic Student Association at West Texas A&M and volunteers his time helping fellow students as well as helping at area animal shelters is originally from Mexico and moved to Amarillo when he was younger When his family came to the Texas Panhandle Gutierrez said his family had to receive help from various organizations which inspired him to help people as he got older.  “You might think that everyone has resources and has the support that some may be privileged to have But you realize that there is so much need in this community but also there is a sense of giving that comes from previous help you have received,” he said “...It just inspires you to give back continue to do work that is really great.”  For more information about Los Barrios de Amarillo, visit https://www.facebook.com/losbarriosamarillo.  Los Barrios de Amarillo celebrated 50 years and presented its 2021 awards during a virtual ceremony and luncheon on Thursday. Leslie Hinojosa received the Young Rising Star Award; Xcel Energy received the Business Community Service Award; John Betancourt received the Hispanic Man of the Year Award; Jennifer Gallardo received the Hispanic Woman of the Year award; and the 2021 Lifetime Heart of the Barrio Award was presented to the Wesley Community Center.  According to Mary Bradley, 2021 president of Los Barrios de Amarillo, and co-host Jennifer Gallardo, vice president for Los Barrios de Amarillo, the event was held virtually as a COVID-19 precaution.  The Facebook Live event began with past presidents of LBA reminiscing about their experiences in the community and changes they've seen over the past 50 years. Belinda Taylor, president of LBA in 1983, said the organization began after the Rev. Jacinto Alderete led a small group of community-minded people to establish LBA.  “That history is really important to me as I watch the organization grow from just that nucleus of 10 people to countless volunteers, members, that are so incredibly invested in the future of students and improving the quality of life for all of the families in the barrio,” Taylor said. “I think all of us that have participated in a variety of activities related to Los Barrios de Amarillo — namely Step Up to Success — that we have been living testimony that poverty can be broken, and we can rise above, those hopeless, powerless feelings that we end up having.”   Charlie Mestas, 2018 president of LBA, reminisced about the founders of the organization and the values that they instilled in him through their actions.  “I think also they were all very Christian gentlemen, good family men. They kind of tutored us, or mentored us I should say, and wanted us to be successful, and they really expected no-nonsense from ourselves also as well they wanted us to be impactful in our community especially influence mostly Hispanic kids,” Mestas said.  LBA went on to celebrate its 50 years of accomplishments by awarding the 2021 recipients.   Leslie Hinojosa received the 2021 young Rising Star Award. The award is given to a young Hispanic individual that is recognized for demonstrating their leadership ability in their school, church, and/or family, and the community.  “This award truly is for every Latina just trying to make their way, and trying to get into that room to make those important decisions for people who look like us,” Hinojosa said.   The 2021 Business Community Service Award was accepted by Brad Baldridge, director of customer and community relations for Xcel Energy. The company received the award for its "support and community volunteerism within the Hispanic community."  John Betancourt received the 2021 Hispanic Man of the Year Award for his accomplishments in distinguishing himself in his organization, profession, and community.  “Coming from a little Latino boy that grew up on the corner of 12 Street and Arthur Street I feel like I have been working for this community my entire life. It's such a huge honor to receive this distinguished award,” Betancourt said.  Jennifer Gallardo received the 2021 Hispanic Woman of the Year Award. Gallardo, who served as one of the hosts of the event, said she found out just before recording the event that she would be receiving the award. The 2021 Lifetime Heart of the Barrio Award was received by Wesley Community Center.  The LBA also announced that its scholarship program will provide $1,000 per year to each recipient up through the acquirement of their bachelor's degree. In the past, the program has awarded recipients with a $1,000 scholarship. According to Bradley, this new relationship allows for LBA to guide the students through their degree into graduation.  LBA also announced the beginning of an endowment with Amarillo College, and the creation of its new logo and website. According to the hosts, the endowment was made possible through a donation from Amarillo National Bank.  Nearly 600 students descended on the Central Church of Christ Wednesday for Los Barrios de Amarillo’s bi-annual “Step Up to Success” conference. This conference has promoted higher education in the Panhandle for more than 30 years. Twice a year, this conference hosts middle school and high school students from around Region 16, including schools from Amarillo, Sunray and Wellington. Mary Bralley, the historian for Los Barrios de Amarillo and one of the organizers of the event, said it is significant for these students to attend because it exposes them to various career paths including engineering, law, criminal justice and culinary arts. At the event, the organization also promotes its scholarship to attendees. Bralley said Los Barrios de Amarillo ties a mentorship program to its scholarships, giving the chance for the students to continue learning from adults even as they pursue higher education. At Wednesday’s conference, Pantex presented $1,000 to the organization to put toward its scholarship fund. After the check presentation, students heard from Brandon Smith, one of the first area athletes to attend a division one university on a full basketball scholarship. Smith said this is a great event, giving students the chance to learn what is available for them. “Any time I can be a part of something at this magnitude, I’m all for it because I want to see these kids get out of Amarillo and become what they want to become,” he said. Smith spoke to students about the importance of relationships and networking. Smith also represented 101 Elite Men, an organization in Amarillo that promotes relationships and doing good for the community. Since the organization’s inception, Los Barrios de Amarillo has focused on the importance of higher education. Bralley said it was formed after there was a decline in graduation rates at Caprock High School. But it expanded from there. “They saw there was a bigger need and decided, this doesn’t just happen to Latinos, this happens in every culture,” she said. “This isn’t just an Amarillo issue; this is a regional issue. We’ve opened it up to Region 16, which is why you see 15 area schools here today. It’s very diverse and for anyone who needs that extra help.” Abby Ortega, the college, career and military readiness coordinator at Caprock, said this event is a good chance to ask questions to adults in various career fields. “The students get a chance to meet with people in those careers, those positions, so if students have questions, (they can answer them),” she said. Sixty-five students came to the event this year from Caprock High School, Ortega said. Over the years, she has tried to make this opportunity available to any Caprock student. While some students may have ideas of what certain career paths entail, Bralley said events like this give students the chance to expand their knowledge of certain career fields and the opportunities within those fields. Antone Sanders, a laboratory manager at BSA Health System who helped lead one of the sessions, said it is important to get out in the community and reach these students because of the work they will be doing in the future. There is a significant amount of demand for health care in this region, Sanders said, and there has to be people in the future who pursue occupations within that field. “It’s important to get out there and reach the young kids in our community because they are going to be providing health care,” he said. “They are the upcoming providers in our community.” Each business Los Barrios de Amarillo reaches out to are willing to participate each year, Bralley said. Members of the Amarillo community think it is important to educate those in the region. “(The businesses) interact with those students and remember those students,” she said. “It’s helpful to them and that’s why we never have a problem. Every year, they want to come back.” As the event grows, Bralley said she wants to make the event relevant for what the students are wanting to pursue at the time. In the future, she hopes to add trades like welding and plumbing to the list of potential career paths. “We are trying to make it relevant to them. What are they interested in now?” she said. “…We are changing as our kids change.” FORECASTSHARE PHOTOS & VIDEOLos Barrios: H-E-B adds SA Mexican Cuisine Favorite to Their Shelvesby San Antonio Living Los Barrios de Amarillo celebrated the accomplishments of high school graduating seniors on April 23 at Polk Street United Methodist Church Great Hall She graduated as Caprock High School salutatorian in 2006 She then attended West Texas A&M University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and minor in chemistry Lauren furthered her education at the University of Houston and enrolled in the College of Optometry where she became the first doctor in her family in 2014 Salazar works for Advanced Eye Care in Canyon and Hereford She knew she wanted to become a doctor since childhood and later realized that optometry was the perfect fit for her Getting to know her patients is one of her favorite aspects of being a doctor and doing this while protecting their vision makes her job even more enjoyable Los Barrios de Amarillo meets weekly at noon on Wednesdays; lunch is available For more information about how to support Los Barrios de Amarillo in their mission to promote higher education and career opportunities for youth call 806-372-7960 or visit Amarillo Wesley Community Center The Canya SOS foundation canine charity in the Campo de Gibraltar has announced it has almost reached the target of its recent campaign to raise funds for new premises a campaign that was highlighted by SUR in English last month The dog charity launched an urgent appeal to raise money to build a new shelter after the old premises had suffered from constant flooding during inclement weather The appeal was launched after an anonymous donor pledged 10,000 euros towards the new facilities with a promise of a further 10,000 euros if the organisation could match the donation with its appeal by the end of June Spokesperson Sharon Peterson explained that “there is now only 600 euros left to raise” of the 10,000 needed which means the charity is close to hitting its target and receiving an additional 10,000 euros from its mystery donor although this is “a real step forward in our progress to moving to the new premises” the charity has just two weeks in which to raise the rest of the money “Thanks to our recent appeal and our help from SUR in English a man stepped forward and has volunteered his welding skills The local dog-loving community deserves to be really proud of itself the way it continues to support a charity like ours: thankyou from the bottom of our hearts” the spokesperson said “While we are all busy raising funds to hit our target for the new build we still have to meet the demands of running an extremely full and busy pound The Los Barrios shelter is located in the Campo de Gibraltar The kennel is owned by a private company that has an agreement with the seven town halls to collect all stray dogs throughout this area The dogs are then given any necessary treatment and cared for until new homes can be found Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados officials with the Amarillo Wesley Community Center and Los Barrios de Amarillo are looking back on the impact the organizations have made for not only the Barrio neighborhood but on the city of Amarillo as a whole.  According to a news release from the organizations the Wesley Community Center is celebrating its 70th birthday this year while Los Barrios de Amarillo is celebrating its 50th anniversary.  “This anniversary makes us extremely proud and grateful (the Wesley Community Center) and (Los Barrios de Amarillo) has stood the test of time,” the release read “We have tackled issues on social justice the Wesley Community Center started with a baby wellness clinic a child care facility and an after school program the center’s services have expanded to cover people of all ages “It’s just a wide variety of things,” she said “We try to cover a basis of what a community center would cover That’s just to serve all people in our community One of the youth programs which stands out to Alaniz is the center’s wrestling program as well as other life skills such as the importance of good nutrition “We have almost raised them in a sense they go on to high school and they are winning state championships they are getting higher education opportunities,” she said “It’s just setting them up for success through these programs We’ve had kids that come here when they are 6 weeks old We like to say that we are a place that’s from the womb to the tomb here but we set them up where they can be successful when they leave the Wesley Community Center.”  the Wesley Community Center is preparing for an expansion into the South Lawn Elementary neighborhood Alaniz said this came after the organization was given the former location of Kingswood United Methodist Church at 4801 S Austin St This additional location gives the center the perfect opportunity to grow its ministry expanding its mission to other parts of Amarillo “We are just busting out of the seams We have over 750 that we serve just here that are unduplicated in the center we are going to be able to serve a new area and grow in our child care (as well as) our senior citizens and our counseling services,” she said and people have gained a trust in us that I think is really special They trust that we are going to take care of their kids They trust that we are going to take care of their parents that we are going to gain the trust of that neighborhood.”  Los Barrios de Amarillo falls under the Wesley’s 501-C3 the organization has focused on providing higher education and career opportunities to students as well as promoting the importance of graduating high school.  Through Bralley’s conversations with area seniors she has learned that a barrier to education could be their family as well as the situations they have been going through With the help of the Wesley Community Center the organization is able to help everyone in the family.  she’s really involved with the parents the parents of the young as well as the parents of the old,” she said “I think that they understand there is a need for education We are slowly trying to change those minds Helping individuals’ needs is something that Alaniz has learned through her time with the Wesley Community Center establishing an overall culture of “familia” through the multi-generational and multi-cultural facility.  “I’ve learned that people come first and everyone is going through a battle that you don’t even know about,” she said there is a family that walks in here who may not be able to pay their electric bill their water bill … We are able to connect people to resources to help them with these things.”  Through the year-long celebrations which will commemorate each organizations’ respective anniversaries including the combining of the annual Hispanic Heritage Luncheon with Una Gran Cena the Wesley Community Center’s main fundraiser Bralley said it is important for individuals in the Amarillo community to know about their combined mission.  it’s just important for everyone to know we are basically one organization,” Bralley said “They take care of all the community needs We are trying to take care of the educational needs to make a better Barrio neighborhood.”  For more information about the Wesley Community Center, visit http://www.wesleyamarillo.org/site/. For more information about Los Barrios de Amarillo, visit https://www.losbarriosdeamarillo.org/.  Spanish power utility Endesa is planning to convert a terminal at the Port of Algeciras into a bunkering pier for LNG-fueled vessels.  Endesa plans to spend $18 million through 2022 in order to adapt its terminal in Los Barrios in order to supply  liquefied natural gas (LNG) to ships A second phase of investment will create storage for about 4,000 cubic meters of LNG It will be the largest and most important LNG bunkering terminal in Spain The terminal is the former coal receiving pier for the Los Barrios power station which was once owned by Endesa and is now closing Endesa sold the station to Portuguese utility Viesgo and it retained the pier and an adjacent plot of waterfront land for alternative uses The Algeciras Port Authority recently approved a concession extension for Endesa's pier operation.  "The strategic location of our terminal offers a possibility of growth and diversification towards new lines of business which fit in and allow us to advance in our decarbonization strategy by investing in activities that lead to a reduction in emissions," said Endesa's general director of energy management about 120,000 ships pass through the Strait of Gibraltar and about 30,000 of them visit the Bay of Algeciras - including many of the giant boxships deployed on the Asia-Europe route Algeciras is the busiest port in the Mediterranean by volume and the fourth-busiest in Europe This existing traffic puts the Endesa terminal in a strategic location for LNG bunkering services if the fuel takes off among ocean carriers CMA CGM has invested in a series of nine LNG-fueled Megamax-24s market leader Maersk recently indicated that it does not plan on using LNG propulsion and it plans to wait for a non-fossil-fuel solution instead. Compared with conventional bunker fuel LNG sharply curtails emissions of local pollutants like SOx and it reduces greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 20 percent.  1,800 workers at Spanish stainless-steel manufacturer Acerinox located in the town of Los Barrios in the province of Cádiz The strike has led to disruptions and involved blockades including of major highways and at the port of Algeciras one of the busiest transshipment hubs in the world The heroic 50-day strike has lost the company almost 1,200 tonnes per day of production and over €3.5 million ($3.80 million) over the last four weeks Coupled with the strikes of 1,700 workers in Finland’s stainless steel producer Outokumpu since December 2023 in opposition to the government's reforms of the labour market and cuts to social welfare the stoppage is heavily impacting the European stainless steel market Several million tons of melt shop capacity have been blocked and prices for stainless cold rolled coil are increasing There are also reports of stainless steel shortages across Asia Acerinox is a Spanish multinational and one of the largest steel producers in the world One of its main shareholders is the Alba Financial Corporation which brings together the businesses of the March family The family are infamous for having enriched themselves through arms trafficking banking and corrupt business practices during the dictatorships of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera (1923-1930) and General Francisco Franco (1939 to 1975) Banca March funded Franco’s coup d’état in 1936 and the fascist war effort during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) Acerinox workers are striking for salary increases danger pay bonuses and in opposition to flexible hours their salaries have been practically frozen a worker died in an accident that caused burns to 85 percent of his body The company is refusing to give in to the workers’ demands despite immense profits of €228 million in 2023 in Spain alone It wants to impose a new collective bargaining agreement that will worsen conditions including adding 18 extra workdays per year This would translate into working one more month in exchange for half the monthly salary The company is also demanding the ability to change workers’ schedules at will The strike was called by the company’s majority union the Steel Workers Association (Asociación de Trabajadores del Acero - ATA) after a vote of 1,313 in favour and 193 against It took more than a month for the company to recognise the strike committee because it did not have members from the other unions CCOO and UGT are doing everything to isolate the strike representing around 29,000 metal workers in 5,600 main and auxiliary companies in the province launched savage repression against the 22,000 metal workers in the province of Cádiz deploying thousands of police officers and armoured vehicles to terrorise working-class neighbourhoods It was left to the unions to betray the strike ramming though a deal including below-inflation wage increases UGT and CCOO betrayed another strike called in the metal sector of Cádiz against the dismissal of four workers and the breach of the collective agreement in the sector’s auxiliary companies The unions called off the strike and then supported the arguments of the Employers’ Association that the action was illegal It’s leader José Antonio Gómez Valencia is attempting to reduce the issue to flexibility at the expense of wage increases while promoting the PSOE-Sumar government 500 Acerinox workers travelled to Madrid to protest in front of the company’s headquarters Valencia explained to the Europa Sur newspaper his view that “The trip has been positive because we have spoken with the company we have conveyed our concerns to the managers here in Madrid Valencia promoted illusions that the PSOE-Sumar government will intervene to support workers He told Diario Area of the “professionalism” of Yolanda Díaz Minister of Labor and deputy prime minister of the PSOE-Podemos government “Madrid has been worth it… Yolanda Díaz is going to help us with the media like its predecessor PSOE-Podemos government (2020-2023) is driving the repression against striking workers four members of the strike committee have been charged with committing a crime against security for blocking roads Another worker was arrested and given a quick trial in which he was sentenced to one year in prison The paramilitary Civil Guard has been sent by the PSOE-Sumar government to savagely attack workers with smoke canisters and rubber bullets The PSOE-Sumar government is also attacking metal workers who participated in the 2021 strike is placing them in the dock on charges of public disorder and demanding three-year prison sentences The government is terrified that these struggles could spread to other sectors and threaten its ability to wage war abroad and attacks on the working class at home the province contains important military and industrial facilities that are already playing an important role in NATO’s rearmament and war plans A few kilometers from the city of Cádiz is the Rota base Located near the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea it has strategic importance for the US and NATO Washington uses it to load planes and ships in transit to be joined by two more over the next two years are deployed there as part of NATO’s anti-ballistic missile system Its Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron can carry out anti-submarine warfare missions anti-surface warfare and vertical resupply Airbus also has a factory in the province producing parts for Eurofighter jets and the C295 long-range tactical transport aircraft responsible for the repair and maintenance of the US and Spanish warships and for building ships for the Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles visited the province to examine Navantia’s Maritime Action Vessel for Underwater Intervention (BAM-IS) programme which will provide the Spanish Navy with advanced submarine rescue capabilities Navantia also produces S-80 submarines and F-110 frigates “This has been a visit that we all have to congratulate which has revealed the progress of a programme that is so important for the Navy but also for Spanish industry in this case for Navantia and for the companies that are going to work with it as well as for the entire Puerto Real region” in Cádiz “We believe in the Spanish defense industry and in the men and women of this region who are doing immense work to make Spain a great country” Workers at Acerinox are not just confronted with one of the most powerful families in Spain but a struggle against the PSOE-Sumar government which cannot tolerate a disruption of the military supply chain If Acerinox workers are to win their demands they must reject all nationalist appeals to subordinate their fight to Spain’s war drive and broaden the mobilization to other sectors of the working class in an action that would paralyse the Rota Base and the rearmament operations in which the Navantia shipyards participate interrupting US-NATO wars across the Middle East and Europe and plans for war against China This necessitates a fight against the pro-capitalist and pro-war union bureaucracies and the formation of independent rank-and-file committees These must be coordinated across national borders to fight the global corporations and the capitalist governments that back them This review examines the response of pseudo-left political tendencies internationally to the major world political events of the past decade a feline shelter located in the Los Barrios district of Andalucía's Cadiz province has made an urgent appeal for volunteers to adopt one of the many stray cats that are currently in its care The volunteer-run shelter houses cats that enter through a local zoo-sanitary company in order to be saved from euthanasia but the charity has pointed out that “this is not a safe solution” “We need dissemination on a topic that is extremely important If the capacity allowed at the shelter is exceeded the cats can be euthanised and we want to avoid this We want it to be known what happened last summer and what will happen if we don't get help at shelter People are not adopting cats and foster homes are scarce.” hundreds of cats suffered from the high temperatures “until they suffocated from the heat” because “we can no longer do more than we already do” “This is why we are sending out a cry for help to be able to save because there are only five people caring for hundreds of cats in addition to those we have in our own homes,” she said Anyone who wants to adopt a cat, or volunteer to help out at the shelter, can find information on the Gatos Campo de Gibraltar Facebook page Nowhere is one of the largest Burning Man Regional events and drew over 1,100 participants this past week to the desert plains outside of Zaragoza Nowhere has served as a nexus for the Regional groups throughout the world who keep the ethos of Burning Man alive year-round for Burning Man is a major undertaking and it can often be quite challenging to gather the supplies and materials needed to build a theme camp or a large-scale art project Most of the participants do make the annual journey to BRC but often join up with other U.S.-based camps and artists Nowhere is their chance to go BIG in their creation of their theme camp homes at Nowhere and to do so in their own unique cultural style Pillage Village served as a home for Nowhere’s drifters and vengeful pirates Boasting two beautiful signs at its entrance Pillage Village was a gathering place for swashbucklers and divas alike The Village served as the dock point for Nowhere’s largest art car I was impressed by the level of artistry and detail that went into making Pillage Village there were some shenanigans ensuing and I always felt welcome to pick up a sword and get my Pirate on The Garden of Joy) was the talk of Nowhere and the place to be It’s the place where delicious food was being served up 24-7 in primo Italian family style and where music and merriment are the daily dish takes Nowhere as his grand opportunity to gather friends from all over Italy and Europe Marco’s focus is making sure that each of his camp members feels special and cared for he hosted a work weekend at his villa in Tuscany and painted the camp members’ names on large glass cups Each member had their own chalice and this came in handy when two of “Italian Camp’s” members got married on Friday during Nowhere and giant bottles of champagne were passed around “Italian Camp” was abuzz with craft projects with camp members making large plastic bottle flowers a half Italian/half Irish gal from Brooklyn It also served as a home to Burners from the U.S. who all participated in making “Italian Camp” a warm whose namesake comes from a sparkling perry made in England know to get housewives and college students well on the other side of drunk a hilarious Emcee named Arkem hosted an evening of music and variety entertainment After a boylesque dancer from London got the crowd off their seats doing a hilarious aerobics routine I had the chance to lead the audience in song with one of my favorite tunes I loved hearing the crowd echo my “Hi De Hi De Hi Do Hos” back to me with British accents a tap dancer entertained us all with elaborate tapping on a tin stage piece while an electric guitar accompanied her variety of rhythms A singer-songwriter broke out some heart wrenching tunes and a great time was had by all For those wanting a more relaxing experience the Cathod Ray Mission theme camp screened films nightly They set out giant blue blow up baby pools in front of their giant white screen and one could just sit and relax and take in some international cinema I watched a short film from 1970s Poland called “The Bloc” that moved me to the core It was clear from their robust line up that the Cathod Ray Mission theme campers took their films seriously and offered their selections as a gift to all Not only did the theme camps offer participants of Nowhere a place to imbibe but they also cared for Nowhere’s community toilets Each potty was cared for by a theme camp whose members provided the TP and love needed to maintain our little thrones in the dirt I was inspired by the variety of theme camps at Nowhere and wished I would have been able to bring a bigger I liken my experience in the giant megaplexes in Barcelona’s suburbs to the experiences of foreigners going into Reno’s Walmart We hosted people each evening and even made a sign for our “No Rules” camp I’ll likely do what many of our European Burners do and join forces with a larger camp I think I see an “Italian Camp” glass mug with my name on it in my future Meghan "Megs" Rutigliano is Burning Man's Associate Director of the Regional Network She oversees Burning Man's annual Global Leadership Conference and European Leadership Summit events and culture of various regional Burning Man communities in her blog posts News and information from around Burning Man’s growing global network black kites and vultures feed at Los Barrios before migrating to Africa – but many now decide to stay A vast rubbish dump in southern Spain has become a magnet for ornithologists as thousands of storks, black kites and vultures make a stopover to feed on food waste before beginning their journey across the Strait of Gibraltar. “It’s especially useful for carrying out a census, as with so many birds in one place it’s easy to count them and to read their rings,” said Jesús Pinilla of SEO/Birdlife in Andalucía. It is easy for the birds to find food among the mountains of garbage in the dump at Los Barrios, near Cádiz, that receives the waste of 400,000 people living in Gibraltar and the surrounding area. Since July ornithologists have counted 210,000 kites and 125,000 storks crossing the strait. But many Spanish and central European storks have chosen to stay in Spain, feeding from the dump, rather than make the long journey south. As a result, there is now a stable population of about 37,000 birds wintering there, according to SEO/Birdlife. “It’s not new for birds to take advantage of this food supply, but what we are seeing is a change in migratory behaviour, especially in the case of white storks,” Pinilla said. “Until relatively recently, all the European white storks wintered in Africa, and as the rubbish dumps have grown larger, the birds have learnt that if there’s enough food here there’s no need to make a 3,000km [1,850-mile] journey to sub-Saharan Africa to find something to eat.” Strong crosswinds complicate the 8-mile journey and any bird that falls into the sea is likely to die there, as they are unable to regain flight, so the better fed they are before they set off, the better their chance of survival. Researchers say that as well as food, the birds eat a lot of plastic, rubber and toxic substances on the landfills. There are also rats, which the kites hunt. Free weekly newsletterThe planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential Read moreIn an article published earlier this year in the journal Movement Ecology, Spanish researchers tracked the movements of white storks (Ciconia ciconia) on their journey from northern Spain to Morocco and found they made numerous stopovers at landfill sites en route. The researchers found storks were capable of spreading toxins picked up from landfills, causing heavy metal and plastic pollution in agricultural areas, particularly in rice-growing regions. storks expended less energy and had easier migratory routes the European white stork population has increased dramatically since the 1980s combined with a prolonged drought in much of Spain are forcing some species to change their habits which need wetlands to feed and to reproduce they have probably changed their behaviour as a result of the drought and may have produced fewer young,” Pinilla said Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The American fighter Mario “El Azteca” Barrios took over the Super Lightweight Title of the WBA after winning a unanimous decision against Batyr Akhmedov in a fight held Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles the voting of the judges were as follows: 114-112; 115-111; 116-111 On paper a quite intense combat was predicted and indeed it was worthy of a world championship fight Although Barrios had 17 more fights than Akhmedov the Uzbekistan fighter held back nothing and went out to win the fight as if his life depended on it The first assaults of the fight were dominated by Barrios based on his combinations and good mobility in addition to adding a knockdown in his favor (4th) which until then indicated that things would be easier as Akhmedov continued fighting like a hungry beast landing his left and right to Barrios’s jaw as increasingly he looked worn out and cornered until he suddenly connected a hand to Batyr’s face to send him to the canvas in the last round With this victory Barrios improved his record to 25 wins In a night of mixed emotions at the ANB Arena.. Usage of Content   Confidentiality Clause in partnership with the Barrio Neighborhood Planning Committee and the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce held Thursday its ninth annual Hispanic Heritage Luncheon and Awards Celebration honoring members of the community for their impact in the city “This is a chance to invite the community of Amarillo to come together to celebrate the culture and traditions of Hispanics in the area but also to recognize all the contributions being made to the economy with new businesses,” Bralley said She applauded the work of the Barrio Neighborhood Planning Committee for working to put in ADA sidewalks necessary lights in the neighborhood and a pocket park for the whole community to share “We just want everybody to know that there are people that you don’t know doing great things like Jeff Renteria,” Bralley said “I am just so proud that there are so many unsung heroes like him that many do not know about.” Bralley said this event is a learning experience for many with stories like Rodrigo Zapata’s “The road to success Is not easy for everyone but it’s tough when you are a minority trying to break through,” Bralley said you have to work harder than everybody else When you have somebody that originated from Mexico coming here not knowing the language not knowing everybody as they leave everything behind We need to know what makes up our community; it is not just people born here.” The keynote speaker at the luncheon was Rodrigo "Rigo” Zapata who came to the United States when he was 8 years old He is the assistant vice president of business loans at Amarillo National Bank and has been with the company for 10 years Zapata said that he was honored to speak at the event and be able to tell his story “We are here to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and it’s a great honor to let people know through my story that anything is possible,” Zapata said “It is important to let everybody know that everyone has a role to play in shaping the way America is today We are here to have a better future for us and our families and everyone around us.” is the president of the Barrio Neighborhood Planning Committee and spoke about receiving recognition for efforts in the community and I am very humbled to receive this award so I am usually behind the scenes rather than out in front,” Kennedy said She emphasized the importance of sharing what Hispanic community members are doing in the city “The purpose of this luncheon is to celebrate the people that are involved many of which are behind the scenes,” Kennedy said “It is great to come together as a whole group and come together as one and celebrate our heritage with the rest of the city I think anytime you give back to another person that is immensely helpful and makes our community work better together We want to see this continue to grow to make it better for everyone.” She said that her organization has worked diligently to help members of the community start their own businesses and have better financial literacy Renteria spoke about receiving the Heart of the Barrio Award for his work with the Barrio Bash which helps provide children with backpacks and school supplies as well as his work with the less fortunate in the area “It feels so good to be recognized for my hard work in the community,” Renteria said “It shows that people are paying attention to what I am trying to do to improve the community and puts me on the map for those efforts." He said that he hopes with this recognition more people get involved in these community efforts “The Barrio Bash gets bigger and bigger with more people attending so I know I just must put more effort into it," Renteria said but I know a lot more people are going to be willing to help now that they see the impact on the community It's good for people not in the Barrio to get to see what we do and I strive to make a good impact on the city.” is the marketing manager for the City Federal Credit Union and a board member with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce It’s not about us as individuals; it’s about what we all are doing for the community,” Marquez said “We have a lot of people that deserve this type of recognition.” Marquez said that it is important to recognize the various communities that make up this country He said that city members need to get out and visit all the city's cultures 'I don’t see color.' I do not like that quote I think people should see and embrace color,” Marquez said “The color comes along with cultures and traditions that were here long before birth and long after we are gone It's great to see and engage in what other cultures have to offer to the community as a whole."