Photo Credit: Paul Brumlik

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. with honorees and co-sponsors at his Latino Heritage and Culture celebration at SEIU 32BJ on Monday, October 27, 2008. Pictured (back, l to r) are: Lillian Rodriguez Lopez, President, Hispanic Federation, Inc.; Rev. Raymond Rivera, Pastoral Action Center; Thompson; Antonio Pérez, President, Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York; (front, l to r) Glenis Henriquez, Producer and Host, Dialogo con Glenis and Teens Talk 2 Glenis, Bronxnet; Erasmo Ponce, Owner and Founder, Tortillera Chinantla, Inc.; Susana Tubert,Producing Executive Director, Latino International Theater Festival of New York, Inc.-TeatroStageFest; and, Grammy Award-winning Recording Artist, Composer and Author Paquito D'Rivera.

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. honored five New Yorkers at his annual Latino Heritage and Culture Celebration on Monday, October 27, 2008. The event, which was held at SEIU Local 32BJ, was co-sponsored by ASPIRA of New York, Inc., Hispanic Federation, Inc. and Latino Justice PRLDEF.

“This evening we honor the rich cultural traditions that thrive in our communities, the outstanding contributions that Latino New Yorkers make to the life of our city, and the shared dreams and common goals that unite us all,” Thompson said. “Our honorees tonight represent many communities and many professional paths. They are all New Yorkers who have provided outstanding community leadership.”

Thompson stressed that the impact the Latino community has contributed in business, music, cuisine, and even pop culture, has not only been felt in New York City but across the nation.

Thompson said: “In recent years, the Latino community has grown and flourished in our city, now representing over a quarter—27 percent—of New York’s population. Television viewers who want to know what it’s like to live in New York City don’t follow Carrie Bradshaw anymore. They tune in to Betty Suarez.”

Antonio Perez, president of Borough of Manhattan Community College / CUNY, received the first award of the night.

“Under the direction of Dr. Perez, Borough of Manhattan Community College has built an extensive network of partnerships with the business community,” Thompson said. “In the process, he has created ways to meet the needs of the business community, for example, by providing on-site training and development courses for the employees of local companies – a vital service.”

The second award the Comptroller presented went to Glenis Henriquez, director of external affairs with the New York City Department of Small Business Services where she engineered the marriage between the New York City Certification and the Empire State Certification processes, helping minority- and women-owned businesses to certify in order to compete for City and State government contracts. She is also producer and host of “Dialogo Con Glenis,” “Teens Talk 2 Glenis,” and “Dialogo con Adolfo Carrión.”

“Each program distinctly addresses pertinent and pressing issues for new immigrants, adolescents, and the Bronx public at large,” Thompson said. “Each show has also been recognized nationally for the power and strength of its impact on the community it serves.”

Paquito D’Rivera, Grammy Award-winning artist, was the third honoree of the night. D’Rivera’s most recent GRAMMY came for Funk Tango, which won ‘Best Latin Jazz Album’ in 2007. His 8th GRAMMY came in 2005 for Riberas, for ‘Best Classical Recording’ with the Buenos Aires String Quartet. He also won a GRAMMY for ‘Best Instrumental Composition’ in 2004, for his ‘Merengue’ as performed by the distinguished cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

“Born on the island of Cuba, Mr. D’Rivera began his career as a child prodigy and went on to create various original and groundbreaking musical ensembles,” Thompson said. “From childhood prodigy to distinguished honoree many times over, I am proud to present this award to Paquito D’Rivera.”

Thompson presented the fourth award to Susana Tubert, co-founder and executive director of the Latino International Theater, a non-profit organization that actively supports local Latino theater year-round. Over the course of 18 years, Susana Tubert has led a highly successful career as a stage, TV, and film director, developing and staging over 35 productions of new American plays and musicals, including Real Women Have Curves by Josefina Lopez.

“Under Ms. Tubert’s leadership, TeatroStageFest has become the largest Latino theater festival in the Northeastern United States, showcasing 17 events and 37 performances in 10 different venues in Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx,” Thompson said. “For her efforts to turn New York City into ‘the capital of teatro,’ I am pleased to present this award to Susana Tubert.”

The final honoree of the night was Erasmo Ponce, founder and president of Tortilleria Chinantla, Inc., who emigrated from Puebla, Mexico in 1989 and opened a successful business that has grown from three employees and one tortilla machine to five machines and a production crew.

“In recognition of his contributions to the New York business community and his advocacy on behalf of immigrants arriving in our city with the same dream that drove his own success, it is my pleasure to present this award to Erasmo Ponce,” Thompson said.

The East Harlem Tutorial Program / Fuego en la 106 performed at the event.

For photographs, contact Marla Maritzer at (212) 669-2597 or mmaritz@comptroller.nyc.gov.

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