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Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire Honor 11 of Chicago's Most Influential Hispanic Leaders

September 17, 2011 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


CHICAGO, IL - The Chicago Fire Soccer Club is proud to team with American Airlines to present the 11th annual Hispanic Heritage Day on Saturday, Sept. 17, during the Fire's match against Chivas USA at TOYOTA PARK at 3:00 p.m. CT (CSN/TeleFutura). As part of the celebration, the Fire are recognizing 11 Hispanic Heroes, a program to nominate individuals who contribute to the greater good of the local Hispanic community. The club will present the Heroes with a Fire jersey, scarf and certificate in recognition of their work within the Hispanic community.

The Fire will host a special afternoon that will include musical acts, a pre-game festival, interactive games, premium gifts, and the honoring of distinguished members of the local Hispanic community.

This year's honorees have been influential in growing Chicago's Hispanic community in the realms of education, sports and entertainment, music and arts, science and technology and government.

Hispanic Heroes 2011:

Ana Vega

Coordinator of the Mobile and Station Health Programs at Mexican General Consulate of Chicago

Ana Vega, born in Chihuahua, Mexico, holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Anahuac University. Since joining the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago as a Coordinator of the Health Services Station (Ventanilla de Salud) and Mobile Health Program (Programa M�vil de Salud) in 2008, Vega has helped facilitate access to health services and to educate the Mexican community on health prevention.

Antonio Ramirez

Associate Director of Teen Programs at Rockford YMCA

A young leader within the community, Antonio Ramirez has been of great importance to the young Hispanic community. Ramirez has been involved within this group as youth director of the YMCA black/latino achievers programs, where he has focused on motivating students to graduate from high school and helping them attend college. He also is involved in the Youth Build Organization where he has served as a motivational speaker at youth conferences on a local and national level.

Dante Gomez

Coordinator of Community Programs at Mexican General Consulate of Chicago

Dante Gomez has more than a decade of experience working for Chicago's Mexican Consulate, particularly within the Foreign Ministry. Gomez' vast experience cultivating important relationships between the Consulate and Mexican leaders and community leaders throughout the Chicagoland area has helped the city earn the reputation as being one of the most dynamic and multi-faceted arenas of Diaspora organizing and Mexican government engagement practices. His work has included support for Mexican organizations, including leadership development and capacity-building.

Frances Perez

Operations Manager Transplant Program

Frances Perez has spent the last 12 years at Rush University Medical Center Transplant Program providing great inspiration to patients. Perez' commitment to her job and the community has been outstanding, having assisted patients with medical issues, in addition to going above and beyond with their personal needs during difficult times.

Amor Montes De Oca

Founder of Arte y Vida Chicago

Amor Montes De Oca works hard to enrich the lives of others by sharing the wonders that Latinos have to offer in the arts. Through partnerships and building bridges, she has allowed for people outside of the Latino community to learn more about what it means to be Latino and what the culture and community has to offer to the rest of the world.

Jose Perez

President of Chitown Futbol

Jose Perez, a product of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, atended the University of Illinois - Chicago before becoming President of Chicatown Futbol. Having grown up in Pilsen the heart of the Hispanic community. Perez has helped aid the development of the community through volunteer work with community groups, coaching local elementary and High school students while mentoring local underpriviledged youths.

Alfredo Garcia Fabian

Vice President of Casa Michoacan

Founder of Morelia Club (Mexican community organization), Alfredo Garcia Fabian is an active advocate for Immigrant Rights in the Chicago community. Fabian has dedicated his time and effort to fight for these rights while remaining actively involved throughout the community to assist with different efforts in helping immigrants throughout the Chicago area and the United States. Fabian has participated in the organization of numerous marches throughout Chicago and Washington D.C. and is actively involved in the DREAM ACT reform at a local and state level.

Rudy Lozano Jr.

Candidate for State Representative 21st. District

Rudy Lozano Jr. following in the footsteps of his slain activist father Rudy Lozano Sr., is an organizer for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union who, in 1983, ran for Alderman of the 22nd Ward in an attempt to be the first Mexican-American on the Chicago City Council. On June 25, 2011, Rudy Lozano announced his second bid for State Representative. The 21st district includes portions of Garfield Ridge, Brighton Park, Cicero, Little Village, Lyons, Summit, Riverside, Bedford Park and Stickney. As a mentor and educator at the Little Village Lawndale High School, Lozano motivated hundreds of youth to pursue their educational goals, graduate high school, attend college and successfully enter the workforce.

Judy Camacho

Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

In addition to obtaining funding for various departments at the school, Judy Camacho has worked on building relationships with scholarship foundations that support Hispanic students. Camacho volunteers after hours and leads two student groups, including the Tufts Project, a seminar style class in international relations, politics and economics focusing on issues that a particular region faces. This group is comprised of about 15 students which will ultimately travel to a conference in April at Tufts University in Boston.

Rachel Elizabeth Rodriguez

Teacher at Benito Juarez High School

Rachel Elizabeth Rodriguez is an educator currently working in Pilsen at Benito Juarez High School. Rodriguez' passion drives her to help the Hispanic community through sports and education. She obtained her B.A. in Secondary English Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. While pursuing her degree, she tutored students at Pilsen Academy and was a part of the Read for America program. At Bentio Juarez, she is the sponsor for their Dance Club and assists with the homebound program-during which she visits shut-in students and helps them with their schoolwork.

Holoferne Perez de Borroto

Family Practice Doctor in Little Village

Dr. Holoferne Perez de Borroto has been tirelessly serving the Little Village Hispanic community for almost 40 years. De Borroto's medical clinic on 26th Street has been on the front lines of helping everyday Hispanic families, running his clinic with the goal of helping any and everyone that comes to his office regardless of health insurance and immigration status.

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