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Lourdes University
Elisea O’Donnell of Holland (Lourdes University Diamante
Scholarship),
María Symeou of Toledo (Lourdes University Diamante
Scholarship),
Owens Community College
Krystel Castilleja
of Toledo (Owens Community College Foundation Diamante Latino
Scholarship),
Rajesh Felix of Perrysburg (Owens Community College
Foundation Diamante Latino Scholarship),
Sarah Felix of Perrysburg (Owens Community College
Foundation Diamante Latino Scholarship),
Esperanza Gonzáles of Toledo (Owens Community College
Foundation Diamante Latino Scholarship),
Hanna Guerra of Toledo (Owens Community College
Foundation Diamante Latino Scholarship).
Diamante Award scholarship recipients
also are:
Nichole Plasensio of Toledo (Lourdes student) (PNC
Diamante Latino Scholars Fund),
Larry Sloan of Rossford (UT student) (PNC Diamante Latino
Scholars Fund), Gina Voltaire of Findlay (Owens student)
(PNC Diamante Latino Scholars Fund), Corina Flores of
Leipsic (UT student) (Owens Corning Foundation Diamante Latino
Scholars Fund),
Diana Lagunovich of Findlay (Owens student) (Owens
Corning Foundation Diamante Latino Scholars Fund),
Amparo Pecina of Toledo (Lourdes student) (Owens Corning
Foundation Diamante Latino Scholars Fund),
Samantha Berryhill of Toledo (Owens student) (Spanish
American Organization Scholarship) and
Dianna Ysasi of Toledo (Owens student) (Spanish American
Organization Scholarship).
Diamante Award Recipients
The Diamante Awards from the sponsoring institutions were
first presented in 1990 to: Judge Joseph A. Flores, Dr. Thomas
López, Hernan Vásquez, Sandy Barrientos, Jesús Güel, and María
Güel. The awards were and are selected by a committee
representing the four educational institutions and Margarita De
León and María González to individuals and organizations in the
local Latino community for their outstanding contributions.
Northwest Ohio community leaders and organizations were honored
for their achievements and service to the Latino community on
Friday, Sept. 14. Diamante Award recipients are chosen based on
recognition of exemplary leadership/achievements within the
Latino community or community at large, or demonstrated
excellence in their fields; dedication and commitment in an
ethical and inclusive fashion, and modeling qualities and
behaviors of a mentor for youth and the community.
This year, the Diamante Award recipient in the category of
Corporate/Community Agency was Nueva Esperanza Community
Credit Union (NECCU). The organization was federally
chartered in 2010 to provide access to financial service to the
largely underserved Latino population of Toledo.
Alberto Serrano-Chávez received his award
in the category of Latino Youth Leadership.
Serrano-Chavez was born in Logrono, Spain and moved to Ohio at
the age of three. He graduated with honors from Maumee High
School in 2012. Serrano-Chávez has been involved in community
service and leadership, which began with his acceptance into the
2009-10 class of Youth Leadership Toledo. After graduating from
Youth Leadership Toledo, he was a two-year member of YIPEE
during his junior and senior years in high school. While in
YIPEE, he learned about fundraising, grants and non-profit
organizations alongside other Youth Leadership Toledo graduates.
Serrano-Chávez, who plans on studying individualized-business
with an emphasis on fundraising and a minor in music at Bowling
Green State University, wants to help others with the valuable
life lessons he has learned and envisions working for Musicians
On Call, which is an organization that brings musicians to
hospitals so they can perform for people who are too sick to
leave their beds.
The recipient of the Diamante Award in the category of Latina
Adult Leadership was Cynthia “Cindy” Geronimo of
Toledo. Geronimo serves as the Executive Director of the Lucas
County Land Bank, whose mission is to preserve property values
and strengthen neighborhoods. She is a dedicated public servant
who is passionate about making a positive impact in the
surrounding communities.
After graduating from Libbey High School, Geronimo enlisted in
the 180th Ohio Air National Guard where she served for nine
years and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant.
She was honorably discharged in 1995 and received several honors
including two medals of Honor for Expeditionary Service and
Meritorious Service.
Geronimo has served in the community as a past member of several
boards such as the City of Toledo Youth Commission, United Way
Steering Committee, Diamante Awards, Latino Vote and the Viva
South Community Development Corporation. She currently holds
board-level membership with ProMedica Insurance Corporation and
is a member of the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions,
Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities and the City of
Toledo Board of Community Relations.
The Diamante Award recipient in the category of Latina Adult
Professional was Celeste Taylor of Toledo. Upon
arriving at EOPA years ago, Taylor began her advocacy for
services within the Latino community to include translating all
materials into Spanish to provide self-sufficiency
opportunities, facilitating Spanish-speaking workshops and
raising funds to help children and families receive new clothing
for winter and toys for Christmas.
In her quest to ensure that Latinos are treated fairly, Taylor
has instituted several procedures and programs to meet their
needs. Such efforts include hiring a Bilingual Family Service
Worker that provides services to the Latino families in Spanish,
securing multiple grants to enhance the lives of area residents
and obtaining school supplies, with the help and support of
family and friends, for Latino children. Taylor’s dedication and
commitment to EOPA goes above and beyond her regular job duties
and has had a profound impact on the Latino community and the
organization.
This 23rd awards gala was dedicated to the late
Alberto Flores, “a dedicated father, husband, teacher, and
active member of the Latino community of Northwest Ohio.” He was
also the recipient of a 2008 Diamante Award. The Gaala’s keynote
speaker was Ursula Barrera-Richards; entertainment was
provided by Michael Verbon.
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