As I reflect on the work we have done these past couple of months, I am filled with gratitude towards the amazing group of Board Members, volunteers, and our past board members who have dedicated their time and effort in elevating this Association.
For the March 2025 Newsletter, I want to recognize two individuals and a collective group. First, Rafael Hurtado. Rafa – as we call him – is a past President of the Association. This past month, for the ninth year in a row, Rafa led our Association’s 25th anniversary of the Central Elementary School Read-In alongside our esteemed friends from Lawyers Club. The purpose of this program is to provide mentorship and role models to students, increase career awareness, improve literacy, and promote a joy of reading at Central Elementary. We are truly blessed to have a leader like Rafa who continues to deliver and give his best for our community.
The second individual I want to recognize is Alvin Gomez. Alvin is also a past President of our Association. We have recognized Alvin in numerous instances, but these awards truly do not capture Alvin’s impact. To illustrate this point, this past December, at Richard Castillo’s rosary, his daughter approached me and told me that “it meant a lot to [Richard] to be inducted into the first ever Hall of Fame class. . . [w]e even talked about this with the hospital chaplain as our father was passing—as an example of how much he meant to so many people in the community.” What is significant about this comment is that it was Alvin who spearheaded the President’s Reception event where Richard Castillo was recognized. This event was created to unite our past, present, and future leaders of our Association. Thanks to Alvin one of our leaders was properly recognized by our Association before his passing. We are grateful to Alvin for his commitment to our Association and for playing a pivotal role in the unity amongst generations of La Raza leaders. Stay tuned for this year’s President’s reception!
Finally, I want to thank the numerous law students who contribute their time and efforts to our Association. I understand firsthand the difficulty of networking, coming out when you may an exam the next day, and/or helping out after a long day. We are appreciative of your efforts. I hope you have found a home in this Association as I did several years ago.
In conclusion, I want to encourage our membership to reach out to me if you are interested in contributing your time, skills, and talent to our Association. There is truly no better time than the present to be involved. Starting April, we will have an event every month and we can use your support.
I hope you all have a wonderful start to your Spring!
Respectfully,
Marco A. Garcia