Category: Outstanding Hispanics

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Cristina Teuscher Quickly making swimming history and garnering national attention, swimmer Cristina Teuscher is compiling an enormous wealth of victories. A two-time U.S. national champion, Teuscher won a 1994 silver medal at the World Championships and three gold medals at the 1995 Pan Am Games. Recently making Olympic history at the 1996 games in Atlanta, Teuscher won a gold medal and set an Olympic...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Dr. George Castro The associate dean of the College of Science at San Jose State University and a fellow of the American Physical Society, Dr. George Castro has made enormous contributions to the world of chemistry and applied physics. He discovered the mechanism of intrinsic charge carriers of organic photo conductors and is a research pioneer in the field of high-resolution laser techniques. He...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics Luis V. Gutierrez Establishing his reputation as a community leader, Luis V. Gutierrez was elected to Chicago’s City Council in 1986. He led the charge to build more affordable housing for the working poor and worked tirelessly for the passage of the Chicago Human Rights Amendment, which prevents discrimination in housing and hiring based upon sexual orientation. Bringing this same passion for equality and...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Junípero Serra Fray Junípero Serra began working with the Pame Indians of Mexico in 1749. In 1770, his contributions in what was to become the U.S. began when he founded Mission San Carlos Borromeo, which he later relocated to Mission Carmel-by-the-Sea. There, he served as president of the Alta California missions where he baptized and confirmed more than 600 Native Americans and protected them...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Adelina Patti Born in Spain in 1843, Adelina Patti is one of the greatest sopranos of all time and the nation’s first prima donna. A child prodigy, she toured the U.S., performing publicly for the first time at age 8. Ten years later, in 1861, she made her debut at London’s Covent Garden and performed there every season until 1884. She became known as...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Angel Martinez Angel Martinez Joining the fledgling Reebok Corp. in 1980 as a sales representative, Angel Martinez is credited with creating the aerobic shoe industry. In 1981, as the running shoe market began to level, Martinez began looking for a new niche and came up with the idea for an aerobic shoe. Though this idea was initially rejected by CEO Paul Fireman, Martinez continued...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Irma Gigli Throughout her medical career, Irma Gigli has conducted immunology and dermatology research at Harvard Medical School, the Universitat der Stadt Frankfurt in Germany and Oxford University in England with Nobel Laureate Rodney Porter. Born in Argentina in 1931, she arrived in the U.S. in 1958. Since 1982, she has headed the dermatology division at the San Diego School of medicine at the...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Eduardo Mata Named musical director and conductor in 1977, Eduardo Mata has guided the Dallas Symphony Orchestra from one success to the next. Stepping in during the orchestra’s lowest point in history, Mata brought the symphony to acclaimed recognition. Under his direction, the orchestra enjoyed a 1985 European tour, two performances at Carnegie Hall and, most importantly, the construction of the $81.5 million Morton...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Edward R. Roybal  A descendant of one of the original founding families of Santa Fe, N.M., Edward R. Roybal moved to Los Angeles at age 4. After serving in World War II, Roybal became involved with Hispanic discrimination issues. In 1949, Roybal became the first Mexican-American since 1881 elected to the Los Angeles City Council. In 1963, he was elected to the U.S Congress....

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Anthony Quinn At age 5, Anthony Quinn and his parents immigrated from Mexico to Texas to escape the Mexican Revolution of 1910.  Initially, the Quinn’s were migrant workers but eventually settled in Los Angeles barrio. At age 21, Quinn began his stage career and appeared in numerous films before reaching stardom in 1952 with his Academy award-winning role as Zapata’s Brother in “Viva Zapata!”...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics. Alfonso Arau A much-in-demand director in Hollywood, Alfonso Arau first broke into the industry when he co-starred in the 1969 classic “The Wild Bunch.” Arau’s performances range from comical menacing bandito, El Guapo, in the “Three Amigos” to a role in Alejandro Jodorworsky’s ultra-surreal “El Topo.” As a director, he has proven himself even more astonishing. His classic “Like Water for Chocolate,” became the...

By Leonard Rodriguez This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and women have positively influenced the face of United States society. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics Esteban Torres Reared by his mother when his father was deported to Mexico during the Depression, Esteban Torres graduated from Garfield Highschool in Los Angeles in 1949. After serving in the Korean War, he began his ascent as a community leader in Los Angeles. In 1976, President Carter named him Ambassador to UNESCO and later Special Assistant to the President for Hispanic Affairs. In...