NC Latino Diamante Award Recognizes

Seven Community Leaders

    Diamante, Inc. with the support of Food Lion, presented on October 18^th, the 13^th Annual Latino Diamante Awards.  This is North Carolina’s most prestigious Latino/Hispanic event. The event will featured a welcome reception with Latino artist’s art exhibit followed by a gala dinner and the presentation of the awards. 

The audience at the Durham Marriott Hotel Civic Center was addressed by Durham Mayor Bill Bell, Congressman David Price and Keynote speaker, international artists and Duke University Art Professor, Pedro Lasch.

Close to 250 community and business leaders gathered to honor seven individuals making significant contributions to the Hispanic community in North Carolina.  The awards also praise Hispanics whose success helps to enhance the image of the Hispanic Community to make the lives of Hispanics better in North Carolina. 

The 2008 Latino Diamante Award was awarded to:

·                     Monique Velasquez - Art & Culture (Durham, NC)

·                     Angela Velazquez – Business (Holly Springs, NC)

·                     Jorge E. Morales - Community Involvement (Fayetteville, NC)

·                     Dr. Miriam Leiva – Education (Harrisburg, NC)

·                     Jorge Miranda - Health & Science (Raleigh, NC)

·                     Jose Serrano – Diamante Award (Raleigh, NC) and

·                      Kaydali Clemente - Youth Accomplishment Scholarship (Scotland Neck, NC) 

The 13^th Annual Latino Diamante Awards gala event took place at the Durham Marriott Hotel & Civic Center and it was sponsored by Food Lion along with Anheuser-Busch, The Ruiz Agency/Carowinds, Univision 40, La Ley FM, and La Conexion Newspaper.  Isabel Peralta-Hill, Univision 40 news anchor served as mistress of ceremonies along with live music by Brazilian Soul and dancing with DJ Luis Rivera. The awards are presented by Cary-based Latino arts and culture non-profit organization, Diamante, Inc.

 

Diamante is dedicated to the preservation, development, and promotion of the culture, heritage and artistic expressions of a diverse Latino/Hispanic population in North Carolina.  Diamante is the leading organization to recognize the achievements and contributions made to the Latino/Hispanic community of North Carolina.