Department of Spanish and Portuguese

PRESS RELEASE

Indiana Latino Expo Hosts Annual Awards Gala: "Havana Nights" Celebrating Community Impact

Indianapolis, IN – December 9, 2024 – The Indiana Latino Expo (ILE) hosted its much-anticipated Annual Awards Gala on Friday, December 6, 2024, at the Biltwell Event Center. With the vibrant theme of "Havana Nights," the event brought together leaders, advocates, and supporters to honor the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations making a meaningful impact in Indiana’s Latino community.

The gala celebrated a year of achievements, highlighting the resilience, creativity, and dedication of the Latino community across various sectors, including education, business, healthcare, and social advocacy. Guests were transported to the colorful, lively streets of Havana with stunning décor, live Cuban music, and a festive ambiance reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the evening's theme.

Indiana Latino Educator of the Year
Award Winner: Israel Fernando Herrera, Professor at Indiana University

Information on Israel, presented during the award ceremony:

" Distinguished Educator Israel Fernando Herrera is a Teaching Professor at Indiana University Bloomington where he teaches Spanish and supervises the Experiential Learning and Outreach activities. Professor Herrera was President of the City of Bloomington Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs where he also chaired the Education Subcommittee. During his tenure as President and Chair of the Education Subcommittee, Herrera created numerous distinctions, medals and diplomas to recognize the excellent academic record and volunteer service of Latino/Hispanic students in the Monroe County Community School Corporation such as the "Outstanding Latino/Hispanic High School Student" award, the Academic Medal “Learn to Earn” for Latino/Hispanic students exceling in their studies and maintaining exemplary attendance records in elementary, middle, and high schools. Professor Herrera created the Outstanding Indiana Latino/a Senior Student award, the I am the NEXT Latino/a Teacher/Interpreter/Translator award, and the Distinguished Multil-IN-gual Latine/Hispanic award when he was president of the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association. He also created the Outstanding Latine Group, the Outstanding Latine Event, and The Outstanding Latine/Hispanic Student in a Dual Language Immersion program when he was president of the Indiana Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Herrera has also created a lot of national and state awards for the Indiana Latino/Hispanic children and youth and he has created numerous awards for Latine/Hispanic teachers, administrators, advocates, school districts, leaders, parents, organizations, and Spanish Departments. Professor Herrera has prepared numerous Latine/Hispanic students in Indiana high schools who are planning to take the National AP Language and Culture exam. His exemplary work with the Latine/Hispanic community has been recognized with the AATSP National Outstanding Spanish Teacher of the Year, the AATSP National Distinguished Latino Leader, the IU President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching and Service, and the City of Bloomington Be More Creative, Be more Influential, and Be More Phenomenal Awards. In his role as the director of the IU Experiential Learning Spanish program in Bloomington, Professor Herrera places Latine/Hispanic students as teaching auxiliaries in Dual Language Immersion Schools where the IU students have to read Spanish books, speak in Spanish, write in Spanish, and provide instructions in Spanish to students in elementary schools. Professor Herrera co-led the program La Escuelita para Todos (A School for Everyone) where Latine/Hispanic children received education in Spanish to improve their performance in schools and to create a passion and value for the Spanish language and their cultural heritage.  Herrera has a radio program in Spanish "Un Cafecito con....." where he invites Latine/Hispanic children, adolescents and artists to speak about their experiences with the language, their personal activities and their achievements. Professor Herrera is the Executive Director of the Spanish and Portuguese Song Festival at IU where he created a section in the program for Latine/Hispanic children who are going to sing in Spanish or in Portuguese or play an instrument. He organizes educational Spanish activities for the Latine/Hispanic children in the Lotus Blossom Bazaar where children show their creativity and play Spanish games. He also invites Latine/Hispanic high school students to see and enjoy Spanish artists brought to the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival. As Faculty Advisor, Israel F. Herrera provides opportunities to students to participate in the Spanish theater group VIDA where plays about heritage culture are performed. Professor Herrera's work has contributed to strengthening the Latine/Hispanic education throughout the state of Indiana. He has helped to provide programs that would otherwise not be available in the state. He has contributed to the Indiana Latine/Hispanic youth to appreciate and feel proud of their identity, culture, language, strengths and achievements. Professor Herrera is well-known in Indiana and in the nation for being a very strong advocate for providing the best education possible to the Latine/Hispanic youth in Indiana and for recognizing the best dedicated Latine/Hispanic students in the state and in USA"