ABC7 Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is here and to celebrate we are highlighting Hispanic history, people, and culture here in the Bay Area all month! ABC7 is proud to celebrate the Bay Area's rich cultural diversity, a custom for over 25 years.

NOMINATE SOMEONE YOU KNOW
We invite you to join us in honoring local residents who have made important contributions to the community. Nominate an inspiring community member for our Hispanic Heritage Month campaign on Instagram. In seven sentences, tell us why they should be featured. Send your email to kgo-tv.community@abc.com for consideration or fill out the form below:

Jose V. Orozco Acosta

Jose V. Orozco Acosta not only grew up as a Dreamer (undocumented child immigrant), he made his dreams and those of his family come true. At the age of three, Jose and his family moved to the United States from their homeland San Agustn del Maz, Michoacn, Mexico. They made their home in Gridley, CA, a town with a population of approximately 6,600, which is 60 miles north of Sacramento. He graduated as the valedictorian of Gridley High with a 4.3 GPA and was honored as the very first recipient of an Avalos Foundation Scholarship. In June 2014, he walked the graduation stage as a Computer Science Major at UC Davis, the first of his entire family to reach this educational accomplishment. Now, as a Software Engineer for Insikt, Inc. in San Francisco's Financial District, he likes to travel back home to Gridley to speak to students about his experience as a Dreamer and about his current achievements. He volunteers as tech support for the Mi CASA after school program, participates in career fairs at CSU Chico's Upward Bound Program, and encourages other Avalos Scholars as well. This year, he came full circle with the Avalos Foundation, from being a recipient to being a donor. Jose gives back to the community because he feels it's the least he can do for all the support he and his family received through programs and people. They made him believe that anyone can accomplish their goals in this country. He says it proudly, "S, se puede!" Photo courtesy of Luis Orozco.

Hashtag Lunch Bags

Local Latina fashion designer Rebecca Cahua (@rebeccacahua) combines her design background and her passion to help people in need around the Bay Area with her nonprofit, HashtagLunchbagSF (@hashtaglunchbagsf). As the daughter of her Nicaraguan mother and her Peruvian father, and being one of six kids, she has always understood the value of a meal. This helped inspire her to create her charity in November of 2013 and it brings volunteers together to prepare and distribute lunches to those in need throughout the Bay Area. To date, they have distributed lunches to 13,000 people. She also recently founded "Designing A Difference," which will provide training and employment opportunities in clothing manufacturing for people with employment barriers who are often not given the opportunity to work. ABC7 applauds your dedication to our local communities, Rebecca! For more information go to www.hashtaglunchbagsf.org Photo courtesy of #HashtagLunchBagSF/Rebecca Cahua.

Sol Sisters

Christine Shayesteh firmly believes in equality for women who are under-served and under-resourced. This belief led her to create Sol Sisters, Inc. (@solsistersorg), a Bay Area non-profit that serves as a platform to empower ALL women. With over 300 professional women volunteers collectively over the past two years, Sol Sisters provides assistance to women who have experienced domestic violence, to teen moms who need help getting on track to high school graduation and to excel to higher education, to homeless women getting back on their feet, and many more. The organization provides access to mental health services, beauty services such as styling to build self-esteem in preparation for the workforce and college, and expressive arts that promote holistic healing. Their most recent cause is fighting child sex trafficking and supporting victims - Sol Sisters is hosting a workshop in Oakland this month (#IAMHERSISTER) to raise awareness. Join the effort and help women's voices be heard! Photos courtesy of Sol Sisters. www.solsisters.org

Celia Carrasco/Big Brothers-Big Sisters

Celia Carrasco is a Bay Area native and passionate volunteer in the community. Her efforts as a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area have been recognized by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon. BBBSBA provides children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported 1-to-1 relationships. Celia and her Little Sister are celebrating their eight year anniversary this month! Help us wish them both a happy anniversary! Go to their website for more information. Photos courtesy of BBBSBA/@Sam_Nanigans.

Yvonne Escalante - OMCA

Yvonne Escalante's engaging, intimate and interactive contemporary music boxes honor the artist's Salvadoran father and German-American maternal grandfather. Rotating glass corn cobs activate the music boxes and represent a deep connection to farming on both sides of her family and underscore the importance of a common crop to farming cultures across the Americas and throughout time. Escalante's work is featured in the 21st annual Dias de los Muertos exhibition through January at the Oakland Museum of California. Don't miss it!