Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc
© 2006. Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc
Annual Hispanic Man and Woman of the Year Gala
Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. Inaugural Gala is the dinner-dance filled with elegance
that takes place during Tampa’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration. The City of Tampa
presents the Official Proclamation of the Hispanic Heritage season at this event.
During the Inaugural Gala The Hispanic Man and The Hispanic Woman of the year are
honored. Past male honorees include former Governor Bob Martinez, Chief Judge Dennis
Alvarez, restaurateur Cesar Gonzmart, Tampa attorney Ralph Fernandez, Judge E.J.
Salcines, Judge Elvin Martinez, publisher Roland Mantiega, Dr. Victor Martinez,
Manufacturers Bank of Florida Vice-Chairman Manny Alvarez, Tampa’s Director of Business
and Community Services Fernando Noriega, Jr., Dr. Hernan Leon, Rene J. Gonzalez and
J. Osvaldo Laino. Past Female honorees include Evelyn Rodriguez, Delia Sanchez, Maruchi
Azorin-Blanco, Donna Parrino, Matilda Martinez-Garcia, Margarita Gonzalez and Dr.
Remember Maceo-Gomez, Ana Crespo and Virginia Covington.
Expected attendance 400 guests.
Annual Poster Contest
The Annual Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. Poster Contest is open to artists in the
Tampa Bay Area. The winning poster will depict the artist’s interpretation or rendition
of Hispanic Heritage in the Tampa Bay area. The contest concludes with an awards
reception at which the annual official Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. souvenir color
poster will be unveiled.
A $2,500.00 cash prize is awarded to the winning artist. In addition, cash prizes
are awarded to second and third prize winners of $1,000.00 and $500.00 respectively.
The contest runs annually from June through mid August.
Expected attendance 250 guests.
By invitation only and complimentary.
Annual Hispanic Celebration Awards
The Hispanic Celebration is an event open to all organizations and community at large
wishing to present their candidates for various awards. The award categories include:
Arts, Business, Community Involvement, Education, Government, and Media. During the
annual awards luncheon, public recognition is given to both Hispanic Men and Hispanic
Women that have excelled in those categories. In addition, the AMIGA/AMIGO award
is presented to a non-Hispanic man and non-Hispanic woman who have distinguished
himself/herself in the Hispanic Community.
Expected attendance 400 guests.
Annual Essay Contest
The Annual Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. Essay Contest is open to school children
from grades 6-12 in the Tampa Bay area. The contest is divided into three categories:
I. Grades 6-8 written in English, II. Grades 6-8 written in Spanish. III.Grades 9-12
written in English and IV. Grades 9-12 written in Spanish. The theme each year spotlights
Hispanic influence in some area. Past themes include: “What my Latin Heritage means
in today’s society”, “Don Quixote today”, “Hispanic Influence in Art”, “Hispanic
Influence in Sports”, “ Hispanic Influence in Florida”, “The Influence of Hispanics
in Music”, and “The importance of the Spanish language in the next millennium” and
Contributions of Hispanics to the Tampa Bay Area. Cash awards of $250.00, $150.00
and $100.00 respectively are awarded to the first, second and third place winners
in each of the categories. During the awards reception trophies are presented to
the winning students.
Expected attendance 150 guests.
