Las Madrinas to Honor AARP Director

Centro San Juan Diego will celebrate the 10 ^th anniversary of its Las Madrinas Tribute event in May, and AARP multicultural outreach director Roberto Rey will be among the honorees.

Las Madrinas will be held May 17, at 11 a.m. in the Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14 ^th Avenue Parkway. To attend the event or for more information, visit www.blacktie-colorado.com/calendar/event-detail.cfm?id=262716.*

“Las Madrinas begin as a grassroots community event to provide sustainable, educational and family support to underserved Latino families. It has grown into a highlight in the Latino community,” said Sister Alicia Cuaron, who established Centro Bienestar Family Services, a program of Centro San Juan of Diego that receives some of its funding from the Las Madrinas event to support families.

“We would be honored to have you be a part of this celebration,” she said, encouraging the community to attend this yearly luncheon, awards ceremony and silent auction.

AARP Colorado staff and volunteers are particularly excited about this year’s event because Rey will be one of the community leaders honored, said Morie Smile, AARP state director.

“We are very proud of Roberto,” she said. “He works hard, is creative and is well-loved in the Hispanic community and beyond. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.”

Rey has led AARP efforts to sponsor the yearly health fair at Centro San Juan Diego that typically serves more than 200 low-income families in receiving medical screenings and attention that they would not otherwise have had, among other issues and events AARP supports.

Prior to joining AARP in 1997, Rey worked 12 years as a community organizer in Chicago. At AARP, he worked on voting issues in Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana from the Midwest regional office until 2000.

Rey worked at the AARP Illinois state office as a community organizer until 2005 when he transferred to the Colorado State office as associate state director for community outreach.

In 2010, he accepted the position of multicultural outreach director for AARP Colorado, where he has built an esteemed group of volunteers and is instrumental in engaging diverse communities. He also serves on the Board of the Denver Regional Mobility Access Council. Rey has a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois.

*This is not an AARP event.  Any information you provide to the host organization will be governed by its privacy policy.

[Photo courtesy of JLujan]