NEW JERSEY’S 2020 TOP LATINOS

Prestigious panel of judges to select New Jersey’s Top 100 Latino Leaders

And top 10 Latinos of the Decade

PRINCETON Sept 14, 2020 – Recognized international and statewide personalities in New Jersey will be ranking the profiles of 120 Latinos to select the Top 100 and the Top 10 of the Decade, organized by U.S. Latino Affairs Initiatives, a non-profit based in Princeton.

From September 20th through the 28th the Ecuadorian Assemblywoman and 2020 former presidential candidate Cristina Reyes; the Colombian first Afro-descendant to become governor of the Cauca Department, Elias Larrahondo Carabali; the honorable mayor of Passaic, Hector C. Lora; the first Honduran Provost of Bronx Community College of CUNY, Dr. Lester E. Sandres Rápalo; the international entrepreneur, author and pilot Jaqueline Camacho-Ruiz; the first mayor to be a member of the LGTBQ community in the capital of New Jersey, W. Reed Gusciora; rights and culture advocate of the Garifuna culture in Guatemala, Deputy Sandra Lorena de Leon Teo; and the first mayor of Puerto Rican descent in the United States, Wilda Diaz will be responsible for ranking the profiles.

The nominees will fill out an e-questionnaire to provide the judges the data necessary to assess several indicators including macro/micro Latino social developmental impact. Upon obtaining all the nominee results the judges will be emailed codified profiles. The Top 100 Latinos of the state excludes elected officials and faith leaders. Los 10 de la Decada (The 10 of the Decade) is a list published every decade and the criteria for these nominees which include faith leaders and elected officials is 60 years and older.

In order to foster statewide unity, collaboration and empowerment amongst Latino residents and leaders, the United States Latino Affairs Initiatives, a non-profit based in Princeton, will publish The New Jersey Latino Index 2020/2021. The digital go-to publication in Spanish is for state residents, visitors and Latin American investors containing state, county and municipal news/services/education and information, the Latino Legislative Caucus, Latino-Centric Non-Profits, UN Goals of Sustainable Development, Corporate and Government diversity equity and inclusion, and general information on health, banking, business, insurance, immigration, and education.

The United States Latino Affairs Initiatives is owned and operated by Diego F. Maya. The organization concentrates on Latino empowerment through activities related to culture, Spanish language and heritage. Over 2 million Hispanics in New Jersey are disconnected due to lack of relevant information in Spanish. The organization accomplishes its objectives with initiatives such as The Latino Index, The Latino Spirit and The Immigrant Kitchen, among others. Through the pandemic, The Latino Spirit has reached over 1 million Spanish-speaking individuals in New Jersey with information from Governor Phil Murphy related to COVID-19.