to create meaningful spaces that transcend boundaries of culture, site and history while speaking of our time.” That may sound like the opening line of an abstract artistic statement, but there is nothing intangible about the architectural work and urban planning that Lorena Toffer creates. This opening line is, instead, the descriptive statement of how Lorena aims to bridge community and [...]

Faith healers, corrosive love affairs, honkey-tonks and big skies reaching as far as the eye can see – for Ricky Armendariz, this is all part of the romanticism the Mexican-American border has to offer. Ricky is an artist, a painter to be exact, and his unique American Southwest perspective is manifested in his work. His collections are nostalgic references to the iconography specific to his cultural heritage, and the imagery he illustrates in his paintings is all part of growing up in the border region.

Columbia native Lina Oliveros says it pretty clearly: “The truth is simple. There are too many of us on this planet, our population number keeps growing, our sea is not producing as much food as it used to.” The Baltimore-based scientist and community leader has devoted herself to finding sustainable ways to feed people, with special dedication to low-income, Spanish-speaking [...]

Freddy Vaca says he and his family are building an empire. As an executive for one of the most successful Latina-owned countries in the nation, and as a full-fledged triathlete, Freddy is challenging the notion of normal.

The 2012 Club Leaders of the Future: Chicago Isabel Anadon Policy Analyst Latino Policy Forum For almost 15 years, Isabel has worked in Illinois with hundreds of community leaders and residents. Her work has included community outreach with leadership development, community organizing and capacity building. Daughter of Chilean immigrants, she has worked to build power within Chicago’s diverse immigrant community, assisting thousands of [...]