A note from Executive Director Renata Soto.

The First Decade

Our 10th Anniversary Celebration was shared with 530 friends, old and new, making it our biggest, most successful breakfast Cafecito ever.

This note includes a recap for those who did not make the breakfast event and links to event photos and the inspirational video, shown now on our homepage, which features families with whom we have worked closely and who are a great reminder of the immigrant spirit that has built this country.

The keynote speaker was Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), who moved us with stories of her hard-working Mexican immigrant parents. Her father, Janet told us in a powerful speech, always reminded his children that the sun shines for everyone and it was an emotional reminder she shared with Diana and Elizabeth, the Nashville students featured in this year’s video.

As I shared with our guests at the Cafecito May 30, when José González, María Clara Mejía and I started Conexión Américas 10 years ago, we did so believing in Latino immigrant families’ amazing creativity and resilience in the face of adversity; we believed in their pioneering, entrepreneurial spirit to see opportunity where others saw too many questions and no easy answers. We believed in their tireless determination to pursue a future with dignity and prosperity for their children.

And, they have proven us right.

Ten years — and many thousands of families later — I am so proud to have witnessed so much drive, achievement and heart.

Thanks to the support and encouragement of people from all walks of life, Conexión Américas has empowered men and women to strive for their own American Dream, to start businesses, buy homes, and send their children to college.

We created Conexión Américas with start-up grants from The Frist Foundation and The HCA Foundation. That is why we consider Dr. Tommy Frist, Jr. the godfather of our organization. And that is also why it is extra special that our Cafecito’s presenting sponsor was HCA TriStar.

The Cal Turner Family Foundation matched the 3-year commitment from those two foundations, giving us a solid footing to develop, launch and implement programs in the areas of social, economic and civic integration. And that is why Mr. Cal Turner, Jr. and his family also have a special spot in our history and in our hearts.

The Future

In some ways, our mission is even more relevant now than it was a decade ago. Latinos are projected to make up the majority of the Nashville population by 2040, and already, 30% of all Nashville kindergarteners are Latino.

We can’t do it alone. All of us need to be engaged and involved. Creating an inclusive community does not happen by chance. We must be deliberate and united.

And this is not just about inclusion and integration of Latinos. Recent news about barriers to the completion of a mosque in Murfreesboro reminds us that we have much more work to do.

It is why we are so very proud of the Casa Azafrán Community Center, a nonprofit collaborative that will be a home for all Nashvillians, where each can find services for health and wellness, adult education, enrichment opportunities for children and for the visual, performing and culinary arts. It will be a place to bask in the spirit of community.

Construction on the building, at 2195 Nolensville Pike, near I-440 and the fairgrounds, began last week and is expected to be completed this Fall.

We are so excited to think about our future at Casa Azafrán, and the stories of success and progress that we and our partners will be sharing and celebrating with you in the years to come.

To those who joined us this year, muchas gracias, again!

To those who could not attend, we hope you will consider sending us a 10th birthday gift to support our mission through an online donation.

You also can keep up to date with the progress and plans for Casa Azafrán through this Blog and Facebook page.

Sincerely,

 

Renata Soto
Executive Director