Launched during Hispanic Heritage Month, this 'Hall of Fame' project shines a light on unsung heroes of Maryland, past and present, and recognizes their significant contributions to our community. Email GOCI.Info@Maryland.gov to submit your own Maryland Hispanic Heroes!
Honorable Ana Sol Gutierrez
The Honorable Ana Sol Gutierrez grew up in El Salvador and Maryland, being born in Santa Ana, El Salvador before moving to Silver Spring, Maryland in 1949. In 1960, Gutierrez graduated from Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School.In 1990, she was the first Latina to be elected to public office in Maryland into the Montgomery County Board of Education, and to the House of Delegates, Maryland General Assembly in 2002. In 2023, She was honored by the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame.
Juan Fernando Bastos
Juan Fernando Bastos is a portrait artist based in Los Angeles with over 40 years of experience. Originally from Venezuela and raised in Bolivia, he moved to the United States for college, graduating from MICA with a BFA in General Fine Arts in 1984 and Towson University with a MFA in Fine Arts. He has completed hundreds of portrait and landscape commissions across the globe. His work is displayed in places like the Baltimore Museum of Art, Cedars-Sinai, and Harvard University.
Nina R. Harper
Nina Rosita Harper was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1950 to Colombian parents. She earned a BA in business management from Sojourner Douglass College in 2001. In 2013, Harper was appointed to the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 45 in Baltimore City until 2015. Throughout her career, she served on various local boards and organizations, including the East Oliver Community Association and BUILD. She was also awarded the Mother Mary Lange award and the Unsung Black Catholic Woman Award. Harper passed away on December 29, 2018, in Baltimore.
Carmen Delgado Votaw
Carmen Delgado Votaw was born in Puerto Rico in 1935. She became a prominent civil rights leader, advocating for equal opportunities for Hispanics and women. In the 1970s, she was appointed to the U.S. Commission on International Women's Year and later co-chaired the National Advisory Committee for Women. She also served as President of the Inter-American Commission of Women, significantly impacting women’s rights across the Americas. Votaw's career spanned government and non-government sectors, always promoting equality, development, and peace. She passed away in 2017.
Andrés A. Alonso
At the age of 12, Dr. Andrés A. Alonso emigrated from Cuba to the United States originally with no knowledge of English. He earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Doctorate in Education from Harvard in 2006. As CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools for six years, Dr. Alonso implemented transformative reforms. Under his leadership, student performance on state exams improved across all categories, with City Schools exiting “Corrective Action” status in 2009. Alonso expanded alternative education options, created 24 new secondary schools, and closed underperforming ones. His leadership garnered numerous awards, including the “Audacious Individual Award” and “School Superintendent of the Year.”
Mayor Rocio Treminio-Lopez
Brentwood Mayor Rocio Treminio-Lopez, originally from El Salvador, made history in 2015 as Maryland's first Latina mayor. She immigrated to the United States at fourteen and currently lives in Brentwood, Maryland, with her husband and four children. Treminio-Lopez has served on the Council for two years and became mayor in November, expressing her commitment to continuing her journey for another two years. Her leadership reflects her dedication to the community and the Hispanic population in Maryland.
Jesse Raudales
Jesse Raudales, a Maryland resident, made history as the first Latino to represent the U.S. as an Olympic artist in 2006. Discovering his artistic talent at four, he moved from North Carolina to Los Angeles at nineteen to pursue art school. Despite losing his scholarship, his confidence led to opportunities, including his selection for the Winter Olympics, where he created “Peace for Children of the World.” Now serving as the executive director of the Community Action Agency in Anne Arundel County, Raudales advocates for the Latino community and encourages young artists to pursue their dreams, inspired by his immigrant mother’s journey.
Oneyda Hernandez '23, Audelia Community Response Team
Oneyda Hernandez was born to Salvadoran parents and founded the Audelia Community Response Team (ACRT) to combat food insecurity in Latinx and immigrant communities in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. A University of Maryland sociology graduate, Hernandez started ACRT in 2020 after helping a patient affected by COVID-19. The organization, named after her late mother, provides food, youth programs, and English language support, serving over 1,400 families annually. Hernandez partnered with local leaders to open a free COVID-19 clinic and leads initiatives like urban farming and school supply drives. Hernandez credits her community and family for supporting her mission. She competed in the 2021 Do Good Challenge and was also awarded an Alumni Excellence Award in 2024.
Francis Scott Key Bridge Heroes
Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes
Alejandro was a 35-year-old from Veracruz, Mexico, living in Baltimore. A devoted husband and father of four, his warmth and dedication touched everyone around him.
Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera
Dorlian was a 26-year-old Guatemalan. He lived in Dundalk, Maryland, and worked at Brawner Builders. He came to the United States to support his mother and pursue his dream.
Maynor Yassir Suazo-Sandoval
Maynor was a dedicated father to a teenage boy and a 6-year-old girl, and a cherished member of CASA. At 38, his love and resilience as a Honduran left a lasting impact on all who knew him.
José Mynor López
José was a 37-year-old Guatemalan in Dundalk, who reunited with his mother, Nora Orellana López, after 18 years apart. He longed to return to Guatemala to be with family and friends and will be laid to rest there.
Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez
Miguel was a 49-year-old from El Salvador, living in Glen Burnie for 19 years. A devoted husband and father of three, he spent many years in the construction industry, impacting his community profoundly.
Carlos Daniel Hernández Estrella
Carlos was 23-year-old from Mexico, remembered for his vibrant spirit. His presence left a lasting impression on those around him. He was the nephew of Julio Adrián Cervantes Suárez and Alejandro Hernández.
We are proud to be partnering with the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives, and the MD Two Fifty program on this Hispanic Heritage Month Hall of Heroes challenge.
