The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB MACC) has announced the recipients of its 2024 Excellence Awards. Established in 2009 by the ESB MACC Advisory Board, these awards honor individuals in Austin who have demonstrated significant leadership and contributions to Latino cultural arts.
The Excellence Awards ceremony will be held for awardees and their families on Saturday, June 29 at the Long Center. The general public can view a video recording of the ceremony on ESB MACC's social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The video of the 2023 ceremony, also held at the Long Center, is available online.
The community submitted nominations through an open nomination form, resulting in over 40 individual nominations received by ESB MACC. The nominees were evaluated by the Excellence Awards selection committee, which awarded those with the highest scores based on their service to both ESB-MACC and the Mexican American/Latino/x/e community.
Biographies of each 2024 Excellence Award winner and a complete list of winners from 2009 to 2023 are available at AustinTexas.gov/MACCAWARDS.
Awardees for 2024:
- Artistic Education Award: Adolfo Ortiz
Adolfo Ortiz graduated from Travis High School in Austin and was part of Zeke Castro’s Mariachi Ensemble. Ortiz played a crucial role in establishing Mariachi Relámpago de Austin in 1991, which won Univision’s Latin Music Awards' "Best Mariachi" award. They were the first group from Austin to be nominated and win this award. They also won Austin’s first mariachi competition, "Fiesta del Mariachi," held at the Long Center.
- Emerging Artist Award: Ana Barajas
Ana Barajas is a Colombian singer-songwriter exploring various sounds and textures through her music. She blends elements of Latin folk, tribal sounds, and electronic music to create her unique sound. Ana began singing traditional Colombian music as a child and later became involved in Colombia's metal scene as a lead vocalist for several bands. She moved to Austin in 2011 and joined the local Latin folk scene, releasing her debut album “La Botánica de los Sueños” in 2018. Her career includes extensive collaborations with artists worldwide across genres like jazz, electronic music, metal, and folk.
- Arts Award: Mauricio Callejas
Mauricio Callejas is a Salvadoran singer-songwriter who has lived in Austin for twenty years. He has released six solo albums: “Cosas de la Calle” (2002), “Mágico” (2008), “Ice Cream Pop” (2012), “Preámbulo” EP (2016), “Crisis” (2020), and his latest album “Twenty” (2022), commemorating two decades living in Texas. He founded Centroamericanto Fest, a festival that brings together Central American artists with U.S.-based performers for live music presentations for fifteen years.
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Dolores Carrillo García
Dolores Carrillo García has been an advocate for arts in Austin, working with La Peña, UT's Center for Mexican American Studies, Sam Coronado Studios, and Blanton Museum at UT-Austin. Originally from Lubbock and an alumna of UT-Austin, she retired after thirty years working on Latino-focused programs at UT-Austin. García has promoted Latino visual arts programming through numerous exhibitions at institutions like UT’s Center for Mexican American Studies and Dougherty Arts Center. Alongside her husband Gil Cárdenas over sixteen years, she has helped grow one of the largest private collections of Chicano and Latino art while donating many works to museums nationwide.
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Gilberto Cárdenas
Gilberto Cárdenas is internationally recognized as a scholar on Mexican immigration with numerous publications covering international migration, economy and society issues, racial relations among others topics. At UT-Austin he directed the Center for Mexican American Studies from 1992 to 1996 before holding several positions at Notre Dame including founding director of its Institute for Latino Studies until 2012.. In Austin he founded Galería Sin Fronteras(1986)and became prolific collector Chicano & Latino Art.,was executive founding director NPR-distributed weekly radio show 'Latino USA'. Recently Blanton Museum acquired more than five thousand works collection donated jointly by him& Dolores Garcia-largest single donation museum ever received .
- Service Award: Velia Sánchez Ruiz
Velia Sanchez-Ruiz graduated from Texas Women's University worked over thirty years elementary level educator AISD integrating dance into PE classes incorporating Mexican dance/music into curriculum; leading Cinco de Mayo /16th September school events alongside Emma S Barrientos co-founded supported Roy Lozano Ballet Folklorico instrumental passing bond election establishing ESBMACC assisting voter turnout efforts ;retired served advisory board advocating strongly active promoting cultural arts particularly Tejano/Mexican .
- Posthumous Award : Marcelo Tafoya Sr.
Marcelo H Tafoya prominent Tejano culture/community leader originating longtime resident broadcaster champion civil rights during formative decades La Onda Tejana pioneering influential KGTN,KUT,KAZZ stations awarded first Lifetime Achievement Tejano Music Awards launching central TX first Hispanic TV show "Austin Presenta" KTBC channel7 beyond broadcasting passionate collector Tejano memorabilia founder Tejano Artist Music Museum .
- Posthumous Award : María Emilia Martín
María Emilia Martín journalist focused primarily on Latin American/Latino affairs founding executive producer 'Latino USA' weekly radio show produced/distributed nationally NPR reporting politics violence resilience indigenous communities Central America born Mexico City raised California starting KBBF Santa Rosa CA first Latino-owned community radio station US later editor NPR national program 'Latin File' becoming only editor specializing Latin affairs leaving creating 'Latino USA' author memoirs overcoming racism sexism empowering Latina journalists winning numerous awards including Fulbright fellowship inducted National Association Hispanic Journalists Hall Fame.