6 Latino Civic Leaders to Be Honored

Six Latino civic leaders will receive awards later this month for outstanding contributions in education, community service, youth leadership, culture and business.

Roberto Borrego of Santa Paula and Pete R. Placencia, Rocio Soto, Jaime Estrada and Juan and Nina Duarte, all of Oxnard, will receive Latino Leadership Awards from El Concilio del Condado de Ventura during a banquet-dance Jan. 27 in Ventura.

Placencia, an educator with the Oxnard Elementary School District since 1973, will receive El Concilio’s award for education. Placencia now directs a federally funded school district program providing education and health assistance to children of migrant farm workers. In 1990, he received the Human Rights Award for Education from the Ventura County Baha’is.

Borrego, winner of El Concilio’s award for community service, has worked as an aide to two state senators and served on the Santa Paula school board, the Santa Paula Planning Commission and the United Way executive committee. He also has served as president of the Santa Paula Boys & Girls Club.

Soto, who will be honored for youth leadership, is a student at Oxnard College. She has served there as a president of the Oxnard College chapter of MEChA, the Mestizo folklorico dance troupe and the Puente student leadership program. She also works with disabled students and other high-risk youth in the Oxnard College Disabled Student Program.

Cultural arts award winner Estrada has painted murals in Santa Paula, Oxnard, Fillmore and Moorpark that reflect Chicano-Indian spiritual and cultural heritage. Currently a featured artist in the Tortilla Flats Mural Project, which documents a Ventura neighborhood that was lost when the Ventura Freeway was built, Estrada strives to involve area youths in his projects.

The Duartes, who are being honored for business leadership, played a key role in raising $70,000 for the Cesar Chavez Library at Cesar Chavez School and have been active in youth and adult sports causes. American Express has recognized their business, Duarte Enterprises, for Southern California Customer Service Excellence.

The six will be honored at Seaside Park at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The dinner-dance costs $40 per person or $70 per couple. For reservations, call El Concilio at 983-2336.