2026 Hispanic Heritage Month

Unidos, somos más. Together, we are more.

2026 Honorees

Angel Estrada Community Leadership Award
Gloria Montealegre

Gloria Montealegre is a Community Engagement and Outreach professional with over 30 years of experience in communications and media.

She currently works with families for Plainfield Public Schools’ Cardinal Family Success Center to provide services and promote connections within the family and the schools, for the success of the children. Before joining Plainfield Public Schools, Ms. Montealegre was a media consultant on campaigns developed exclusively for GOYA Foods and El Diario la Prensa, the oldest Spanish-Language newspaper in the United States.

She made history in the 1980s, becoming the first female reporter for WNJU-TV Channel 47, today’s Telemundo. After a successful television career, she served as Assistant Director of Public Information for District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau, New York County District Attorney. She went on to serve as Deputy Press Secretary to Governor Jon S. Corzine, Governor of New Jersey.

She has received many accolades for her work among them an Emmy for New Jersey Public Television for the program Images/Imagénes, the Community Service Award by the Plainfield NAACP, Rutgers University, Plainfield Public Schools and others. She is married and has two children and enjoys running. She twice ran the New York City Marathon.

Latino Advocacy and Empowerment Award
Latino Action Network

Since 2009, the Latino Action Network (LAN) (501c-4) has been a powerful voice for change, tirelessly advocating for the issues that matter most to the Latino community. From immigrant rights and education to healthcare, affordable housing, and voting rights, our mission is to ensure that Latino voices are heard and valued in every corner of society.

LAN was founded by a dedicated group of Latino leaders from across New Jersey, united by a common purpose: to take a stand against the challenges facing our community. These visionaries recognized that the time had come for progressive Latinos to join forces, confront systemic injustices, and fight for our rightful place at decision-making tables.

Over the years, LAN has become a driving force in shaping the future of our state. We’ve made significant strides, from influencing legislative redistricting to advocating for diversity on New Jersey’s highest court and championing marriage equality. Our commitment to justice and equity has been unwavering.

Our work speaks volumes. LAN members have testified at public hearings, penned influential opinion pieces, and met with lawmakers to push for meaningful change. Through legal challenges, grassroots campaigns, and bold advocacy, we’ve fought for fair housing, ensuring everyone has access to safe, affordable homes; equitable healthcare, breaking down barriers to essential medical care; desegregation of schools, promoting equal opportunities for every child; criminal justice, working with government and lawmakers to change incarceration policy; and electoral integrity, defending the right to vote and ensuring fair representation.
We’ve also stood firm against policies that threaten public education, including the unchecked expansion of charter schools and voucher schemes that divert resources from students who need them most.

LAN is more than an organization—we’re a movement. A movement built on the strength of Latinos and allies who believe in a fairer, more inclusive society. We invite you to join us, learn more about our work, and connect with individuals who share your passion for justice.

Together, we’re creating a brighter future for Latino families across New Jersey and beyond. Your voice, your energy, and your commitment are the keys to making that future a reality.
At our core, LAN is a grassroots organization fueled by the collective power of individuals and groups dedicated to advancing the equitable inclusion of diverse Latino communities in all areas of American life. Through action at the local, state, and national levels, we are building a society where everyone has a seat at the table.

Let’s work together, let’s rise together, and let’s build a legacy of progress and unity. ¡Juntos somos más fuertes!

Humanitarian Leadership Award
David Orozco

David Orozco has quickly emerged as an innovator in the food and beverage industry as CEO of Brisas Empanadas, a wholesale affiliate of his family’s Brisas Colombianas Bakery & Restaurant.

A native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, with ancestral roots in Colombia, Orozco and his family have deep ties to the community. His family has been on Morris Avenue since 1998, and he grew up in Elizabeth before later moving to Florida. He returned to the area approximately a year and a half ago, making his continued involvement in the community especially meaningful.

Orozco graduated from Florida State University’s College of Business in 2013 with a degree in marketing, majoring in professional sales, along with a minor in entrepreneurship. He began his career in corporate sales, working for major companies including UPS and Grainger and gaining experience as an account executive, senior account executive, and government account manager.

In 2018, he joined the Colombian restaurant and bakery business his family had founded two decades earlier in Elizabeth and later expanded to Orlando, Florida.

His move into the family business helped launch Brisas Empanadas, a frozen-food manufacturer specializing in empanadas and other Hispanic foods. He became CEO in January 2020.

Brisas Empanadas combines authentic Latin food traditions with modern food-production technology and large-scale frozen-food distribution. The company has also expanded its presence through sports partnerships, becoming the official empanada of Seminole Sports Properties and Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls.

Beyond his business accomplishments, Orozco has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service and humanitarian relief. After an earthquake struck Colombia on August 10, Orozco and members of the local community began collecting relief supplies within days. Through the Unidos por Colombia campaign, nearly 200 pallets of donated supplies were assembled. Brisas Brands and the Latin District Association then worked alongside several nonprofit organizations to coordinate the transportation of those supplies to Colombia.

The effort brought together Colombians as well as many residents with no personal ties to the country who contributed simply out of a desire to support their neighbors and the broader community. For Orozco, the response reflected the spirit of the community in which he was raised.

Through Brisas, Orozco also seeks to provide greater representation and opportunities for people from underrepresented backgrounds. As part of that mission, the company supports The Hive, a Miami-based nonprofit organization that provides creative teenagers with a collaborative space to develop their artistic abilities and includes the Brisas Creative Innovation Studio.

Orozco cherishes time with his wife, daughter, and their dog and remains a passionate supporter of Florida State University athletics. He also enjoys discovering new musicians and introducing friends to Colombian culture.

For Orozco, receiving recognition from Union County carries particular significance because of his lifelong connection to Elizabeth and his family’s longstanding presence in the community. As he has expressed, receiving an award from his own county means more to him than recognition from almost anywhere else.

Artistic Excellence and Cultural Impact Award
Ricardo Roig

Ricardo Roig, a contemporary Fine Artist who was born in NYC in 1983, has Art Galleries in Westfield, Chatham and Hoboken NJ. Roig also exhibits his work in the W Hoboken Hotel expansive Artist in Residence Window Gallery on River Street in Hoboken, NJ and has been partnered with the W Hotels since 2018.

This wonderful partnership with W Hotels has brought an international audience with a most recent invitation to demonstrate his unique process in Ritz-Carlton residences from Long Island, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Miami.

These successful interactions lead to an invitation for him to demonstrate his Art to the residents of the Edition Hotel South Beach. Additionally, The Roig Experience is an elevated Art experience offered at the W Hoboken in their WOW Suite. In addition to watching his process in real time, you will also get the opportunity to collaborate to create a unique piece together.

Roig’s work continues to extend its reach from Hoboken to Baltimore to NY’s Upper East side to Boston exhibited with the Copley Society of Arts on Newbury Street. Roig’s work was also recently exhibited at KEAN University as he was selected as their Artist in Residence from 2023-4.

Roig can also be seen across industries as he has been commissioned by W Hotels, Saks 5th Avenue/ Streetworks, Christie’s, NYU Stern School of Business, Rockrose Development NYC, Amazon, The Beekman Hotel, Hilton Hotels, City of Jersey City, City of Hoboken, Town of Westfield NJ, MGM and among many other notable private clients across the globe.

Roig’s original works promote a renewed sense of beauty juxtaposed with masterful technique. To carry the torch in new innovative approaches to the printed image, Roig creates daily while celebrating the heroes of Japanese woodblock prints and expressing our modern world in new light and colors. When Roig isn’t in the studio, he loves to spend time with his wife of eleven years, draw and read books with his two sons under 6. His love for creating and giving is why The Roig family has also created the Roig Family Art Scholarship with the Kean University Foundation to provide financial aid in perpetuity to Fine Art Students enrolling at Kean.

Roig has also recently been selected for a Special Achievement Award by the Union County Commissioners office for his Human Rights efforts through his mural exhibition with Kean University, sits on the Advisory Board for the Galleries at Kean program, and is a part of the Superintendent of Westfield NJ Public Schools DEI Advisory board.

Excellence in Educational Leadership Award
Elcy Castillo-Ospina

Elcy Castillo-Ospina is a longtime educator, social worker, and community leader whose career has been dedicated to supporting children, families, and communities across New Jersey.

A graduate of Kean College, Class of 1984, Castillo-Ospina began her professional career in social services. From 1985 to 1986, she worked as a Social Worker and Case Manager in a Support Unit with the State of New Jersey, Division of Youth and Family Services. She then served as a Family Service Specialist from 1986 to 1991, continuing her work on behalf of children and families in need.

In 1991, Castillo-Ospina joined the Bayonne Board of Education as a Social Worker, beginning what has become more than three decades of service in public education. Through this role, she has worked closely with students and families, helping address social, emotional, and family-related challenges that can affect a student’s educational experience.

Castillo-Ospina has also devoted many years to educational leadership in her hometown of Elizabeth. She has served as a Commissioner on the Elizabeth Board of Education, where she has worked on behalf of students, families, educators, and the broader school community. Her service has reflected a strong commitment to educational opportunity, student well-being, and strengthening the relationship between schools and the communities they serve.

Beyond her professional career, Castillo-Ospina has remained an active and engaged member of the Elizabeth community and Fourth Ward. She has regularly participated in community meetings, collaborated with residents and local leaders, and supported efforts focused on neighborhood safety, quality of life, civic engagement, and community unity. She has also volunteered at numerous local events and initiatives throughout the years.

Her longstanding service has been recognized by the City of Elizabeth, which honored her during its 2026 National Night Out for her dedication, faithful service, and continued commitment to the residents of the city.

With a career spanning social services, public education, and community leadership, Castillo-Ospina has dedicated decades to improving the lives of young people and families. Her commitment to education and public service embodies the values recognized by the Excellence in Educational Leadership Award.