Gila Valley celebrates its Hispanic roots

“There was a time when this would not have happened,” the Morenci native, now a prominent attorney and educator in Phoenix, observed.

Calderón was the keynote speaker at Saturday’s 8th annual Hispanic Heritage Dinner & Show. The dinner was part of two days of events organized by the Eastern Arizona Hispanic Heritage Corp. and held at the college in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

The weekend celebration kicked off Friday morning at EAC’s Lee Little Theater with a proclamation from Gov. Doug Ducey, delivered by the director of his Southern Arizona Office, Lorraine Rivera.

“This Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the many talents, diverse culture and vibrant spirit of our Hispanic friends and neighbors,” the governor said Thursday. “Arizona’s rich Hispanic heritage is woven into the fabric of our state and is a driving force in making us a great place to live, work and play.

“Arizona has long been a land of limitless opportunity,” he continued. “The entrepreneurial spirit and strong work ethic that have shaped our state are the very same qualities that define the Hispanic community. Their countless contributions to Arizona and their unwavering belief in the American Dream are an inspiration to us all.”

Friday’s kickoff continued with a speech from retired educator Margarita E. Wulftange. The 85-year-old Safford resident recounted her childhood, family, education and career, the majority of which was as an educator in Stockton, Calif., where she also earned her Ed.D. from the University of Pacific. After she and husband, Frank, relocated to Safford, she served as an instructor for Northern Arizona University from 1999-2007.

She recalled her older brother not being allowed to use the local public pool except on Friday, the day before it was scheduled to be cleaned. She also recalled seeing a note from a childhood friend's mother requesting her daughter's excused absence from school. The note explained she wanted to do their shopping during the week because “there were too many Indians and Mexicans in town on weekends.”

Nevertheless, Wulftange expressed fierce pride in her heritage and her accomplishments.

“I am and always will be a Mexican, Mexican-American, Chicana, Latina or Hispanic – take your pick,” she said.

After Wulftange’s speech, there was a short interlude filled with the music of Trio Valencia. Their spirited performance was followed by a second guest speaker, EA Hispanic Heritage Corp. board member Frank Montoya.

Montoya, now a resident of Safford, grew up in Clifton and worked as a laborer for Phelps Dodge for seven years before attending law enforcement academy. He served for 30 years at the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office and retired as patrol sergeant.

“If you have the opportunity to learn about your family, take it,” he advised, explaining appreciating the opportunities and privileges one has now is best accomplished by understanding what others did to advance them.

“Everything happens because of something else,” he said.

Saturday’s Heritage Festival activities started on EAC’s South Campus with a collection of vintage cars, lowriders and tricked-out bicycles for the first car show tied directly to the Heritage Festival. More than 60 vehicles were on display while several food and merchandise vendors lined the edge of the parking lot and hawked their wares.

Ticket sales from the evening’s dinner event are going exclusively to fund college scholarships. In addition to Calderón’s keynote address, the evening included recognition of Pima Elementary fifth- and sixth-grade social studies teacher Tylee Olmedo as the Hispanic Heritage Corp.’s Teacher of the Year and the family of Guadalupe and Linda Jean Munoz as its Family of the Year.

The evening concluded with a somewhat chaotic auction and musical performances by Mariachi Nuevo Azteca de Tucson and Mariachi Estrella Juvenil, along with dancing by Compania de Danza Folklorica Arizona.