President Luis Abinader and Foreign Relations Minister Roberto Alvarez presented the Oscar de la Renta Dominican Emigrant Award to 97-year old Dominican expat Casilda Luna. The awards ceremony took place at the Carlos Piantini Hall of the National Theater on Thursday, 2 December 2021.
Casilda Luna was recognized for being an outstanding Dominican emigrant. She lives in Washington, D.C., United States, where she has worked in favor of fellow Dominicans by promoting national culture and the social welfare of Dominicans residing in that city.
During his remarks for the occasion, President Abinader highlighted the role played by the hard-working Dominican community abroad. He made the point that despite the distance, Dominican expats keep close ties to the country through their families and contribute to the economic development.
Luna is a native of Samaná, Dominican Republic, who migrated to Washington, D.C. in 1962 and became a skilled organizer of the Latino community in that city. Her leadership skills have enabled her to create programs and organizations that have impacted the development of vulnerable groups in the US capital city.
Luna was part of an organizing group that designed a large demonstration where the community presented, in front of the D.C. City Council, a proposal for the establishment of the Office of Hispanic Affairs, which still operates today known as OLA, and provides important services to Latinos.
Because of her fight for the human rights of immigrants, The Washington Post called her “the mother of immigrants.
Two-term Washington D. C. Mayor Muriel Browser designated in 2019 that every 6 April be Casilda Luna Day. The date celebrated the 94th birthday of Luna and the proclamation recognized the “tireless and fervent pioneer for the advancement of the District’s Latino Community.”
In addition to Luna, nine other outstanding Dominicans in Canada, the United States, Italy and Puerto Rico were recognized during the Oscar de la Renta Awards ceremony. These are Alan Junior Reyes, César Sánchez Beras, Ramón Modesto Tallaj, Teresa Josefina Bello de Burgos, Mirtha Racelis Mella Del Jesús, Juan Emilio Romero Durán, Rhadamés Ávila, Rubén Darío Jiménez Mercedes and José Francisco Rodríguez Pérez who received plaques of recognition.
The ten nominees were chosen by a committee presided by José Luís (Pepín) Corripio, president of Grupo Corripio; and made up by Eliza Bolen, executive vice president of Oscar de la Renta; Haydée Rainieri, vice president of Grupo Puntacana; Pablo Asencio, interim director of the Institute for Dominicans Abroad (INDEX) and María Alejandra Castillo, of the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Foreign Minister Álvarez highlighted the work carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Relations and the Institute for Dominicans Abroad (INDEX) to protect Dominicans abroad wherever they are.
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Ministry of Foreign Relations
6 December 2021