Diamante Awards Gala Oct 6
Story by Lindsey Chester.
Cary, NC – With a Masquerade theme, Diamante will be hosting their 17th annual Diamante Awards gala October 6th at the Raleigh Marriott City Center.
Diamante Awards Gala
Diamante, based in Cary, had this description of the awards gala:
Enjoy a welcome reception with drinks and appetizers, meet new people, and enjoy live music. Followed by an elegant 3 course dinner, with live music, and celebrate the achievements of the Latino/Hispanic community in North Carolina. End the evening dancing and for a truly memorable night.
This is a black tie event with live music by Brazilian Soul, salsa lessons, dancing, art gallery and silent auction
A Gala in Support of Education
David Flores, President of Diamante, told me that the gala event serves several purposes.
The first is to honor community members who have been instrumental in supporting the Latino community in North Carolina. These awards include Community Involvement, Education, Latino Advocacy, Health & Science, Business and Arts & Culture.
The second set of awards, are scholarships for Latino youth either in high school or their first year of college. Each recipient is awarded $1000 to be used towards tuition in a higher education institution. Five students will receive these scholarships, the most the non-profit has ever awarded.
Keynote Speaker
Myra Alverez, Director of Public Health Policy in the U.S., will be the evening’s keynote speaker. She completed her graduate studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and holds an undergraduate degree from U.C Berkley. In David’s words, “she will inspire the youth to see how far education can take them”.
Wear a Mask and Learn Salsa
The event is not all seriousness. The theme is Masquerade and a prize will be awarded for the attendee wearing the best mask.
A dance performance, followed by salsa lessons will conclude the evening as attendees practice the steps they’ve learned. A silent auction will raise funds for Diamante to continue their work promoting education in the Latino community here in the Triangle.
Five $1000 awards
One of Diamante’s goals this year was to increase their scholarship giving, which they did this year from generous sponsorships from community businesses. Five students will each receive $1000 toward their college tuition. They are vetted through a separate commission who evaluates their written applications.
Students may apply for Diamante scholarships throughout the year. One parent must be Latino or Hispanic and paperwork must be completed by next year’s deadline in September. Info will beavailable for next year’s awards soon on the Diamante website.
Diamante holds several events throughout the year. During the holiday season, they begin the Star of Hope Campaign beginning Dec 2 with Arbolito de la Esperanza doantions are accepted for families in the community. This helps set the stage for the Three Kings Day celebration and Parade in January (which is held at Bond Park). In the Spring they bring Ritmo Latino to Downtown Cary- a celebration of music dance and Hispanic foods.
Event Info
Diamante Awards Gala
Masquerade Ball
October 6th, 2012
from 6 PM – Midnight
Raleigh Marriott City Center
500 Fayetteville St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
Get tickets
Tickets start at $75. This event is expected to sell out. Get your tickets online now.
