Virtual fiesta provides chance for celebration

The virtual fiesta attendees were told to pick up their box of food from chef Jaime Ortiz, log on to the event’s live stream at 6 p.m., sit back and enjoy because in a year that has taken away so much, maybe a little bit of celebration on the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month would bring some needed respite to the community.

“Good evening!” said someone in the group chat for the live stream. “Excited to be here!”

On the screen was Laudelina Martinez, president of the Capital Region Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, who for months had been working on preparing the event, which comes at the end of the Sept. 15- Oct. 15 celebration of heritage.

“Despite the pandemic, we’re taking time to celebrate,” Martinez said Thursday evening to open the fiesta.

And they were there to help raise funds for scholarships that Hudson Valley Community College would give to Latino students. Many Latinos with small businesses in the Capital Region are struggling this year. But as Dan Irizarry, board chair of Capital District Latinos, said: “El pueblo sin visión perece.” Translated: “The people without a vision perish.”

“I want you to remember that even though we are in dark times and that right now our souls are being battered, and our home life is very different … we must have vision for the future,” Irizarry said.

That is why, he added, it must be a priority to help young Lati

nos who are in college and will soon enter the workforce in a tumultuous time.

Irizarry was there with Micky Jimenez, the regional executive director of Capital District Latinos, to receive the outstanding nonprofit award.

The chamber also awarded Lina Finlan, an emergency room physician at St. Peter’s Hospital, with the outstanding professional award.

Fin la n’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Peru, and her fluency in Spanish means Latino patients who do not speak English have someone thereto listen and understand their medical needs. In April, Finlan went to the Montefiore

Hospital in New York City to treat patients as the city witnessed a surge of COVID -19 cases.

“Even during a pandemic, we still provide opportunities to bring our community together, to connect us and support us,” Finlan said.

And because the virtual event was not conducive to cheers, people typed away in the group chat.

“Congratulations!” said one attendee.

“Thank you and congratulations!” said another.

To close the event, Martinez gave her community instructions so they would be safe and feel connected: Wear your mask; wash your hands; email one another.

“And please,” she added, “take care.”