Union Bank and KQED Honor Two Bay Area Local Heroes during Latino Heritage Month
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (PRWEB) October 03, 2014 -- In celebration of Latino Heritage Month and as part of its ongoing commitment to cultural diversity and responsible banking, MUFG Union Bank, N.A., has partnered with KQED to honor two remarkable Latinos as local heroes. The 2014 Latino Heritage Month honorees are: Diana Albarrán Chicas, co-founder and financial director at Latinas in STEM and Near Field Range (NFR) test section manager at Space Systems Loral (SSL); and Paul S. Flores, director, artist, and program manager for Latino Men and Boys at the Unity Council. Both will be recognized in October at a private celebration with their families and executives from KQED and Union Bank.
Since 1995, KQED and Union Bank have collaborated on the Local Heroes program and recognized more than 100 honorees. The program pays tribute to exemplary leaders who are making a difference and enriching the lives of others by improving their community, region and the world at large. The 2014 Latino Heritage Month honorees demonstrate a shared commitment to providing their communities with the tools to thrive in today’s changing world.
In addition to the Latino Heritage Month local heroes, honorees were also recognized during Black History Month (February), Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May); and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month (June).
“We applaud our local heroes for their selfless work as they embody Union Bank’s values of giving back,” said Union Bank Managing Director Pierre P. Habis, head of Consumer and Business Banking. “We celebrate their leadership.”
“KQED is pleased to partner again with Union Bank to celebrate the 2014 Latino Local Heroes who are so committed to improving their communities,” said KQED President John Boland. “KQED’s celebration of Latino Heritage Month will continue throughout September and October with programming highlighting the achievements of this community.”
The 2014 honorees for Latino Heritage Month are:
Diana Albarrán Chicas, a co-founder and director of finance at Latinas in STEM, a nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire and empower Latinas to pursue and thrive in STEM fields. Ms. Albarrán Chicas is the first Latina in the history of SSL to be a NFR test section manager responsible for the company’s unique antenna subsystem test facility. She is a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in electrical engineering. Ms. Albarrán Chicas has received numerous awards, including the Estrella Award by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Silicon Valley Professional Chapter; the Science & Technology Emerging Leader Award by Silicon Valley Latino; and the Rising Star Award by the Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC). She was featured in “25 Latinas Who Shine in Tech” by Latina Magazine, and is also a co-founder of Empower Educational Services, the Latinas in STEM Foundation, and Latinas in STEM to Achieve Success (LISTAS).
Paul S. Flores is director, artist and program manager for Latino Men and Boys at the Unity Council, a program that provides support to young Latinos to thrive academically, build healthier lifestyles, and find jobs. Mr. Flores’ work has been featured on hundreds of stages across the hemisphere. He has earned multiple funds and grants, including the National Performance Network Creation Fund and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) Fund for the Arts. Mr. Flores is the author of the PEN Award winning “Along the Border Lies,” and the solo theater performance “You’re Gonna Cry,” which earned him the 2011 San Francisco Weekly Best Politically Active Hip-Hop Performance Artist. His projects have taken him from HBO's Def Poetry to Cuba, Mexico and El Salvador, and he recently completed a six-city national tour for his newest play PLACAS: The Most Dangerous Tattoo.
KQED offers a wide range of Latino Heritage Month programming during September and October. For more information or to nominate a future local hero, visit kqed.org/community/heritage/. To learn more about the Local Heroes program, please also visit unionbank.com/heroes.
About KQED
KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. Home to the most listened-to public radio station in the nation, one of the highest rated public television services and a leader in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places and ideas. Visit kqed.org for more information.
About MUFG Union Bank, N.A
MUFG Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service bank with offices across the United States. We provide a wide spectrum of corporate, commercial, retail banking and wealth management solutions to meet the needs of customers. The bank also offers an extensive portfolio of value-added solutions for customers, including investment banking, personal trust, capital markets, global treasury management, transaction banking and other services. With assets of $108.8 billion (USD), as of June 30, 2014, the bank has strong capital reserves, credit ratings and capital ratios relative to peer banks. MUFG Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, one of the world’s largest financial organizations with total assets of approximately ¥259 trillion (JPY) or $2.5 trillion (USD)1, as of June 30, 2014. MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation, the financial holding company and MUFG Union Bank, N.A. have corporate headquarters in New York City.
1 Exchange rate of USD=¥101.36 (J-GAAP) as of June 30, 2014
Maria Powley, Union Bank, http://www.unionbank.com, +1 (213) 236-4146, [email protected]
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