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En fin, ya sabes que te esperamos en Madrid para que nos inspires. Hace ya tiempo nos dijiste que vendrías en 5 años.
A este paso, mucho nos tememos que no te disfrutaremos hasta que celebres el medio siglo del Círculo y la finalización
del edificio para la educación secundaria de Evergreen...
Te queremos mucho.
Daniel, Casandra e Isak.
As I'm driving with my three daughters all under the age of 5 and look in the rear view mirror of those beautiful
little faces, I reminisce on my childhood and what has made me the father/person that I am today. You never realize
growing up how much your Father invests in you and the passion he has to create life experiences for you so you can
grow up cultured, educated, and a world citizen who cares about people. Círculo De La Hispanidad Is my Father, it
embodies everything he is and believes in, an institution that has helped ALL people in need. Círculo is a community
organization that over 35 years has had such a positive impact not just for me but thousands of families and their
children.
The humble beginnings- I remember being 5 years old sitting at my kitchen table with 6 volunteers licking
envelopes to start what today is my father’s dream of having a Community Center for the people. It didn't happen
overnight- There were many late nights, many weekends, and many days that even my father thought the organization
would have to shut down because of lack of funding, but he fought on and with help of many loyal employees and
friends he pushed on and didn't make excuses and worked and overcame adversity. Watching my father work as hard
as has he has, has been the best and most influential lesson for me.
To My Father- Te quiero muchisimo-Thank You for: all the time we spent on the Soccer Fields up and down the East
Coast, Círculo's "Campamento De Verano" which are memories I will have forever, the importance of traveling to
Spain with limited money to visit my Spanish Family (Grandparents, Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, 2nd Cousins, Third
Cousins), those relationships and the Spanish language and Culture I hold so dear to my heart, and most of all for
being there for me and my children and being a part of their lives and sharing and continuing to share memories with
me and my family. This Community Center is the cherry on top for all the great things you have accomplished in your
life and I am so proud to call you my Father. Congratulations!
Tu Hijo, Gil-Miguel
I have vivid memories of the 'old school' typewriter clicking away alongside the hussle and bussle of folks preparing
for a looming grant deadline. May sound familiar to some of you, however, all of this took place in my childhood
kitchen! This is how my brothers and I grew up; invigorating energy, fluid conversation and daunting deadlines,
literally, in our backyard. Círculo de la Hispanidad was my parents' creation, an entity that we nurtured and loved
almost like another sibling; a member of the family. In fact, there were times the demands of the agency took our
parents' time, energy and focus away from us,which created a jealousy that could only be understood among siblings.
Yet, our 'sibling' Círculo also provided rich and authentic cultural experiences For my brothers and I such as 'La
Tuna,' 'Sabado Cultural', campamento de verano, performing on stage, campaigning, the annual festivals, etc..
The original five Círculo board members were like aunts and uncles to us, and as such, our families celebrated
milestones and mourned life's losses together much as we experienced Círculo's triumphs and defeats in unison.
As my brothers and I grew, Círculo also went through many developmental stages and changes; all of which we bore
witness to. From the the addition of the Hempstead office in the late 80’s, and the move from the office at 62 West
Park Avenue to the larger space at 26 West Park Avenue in early 02’, to the Inauguration of the Center and Evergreen
five years ago, it has been unimaginable.
Growing up in this environment has made the three of us keenly aware of the structural inequities that surround us.
I always joke that I was bred to be a social worker. Although I am a social worker by profession, social work is really
the lens from which I see the world. I practice social work in my daily encounters with people and I analyze world and
national events from a social justice perspective. Our parents, Círculo and the reflective people who comprised its four
walls (and still do!) laid the foundation for who my brothers and I are now.
I sit down to write this piece, what Círculo means to me, I realize I cannot separate the experience as I remember it
and still live it separate from my family. Just like within a family each member plays a role, Círculo took on its own.
Círculo's shape and metamorphosis mirrored our own personal growth and development. Círculo represents all that
is loving, happy, creative and compassionate, yet messy, overwhelming and intense; a reflection of our beautiful and
interwoven family of which we are all blessed to be a part.
Deborah Bernardino Arden
It's with great regret that I cannot be there to join my longtime friend, Gil, and all of you on what I know will be a
historical event and not only because I know that Gil knows how to throw a great party, but because I know firsthand
what this Center meant to him. This was a longtime dream of his that he would not have stopped till he saw come
to reality. As a past Board Member, I saw this man at work and never doubted for a moment that he would not only
make his dream come true, but that he would put Circulo de la Hispanidad on the map.
So even though I can't be there in person, I will be there with you all in spirit and wish you all the Best! God Bless
Gil, Círculo and all of you who give so much of yourselves to make the Latino community one to be respected within
our communities.
Héctor Maldonado
Querido hermano Gil:
Después de tanto tiempo estás recogiendo tus frutos, aunque como vemos no tienes límites y nos llevas de sorpresa en
sorpresa.
Yo te quiero recordar que, cuando éramos pequeños, en tu pueblo querido Tapioles nos abriste un camino de ilusión.
Eras el hermano que jugabas bien al fútbol, ligabas con chicas jóvenes y guapas y escuchábamos tus aventuras por
Madrid con muchísimo entusiasmo. De ahí, parte nuestro interés por alcanzar metas casi imposibles; conseguías lo que
te proponías, hasta casarte con una americana, que era algo exótico en aquella época.