Adela Mendoza knows firsthand that achieving your dreams takes more than hard work. In fact, the executive director of the Hispanic Alliance (and Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar and Liberty Fellow, to throw out a few titles) credits much of her life’s journey to a supportive family and community.
“My parents both grew up with a lot of financial limitations but built an extraordinary life for our family,” Mendoza says. “My mother grew up in a family of eight strong women who had to shape their path. My dad, who had to work since he was thirteen, didn’t go beyond high school but is one of the smartest, kindest men I’ve ever met.”
Mendoza, who has served as the Alliance’s executive director for ten years, came to the States from Ciudad Mendoza in Veracruz to continue her collegiate education. She never expected to leave Mexico but found a second home in Greenville (where she and her husband John have lived since 2007) and the Hispanic Alliance, where she began as a volunteer.
“I remember instantly feeling like I had found my place,” Mendoza says. “The network has a special magic that makes you feel connected. I think it’s the openness and the incredible diversity of the people who make up our network. Honestly, it is one of the warmest, happiest groups you’ll ever find.”
More than ten percent of Greenville County identifies as Hispanic (a Spanish-speaking person, typically of Latin American descent). As an enormous network of organizations and individuals in the Upstate, the Alliance provides resources and opportunities for this growing population, including avenues of education, health, legal services, and financial stability.
“Our work is intentionally focused on breaking down systemic barriers for this emerging community,” Mendoza says. “A critical part of this evolution is to develop diverse leadership able to represent the needs of all communities.” And while their efforts include a host of services, like providing a bilingual assistance call line, hosting college fairs, or bringing the world-renowned Wings of the City exhibition to Greenville, Mendoza and the Alliance team ensure celebration plays a key role.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month, running September 15–October 15, provides the Alliance with a unique platform to highlight Hispanic Americans and how they’ve enriched our local and national communities. From art exhibitions to salsa lessons and cooking classes to Orgullo Hispano (a thirty-day daily publication celebrating local leaders), the month is an ideal opportunity for the entire community to participate in our area’s cultural wealth.
“An important part of embracing diversity is celebrating the richness of cultures that each person brings to our community,” Mendoza says. “Everything we do is rooted in an authentic desire to build proximity with one another and understand that we are all so much more alike than we may think.”
Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15–October 15, 2022. For a calendar list of events, like the AHAM Hispanic Heritage Festival on Saturday, October 2, visit hispanicheritagemonth.com. For more on the Hispanic Alliance, visit hispanicalliancesc.com.
Photography by Jack Robert Photography
