North Austin News

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB MACC) has announced the winners of its 2024 Excellence Awards. Established by the ESB MACC Advisory Board in 2009, these awards recognize individuals in Austin who have demonstrated significant leadership and contributions to Latino cultural arts.

The Excellence Awards ceremony will be held for the awardees and their families on Saturday, June 29 at the Long Center. The general public can view a video recording of the ceremony on ESB MACC's social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The video of the 2023 ceremony, also held at the Long Center, is available for viewing online.

The community submitted nominations through an open nomination form, with ESB MACC receiving over 40 individual nominations. Nominees were evaluated by the Excellence Awards selection committee based on their service in each award category to both ESB-MACC and the Mexican American/Latino/a/x/e community.

For biographies of each winner of the 2024 Excellence Awards and a complete list of winners from 2009 to 2023, visit AustinTexas.gov/MACCAWARDS.

Awardees for 2024 are as follows:

Artistic Education Award: Adolfo Ortiz

Adolfo Ortiz graduated from Travis High School in Austin and was part of Zeke Castro’s Mariachi Ensemble. He played a key role in establishing Mariachi Relámpago de Austin in 1991, which won Univision’s Latin Music Awards' "Best Mariachi" prize. This group was the first from Austin to be nominated for and win this award. They also won Austin’s first mariachi competition, "Fiesta del Mariachi," held at the Long Center.

Emerging Artist Award: Ana Barajas

Ana Barajas is a Colombian singer-songwriter whose music blends Latin folk, tribal sounds, and electronic elements. She began singing traditional Colombian music at age five before moving into Colombia's metal scene as a lead vocalist for various bands. In 2011 she relocated to Austin where she entered the local Latin folk scene and launched her solo project with her debut album “La Botánica de los Sueños” in 2018. Her career includes numerous collaborations across genres such as jazz, electronic music, metal, and folk.

Arts Award: Mauricio Callejas

Mauricio Callejas is a Salvadoran singer-songwriter who has lived in Austin for twenty years. He has released six solo albums including “Cosas de la Calle” (2002), “Mágico” (2008), “Ice Cream Pop” (2012), EP “Preámbulo” (2016), “Crisis” (2020), and his latest album “Twenty” (2022). He founded Centroamericanto Fest which has brought together Central American artists with those from the United States for live performances over fifteen years.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Dolores Carrillo García

Dolores Carrillo García has been an advocate for arts in Austin working with La Peña, UT's Mexican American Studies Center among others. She retired from UT-Austin after thirty years focusing on Latino-centric programs while curating numerous exhibitions promoting Latino visual arts. Alongside her husband Gil Cárdenas she helped grow one of largest private collections of Chicano/Latino art donating many pieces nationally.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Gilberto Cárdenas

Gilberto Cárdenas is internationally recognized as a scholar on Mexican immigration authoring many works on related subjects including international migration economics society racial/ethnic relations etc., holding notable academic positions including founding director roles at UT-Austin Notre Dame Smithsonian Institute among others contributing significantly towards Latino cultural heritage preservation.

Service Award: Velia Sánchez Ruiz

Velia Sanchez-Ruiz worked over thirty years within AISD incorporating dance into physical education classes supporting Cinco de Mayo & September Sixteenth events collaborating closely with Emma S Barrientos establishing Roy Lozano Ballet Folklorico aiding bond election passing establishing ESB-MACC serving advisory board post-retirement advocating strongly culturally especially Mexican Tejano cultural arts throughout life

Posthumous Award: Marcelo Tafoya Sr.

Marcelo H Tafoya pillar Tejano culture/community leadership residing fifty-five plus years revolutionizing Tejano musical genre pioneering broadcasting career spanning four decades impacting stations KGTN KUT KAZZ launching central Texas’ first Hispanic TV program founding Tejano Artist Music Museum collecting extensively championing civil rights chicanos honored lifetime achievement Tejano Music Awards early lasting industry contributions

Posthumous Award: María Emilia Martín

María Emilia Martín Latina journalist focused primarily Latin American/Latino issues founding executive producer Latino USA radio program NPR covering politics violence resilience indigenous communities Central America beginning career KBBF Santa Rosa California later editing national program NPR creating English-language radio program overcoming racism sexism empowering other Latina journalists winning numerous awards including Fulbright Fellowship inducted National Association Hispanic Journalists Hall Fame