Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. These cultural celebrations provide the opportunity to recognize the complexities and richness of each cultural identity. It is important to understand and appreciate these stories within the greater American narrative (lclark.edu).
Our growing staff includes 35 employees whose native language is either Spanish or Portuguese – dedicated and caring, these team members work hard every day to ensure our neighbors receive the services they need, in the languages they speak.
Among our dedicated staff members is Lillian Morales, who began her career at JFS in early 2016. Originally from Guatemala, Lillian serves as a Personal Care Attendant, providing compassionate support to medically compromised older adults.
When asked what her Hispanic heritage means to her, Lillian shared:
“Hispanic heritage is a way to preserve and celebrate our diverse and rich culture in this great country.”
She reflected on how people of Hispanic heritage enrich the community:
“By keeping and sharing our native languages and traditions, and by staying united. We celebrate festive days unique to our countries and come together in church and in community.”
Lillian also spoke about how she and her family honor Hispanic Heritage Month:
“We gather together, cook, and share our nation’s staple foods, always making sure we never forget where we come from. It’s important to teach our children about our history and culture so they can pass it on to their children and beyond. That is so important.”
At JFS, our diverse Board of Directors also includes members of the Hispanic community to ensure that our agency’s governance has cultural representation of the communities we serve. A few of those representatives include the following community leaders:
Name: Fernando Castro
Occupation: Owner of Income Tax Plus, Inc.
Serving on the JFS Board of Directors since: 2018
Learn more about Fernando on LinkedIn
Name: Cesar Stewart-Morales
Occupation: Assistant Controller at Vineyard Offshore; former City Councilor, City of Framingham
Serving on the JFS Board of Directors since: 2021
We recognize and celebrate Lillian, Cesar, Fernando, and all with Hispanic Heritage who are working to accelerate social, academic and health equity in our community!