Debbie Mucarsel-Powell: “Since St. Augustine, Florida, was founded as the first permanent settlement in 1565, the Hispanic and Latino communities…”

“Since St. Augustine, Florida, was founded as the first permanent settlement in 1565, the Hispanic and Latino communities have laid the foundations of the prosperous country we are all proud to call home. Last Friday, October 11, I had the privilege to honor several south Florida leaders for their contributions. Christina Campos is a Mexican-American mother of two who was raised in Homestead and now serves as Homestead Senior High School's community liaison. Dr. Guilarte immigrated to the United States from Cuba when he was 10. He is a respected scientist and educator who became the dean of the FIU College of Public Health. The Mexican-American Council's Homestead Mariachi Conservatory was recognized as Florida's premier mariachi music school for children. Maria Nardi leads the Nation's third-largest accredited park system in the country, providing welcoming environments for all families in Florida. On this final day of National Hispanic Heritage Month, let's remember that for many Americans across all parts of our country, Hispanic heritage is celebrated as something that we live every day. ____________________”