Westbury residents Tiffany Gonzalez and Mateo Flores were among nine Town of North Hempstead residents recently recognized by North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth and the town board.
As part of the town’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, local influential Hispanic-American residents were recognized for positively influencing the community in a variety of ways.
Gonzalez, who was honored by Bosworth, is a nurse at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. She fills an important role by mentoring new hires in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to ensure they can master the clinical skills necessary to provide appropriate care. Gonzalez is also bilingual and speaks fluent Spanish, which is critical in helping Hispanic families deal with language barriers while receiving care.
Flores, who was honored by Councilwoman Viviana Russell, was born in El Salvador and came to the United States in 1981. Currently a resident of Westbury, Flores holds the position of Economic Opportunity Commission (EOC) Executive Program Director for Hempstead and Westbury. Flores works with low-income and disenfranchised youth and families, providing direct services and advocacy for immigration, human rights, emergency food and shelter, summer youth programs, youth council programs and more.
“These individuals took great risks, as either they or their parents moved here from another country in order to gain a better life in America,” Bosworth said of the honorees. “Like many other Hispanic-Americans in our country, they in turn provided a stellar example for those in our community to follow with all they have accomplished in their respective fields.”
After the awards ceremony, attendees were invited to step outside the board room where the town provided a sampling of several Latin American dishes, including empanadas, rice and beans, chipotle chicken and a tres leches cake.
