5 Years & Thriving, Americas Latino Eco Festival Nuestra Familia Awards Gala

By Joe Contreras, Photos by Latin Life Denver Media (see photo gallery below)

The Americas Latino Eco Festival (ALEF) celebrated it’s fifth year in Colorado with it’s Nuestra Famila Awards Gala September 15th at the Denver Museum of Nature and science. Latin Life Denver is honored to be a media sponsor for this annual festival. The festival is themed People & Waters First: Ripples of Hope and will honor the Colorado River and the country of Cuba. The Festival continues through Sunday September 17 with a “Family Day”. See the complete schedule at: www.biennialoftheamericas.org  The ALEF festival coincides this year with the Biennial of the Americas Festival also taking place in Denver this weekend. Both festivals are honoring the culture, music and art of Cuba as part of their programs.

Irene Vilar, Founder & Organizer of ALEF

Irene Vilar, Founder & Organizer of ALEF

Americas Latino Eco Fest Gala Sept. 15, 2017 (168)

Don Agustin Pineda of Taxco, Mexico is presented the Nuestro Padred award by his son Fernando Pineda

“This year’s festival, our fifth, is more ambitious and urgent than ever,” said Irene Vilar, Co-founder of Mandel Vilar Press. “We are cementing the largest annual multicultural event of its kind into the powerful platform for advocacy on environmental justice and climate action we had envisioned. What’s most exciting is that we are now able to demonstrate how the arts is an incredibly impactful vehicle for raising awareness and inspiring action.”

The recipients of the 2017 ALEF Nuestra Familia Awards, which honor extraordinary Latino work and achievements in environmental stewardship and preservation, will also attend the festival and are:

Nuestro Cultura: Alfonso Piloto Nieves, Artist and Art Educator

Nuestro Hermano: Dave Archambault, Standing Rock Chief, and Carlos Fernandez,

Nuestra Hermana: Adriana Quintero, NRDC Voces Verdes Founder

Nuestro Padrino: Author Wade Davis and Congressman Jared Polis

Nuestra Madrina: Council Member Stacie Gilmore

Nuestro Padre: Don Agustin Pineda

Nuestra Madre: Irma Munoz, Founder/President of Mujeres de la Tierra

 

Photos by Latin Life Denver Media