Dona Eulalia Award - Abelardo de la Peña

Our community service award is the Abelardo de la Peña. He is the founder of LatinoLA.com.; a site where the multitude of Latino thoughts, expressions, events, and more can be found.

Like many who are committed to their community Don Abelardo does his work with grace, sincerity, and a couple of chuckles thrown in for good measure. His version of Latino LA, is not stopped at any boarder - you really can find info beyond the 6th Street bridge - in either direction.

In addition to his work at LatinoLA.com he has been active with others at the Mexican Cultural Institute at Calle Olvera. So you may have benefitted from his work even though you might not know have known his name. Gracias por todod, Don Abel.

Here is his bio as it will appear in our printed program -

Abelardo de la Peña, Jr. is the editor and founder of

LatinoLA.com, the Web site dedicated to Southern California’ arts,

entertainment, culture and community. He was born in Long Beach

and grew up in Wilmington; his parents came from Jalísco, Mexico.

Out of high school, de la Peña served in the U.S. Army during the

Viet Nam War era.

On the development of LatinoLA.com de la Peña has shared that

he chose the term “Latino” because the large numbers of Latinos in

Los Angeles are from so many different countries. That makes L.A.

the center of the Latino universe, simply by sheer numbers. Rather

than exclude any group, LatinoLA says it all. “We are all Latinos, we

are all proud, beautiful people, and our points of view need no

defining. We know where we're coming from...and now we're letting

the world in on that!"

- Daniel Olivas, “La Bloga”