TAMPA, Fla. — As we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to highlight the contributions Latinos have made to our Tampa Bay area community.
Catalina Botero Lovett and Dr. Ray Ortiz have been selected as the 2023 Hispanic Woman and Man of the Year. “So, the Hispanic Women and Man of the Year award gives us an opportunity, as an organization, to recognize leaders in our community for their lifetime work,” said Maribel Garrett with Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc.
I wanted to learn more about their stories and what inspires them to be an altruistic beacon of light in the community. So, I met up with Catalina at La Pequena Colombia restaurant in Tampa for lunch.
Botero Lovett is being honored for her work with the Hispanic Professional Women’s Association, which fundraises for women to be able to continue their education. She also connects local Hispanic-owned businesses with media and is very involved at the USF Latin Community Advisory Council.
“I think that our kids need to see us as lawyers, as doctors, as commissioners, as presidents, as everything that we can do because our kids need to see windows to be able to dream and mirrors to be able to see people like us, like them, that are able to make it,” said Botero Lovett.
Next, I caught up with Dr. Ortiz while he was volunteering his dental services to veterans, as he does every Friday. Dr. Ortiz is being honored for his long career as an Air Force Veteran, decades as a renowned dentist, and his volunteer work at the VA.
“I got approached in saying, ‘Hey, this is an opening from the VA. They would like to see if you’d like to partake in seeing in veterans for their general disability exams. I looked into it. I like giving back. I took it up and I’ve been doing it for almost four years now,” said Dr. Ortiz.
As the Hispanic Man and Woman of the Year, they received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pitch at a Rays game. They’ll both be celebrated at the 35th annual Tampa Hispanic Heritage Gala, where they’ll be food, entertainment, and speeches, and while the gala is meant to recognize Latinos who’ve made big contributions to our community, they’re also giving back. “All the funds that are raised from this particular event go toward scholarships at USF and HCC,” said Garrett.
The event will take place on the evening of Friday, October 27, at Armature Works. Tickets can be purchased here https://www.tampahispanic.org/
