Here at LatiNola we are proud to have a team of bloggers who regularly contribute writings on their experience as Latinos in the New Orleans area.   Meet our contributing writers:

Lisa Reyes

Lisa was born in New Orleans.  Both parents are from the Dominican Republic.  Lisa is currently working for Kelly Services (Staffing Services) as the Branch Manager.  She is the former president of United Dominicans of Louisiana, where she learned how important it is to assist the Latino population in the New Orleans area.  She is very interested in promoting cultural awareness as well as empowering individuals to grow and learn from others, and engaging more to contribute to the community.

El Rafa

Rafael Delgadillo is an outreach coordinator for Puentes New Orleans Inc.  His family is from the Dominican Republic and he has lived in the New Orleans area for most of his life.  Rafael is currently working on his Master’s in History at the University of New Orleans, where his research is focused on Hispanics in New Orleans in the late 19th century.

Mauricio

Ronald Mauricio Avila was born in Honduras. He and and his family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana when he was seven. At the age of 25, he became a hyphenated American; in other words he was naturalized as an American citizen. From his experiences at Cornell University with the latino community there and through his work with New Orleans Hispano-America dance group, which he helped to found, Mauricio has gained a greater appreciation of the Latino/a experience in the United States. Mauricio translated this bio himself.

Ronald Mauricio Avila nació en Honduras. Con su familia, a la edad de 7 años, Mauricio emigro a New Orleans, Louisiana. A la edad de 25 años, el se convirtió en un doble Americano; en otras palabras, fue naturalizado como un ciudadano Americano. De sus experiencias en Cornell University con la comunidad latina en esa universidad, y por parte de su trabajo con el Grupo de Danzas, New Orleans Hispano-America el cual el ayudo a fundar, Mauricio ahora tiene un aprecio mas grande de la experiencia Latina en los EEUU. Mauricio tradujo este ‘bio’ por su propia cuenta.