Lesbian activist and Polk Bros. Foundation Vice President of Programs Evette Cardona was recently honored by two Latinx arts organizations.
She was one of three individuals who received the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance's second Felisa Rincon de Gautier Distinguished Woman Award on March 14, at NBC Tower, 454 N. Columbus Dr.
Cardona—who was inducted into what is now the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2002—was the recipient of the Philanthropy Award. The other honorees were NBC 5 news anchor Zoraida Sambolin ( Media Award ) and Chicago police officer Marilyn Gomez ( Public Service Award ).
This event was created in 2017 to honor Rincon de Gautier ( 1897-1994 ), the first woman to be elected as the mayor of a capital city in the Americas. She led San Juan, Puerto Rico for 22 years ( 1946-68 ).
Also, The National Museum of Mexican Art ( NMMA ) hosted its 25th annual Sor Juana Awards Luncheon on March 20 at University Club, 76 E. Monroe St. Cardona was honored there as well.
Honoring Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, the awardees included Cardona; Chicago United President/CEO Gloria Castillo; Allstate Insurance Company Manager of Corporate Giving Cheryl Cooke; WBEZ Education Reporter Linda Lutton; and University of Illinois at Chicago Professor of Latin American & Latino Studies Maria de los Angeles ( Nena ) Torres.
