The Center held a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for their new Latino Services Center this past Sunday, Dec. 12. A crowd of roughly 70 people gathered together to inaugurate the meeting space, located in the basement of The Center. The Latino Services Center offers support groups and social programming for San Diego’s Latino GLBT community.

An enthusiastic mariachi band kicked off the ceremony. City Commissioner Nicole-Murray Ramirez then welcomed the crowd and highlighted certain members of the local Latino community who have made a difference, including Carolina Ramos, The Center’s Latino services coordinator.

“This woman I have seen her work 16, 17, 18 hours a day…there’s nothing that this woman wouldn’t do for this community no matter what color and no matter what your background. I have never in my life met such a humanitarian and a person so loving and so gifted,” said Murray-Ramirez.

Richard Valdez, chair of The Center’s board of directors, added, “Now culturally I am so delighted that we are now embarking on making sure that a very important and large component of our community – Latinos – feel welcome and comfortable here.

“This is such a testament to doing something right and I’m so excited for the possibilities of working together.”