MILWAUKEE – County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson and District 12 Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez presented Voces de la Frontera, United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS), Walter Garron, and Alondra Garcia with citations in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month at Thursday’s County Board meeting.
“Voces de la Frontera, UMOS, Walter Garron, and Alondra Garcia all do incredible work to build up Milwaukee’s Hispanic community and create a better, more equitable Milwaukee,” said Chairwoman Nicholson. “I was honored to present each of them with County Board citations at today’s meeting.”
“I am immensely proud of the work Walter and Alondra have done for our community—they are leaders of the future for Milwaukee’s Hispanic community. It is through organizations like Voces and UMOS that young leaders are empowered and given a chance to lead,” said Supervisor Ortiz-Velez. “When I think of Hispanic heritage in Milwaukee, I think of Walter, Alondra, Voces, UMOS, and those like them who fight day and night for our community and represent the best of Latinx and Hispanic leadership.”
Walter Garron is a state commander of Los Brown Berets Wisconsin and has worked tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic to support those impacted by COVID-19. Through food drives and advocating for improved working conditions for workers at the Patrick Cudahy Plant, Walter is a dedicated advocate, organizer, and leader for the community.
Alondra Garcia, a 2nd grade bilingual MPS teacher, is an immigrant and DACA recipient. Empowered by her identity, Alondra has worked with Voces de la Frontera to stand up for immigrant and workers’ rights. Alondra recently leaned on her background to write eloquently in Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service about the need to create a pathway to citizenship.
Voces de la Frontera, led by Christine Neumann-Ortiz, works constantly to advance a pro-immigrant, pro-worker, and pro-student agenda at the local, state, and federal level. Voces de la Frontera celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021.
UMOS has been a staple in the migrant-worker and immigrant community in Wisconsin for decades, providing energy assistance, domestic abuse support services, housing assistance, HIV and tobacco prevention services, and more. UMOS celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2020.
