Vilches Receives Latino Excellence Award

The following is a press release from Rep. jack Patrick Lewis’ office submitted to SOURCE media.

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FRAMINGHAM – Thursday October 13, the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus (MBLLC) celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a virtual event
commemorating the countless contributions of the Massachusetts Latinx community.

Viviana Vilches of Framingham was nominated by Representative Jack Patrick Lewis (Framingham) for all her contributions to our community.

“It is an honor to have nominated Viviana Vilches for the Latino Excellence Award,” said Representative Jack Patrick Lewis (Framingham). “Viviana has been a leader in Framingham and the MetroWest Region for over a decade. Her devotion to supporting English learners and making the theater community more diverse has made our community and region stronger.”

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Viches holds many positions within the community, utilizing her BA in Music and Music Education. She currently serves on the MetroWest Health Foundation’s Framingham Union Grants Panel as well as on the Scholarship Committee.

“As a longtime Framingham resident, I hope that we are able to find equitable ways to bridge the gap so that all residents can have access to a good education, housing justice and to combat food insecurity in our city,” said Vilches.

She has devoted her life to improving Framingham and the MetroWest Region. She has used her background in music to work to close the gap between Latinx community members and the rest of the community. By ensuring events and resources are in multiple languages, and has worked with
the school to ensure the casting of Framingham High’s production of In the Heights was more diverse, this resulted. in the first ever Framingham High School Drama Company having a BIPOC cast.

Her work on the Bilingual Parent Advisory Council (BPAC), which she founded, has made a huge difference for English learning students and their families from across Framingham. Her work as a representative on many local committees brings the needed Latinx perspective. She has always worked to maintain strong connections to Puerto Rico, and acts as a liaison between the island and the Puerto Rican diaspora.

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The MBLLC dedicates Latino Excellence awards to celebrate the leaders who work to improve and give back to our communities. The awards are a celebration of diverse cultures, excellence, and achievement in the Commonwealth. The honorees are known locally for their dedicated work in community engagement, education, business, and other fields. The Caucus invites all 200 state legislators to nominate a constituent or community leader for this award.

The goal of the MBLLC is to empower communities of color in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Their mission is to promote the voices from people of color, and to ensure the legislation is accountable and accessible to our communities.