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New York, NY - “The world desperately
needs more art, more creativity, more
joy, more dance, more dreamers dreaming
dreams”, said Carolina Herrera Creative
Director Wes Gordon at Casita
Maria Center for Arts and Education’s
2024 Fiesta benefit. “I'm
so enormously grateful for Casita
Maria’s amazing work, teaching the next
generation to dream and create a better
world.” Wes was awarded their Gold Medal
of Honor, alongside philanthropist Lucy
Doughty, and gallerists James J.
Borynack and Adolfo Zaralegui (Wally
Findlay Galleries International).
Lucy Doughty said, “Live a life of
community and you'll be surprised that
although we consider being of service as
helping others, you’ll come to the
realization that being of service is
actually a gift you give to yourself.
I’m grateful to Casita Maria for this
honor, but more importantly, I thank you
for honoring and encouraging, with so
much care, all the children of Casita
Maria, and for acknowledging that all of
us have potential, but very few have
opportunities.”
James J. Borynack and Adolfo Zaralegui echoed
that sentiment, sharing, “Our first
thought tonight as we arrived here at
this beautiful event was the children
and the families that are served by
Casita Maria, and we'd like to thank all
of you for supporting them and
furthering their education and needs.”
Casita Maria, the oldest Latin charity
in New York, celebrated their 90th
annual Fiesta with Chairs HRH
Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia and Jacquline
Weld Drake. Jacqueline, has served
as Board Chair for many years and was
presented with Casita Maria’s first
Living Legend Award. She said, “To
quote Audrey Hepburn, ‘children
are our greatest asset’. That's been my
motto. I am extremely proud to be
involved in Casita Maria. I'm proud of
the work we do, and grateful for our
Executive Director Felix Urrutia,
for my ever-supportive Board of
Directors, and for all of you for
continuing to support us.”
At The Plaza Hotel, cocktails began in
the Terrace Room, before moving up to
the Ballroom for dinner. Speeches were
short, and guests danced the night away.
Artist Gustavo Novoa donated a
painting that was auctioned off to
benefit Casita Maria. Many attendees -
including Jean Shafiroff - wore
Carolina Herrera gowns to pay respect to
Wes Gordon.
Guests included Paul Arnhold, Jody Arnhold, Muffie Potter
Aston, Yanna Avis, Alex Badia, Janna
Bullock, Sharon Bush, Lady Liliana
Cavendish, Layla Diba, Jennifer Fischer,
Susan Gutfreund (with Lucky),
Michele Gerber Klein, Patricia Herrera
Lansing, Elizabeth Meigher, Vanessa
Noel, Sana Sabbagh, Jeanette and
Alexander Sanger, Hunt Slonem, and Barbara
Tober.
The 90th Anniversary Committee Chairs
included Ben
Rodriguez-Cubenas, George Corton, Sissi
Isabel Fleitas-Refaie, Darlyn Portes, Jean
Shafiroff, and Mary
Snow.
The 90th Anniversary Committee includes Ana Cristina Alvarado, Peter Bacanovic, Emilia
and Pepe Fanjul, Jennifer Fischer, Lydia
Forbes, Christopher Mason, Ann Nitze,
Sergio Orozco, Thomas C. Quick, Marc
Rosen, Christine and Steve Schwarzman,
Raul Suarez, Adrienne and Gianluigi
Vittadini, Lynne Wheat, and Saunda
Whitney.
Casita Maria Center for Arts and
Education
Casita Maria is a youth, family and
community serving arts, culture and
education organization in the Hunts
Point/Longwood section of the South
Bronx. We were established in East
Harlem in 1934 by Claire and Elizabeth
Sullivan and Sister Mary Imelda who
observed waves of Spanish-speaking
people pouring in from Puerto Rico in
need of essential services.
While settlement houses were in place to
address the needs of the poor, this
population was made up of predominantly
Jewish, Irish, and Italian immigrants.
Seeing the disparity and isolation of
the newly arriving Spanish-speaking
community, Claire, Elizabeth, and Sister
Mary provided critical nutrition,
housing, childcare, and educational
support. What they could not know at the
time was that they were championing
social justice long before the term was
coined for what would become one of
America’s most historically marginalized
groups.
For 90 years, Casita Maria has expanded
its population base to serve all people
of color and continues to serve as an
oasis, safe haven, and gathering place
for hope and enrichment through arts,
culture, education, and recreation. In
2009, Casita Maria inaugurated a
state-of-the-art facility encompassing
performance spaces, exhibition gallery,
dance and music studios, and more on its
Simpson Street campus. This 90,000
square foot, six-story educational and
cultural facility in collaboration with
the Department of Education has enabled
Casita Maria to expand its scope and
capacities as a beacon of excellence. |