Dear Amigos – What a landmark year 2014 was for ¡HICA! The year began with our move into our new building, during Snomageddon, no less! We celebrated our 15th Anniversary at Regions Field with ¡HICA! Night with Los Barons in June, and by year’s end, had facilitated integration for more than 3,500 Hispanic families. The core of ¡HICA!’s mission is integration. Many may think of school integration from the 1970’s when we hear that word. At ¡HICA!, integration is much more complex and involves immigrants becoming accepted into our communities both as individuals and groups. Much of this process depends on the level of acceptance by the receiving community. ¡HICA! would not exist today, more than 15 years after our founding, if it were not for the willingness of the receiving community, Greater Birmingham and Central Alabama, to welcome our new neighbors. So we thank you, Birmingham and Alabama, for being accepting and supporting us. Your welcoming us has helped HICA grow into a trusted and respected community institution. All the best Board President Tony Smoke cuts the ribbon on ¡HICA!’s new building. Other board members pictured (left to right): Sheriff Mike Hale, Teresa Odom, Isabel Rubio, Willie Chriesman, Linda G. Kramer, Yolanda Jackson, Maricela Garcia.
Isabel Rubio, Executive Director