Many people stepped up during the pandemic to see communities throughout Boulder County through. On Sept. 30, the Boulder Chamber will honor Longmont resident Berenice Garcia Tellez, in its 26th annual Women Who Light the Community celebration, at the Lionsgate Event Center.
Garcia Tellez is an economic sustainability specialist for the city of Longmont and vice-chair for the Latino Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. During the pandemic, she has supported Latino businesses through the hard economic moments, coordinated community equity events — allowing 1,000+ members of the Latino community to receive the vaccine — and assisted minority-owned businesses in adopting sustainability concepts.
“This event honors women who have made significant, innovative contributions to our community by addressing meaningful business, nonprofit, education, arts and community needs,” according to the award page.
Garcia Tellez’s work was recognized by Ricardo Cabrera — Latino Chamber of Boulder County operations manager — who nominated her for the award.
Maye Cordero, director of marketing and events with the Boulder Chamber said, “Nominees were ranked based on the criteria, attitude, academic (for youth honoree), extra-curricular (for youth honoree), community, civic and leadership (impacts).”
“I believed my colleagues at the Latino Chamber put together an application for the work I did through the Latino Chamber in a year that none of us will ever forget,” Garcia Tellez said, adding none of it would be possible without the support of colleagues and family.
Garcia Tellez was influenced by many things in her journey to become an economic sustainability specialist.
“Especially working and living in different places,” Garcia Tellez said, “Meeting people from diverse backgrounds and my technical expertise in environmental engineering has allowed me to navigate different systems and audiences in my role.”
She believes her work has helped her to use her skill set to support the development of Latino businesses, the business community and help them to be more sustainable.
Before Garcia Tellez worked to help Latino businesses during the pandemic, she researched climate change in Turkey, Italy and Norway.
“I am honored and humbled to have been recognized for my achievements in a challenging year,” Garcia Tellez said. “I’m happy to know businesses are seeing my work as a safe platform to access information and get technical assistance, and I’m happy Latino businesses trust our work and this award is dedicated to them too.”
She said she will continue to support businesses through the pandemic recovery and find other ways to help and support the Latino community.
Garcia Tellez is one of six winners of the Women Who Light the Community award.
The other 2021 winners include Jacqueline Attlesey-Pries, vice president of operations and chief nursing officer for Boulder Community Health, Jan Burton, a former city of Boulder councilmember and high-tech executive, Ana Karina Casas Ibarra, Promotoras de Salud program coordinator at El Centro AMISTAD and community connector in residence for the city of Boulder, Annett James president of the Boulder County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Janell Tarma Camposano a youth award winner from Skyline High School.
The celebration will be hybrid, both in-person and online.
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