Stories of Strength & Culture: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in Castroville
The community gathered at Echo Valley Elementary for an evening of stories, music, and celebration.
On October 7, 2025, I had the honor of being part of Stories of Strength and Culture, a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration hosted by Echo Valley Elementary. The evening brought together families, students, and community members to honor the rich history, resilience, and cultural pride of the North Monterey County community.
Mariachi Estrella de Joaquin Ruiz and Yaopiltzin âPequeños Guerrerosâ opened the night with music and dance.
The event opened on the lower blacktop with a community dinner, live mariachi music by Mariachi Estrella de Joaquin Ruiz, and a spirited performance by Yaopiltzin âPequeños Guerrerosâ, young dancers whose energy and passion reminded everyone of the beauty of tradition and youth.
At 6:00 p.m., the crowd gathered to hear from one of the most influential figures in U.S. history, Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers and lifelong advocate for labor rights, education, and equality. Listening to her speak in my hometown, among families like the one I grew up in, was a full-circle moment Iâll never forget.
Civil rights icon Dolores Huerta inspired attendees with her message of perseverance and unity.
A Homecoming to My Roots
I grew up in Castroville, surrounded by artichoke fields and hard-working families. My parents, Mexican immigrants, raised me in a small company-owned home. They didnât have much, but they gave me something invaluable â encouragement to draw, create, and dream. I carried a sketchbook everywhere, filling it with the stories and images that reflected the people and places around me.
JesĂșs grew up in the artichoke fields of Castroville, where his creative journey began.
After studying graphic design at Hartnell College and CSU Monterey Bay, I became the first in my family to graduate from college. Years later, while working as an art director in Silicon Valley, I walked into a grocery store and couldnât find a birthday card that looked or sounded like me, one that represented my culture, my humor, my family. That moment sparked Paper Tacos, a company that celebrates Latino culture through art, laughter, and corazĂłn.
Paper Tacos brings Latino culture, humor, and corazĂłn to the greeting card aisle.
Sharing Stories with the Next Generation
During the event, I spoke to families and students about my journey, from sketching in the fields to seeing Paper Tacos on Shark Tank. But more importantly, I wanted the kids to know that their stories matter. That creativity has no borders. And that our communityâs traditions, languages, and humor are not obstacles, theyâre superpowers.
As Carol Ruvalcaba, PTG President at Echo Valley, said in her invitation:
âIn the Mayan culture, the phrase In Lakâech â âTĂș eres mi otro yoâ â reminds us that when our children see someone who looks like them, speaks like them, and shares their story, they see whatâs possible.â
That message carried through the night, from every speaker, every song, and every smile in the room.
A Celebration of Community and Culture
The event concluded with heartfelt closing remarks by Adriana Melgoza-Ramirez, NMCUSD Board President, as families and students reflected on the eveningâs theme of unity and perseverance.
To be part of a program that included incredible leaders such as Dolores Huerta, Dr. Ernesto Vela, Juan SĂĄnchez of Palenke Arts, and many others was deeply humbling. It was a reminder that even though we all have different paths, artists, teachers, activists, entrepreneurs...weâre connected by our shared roots and our collective responsibility to uplift the next generation.
Looking Ahead
Leaving the event that night, I felt inspired. I thought about my younger self, sketchbook in hand, surrounded by the same fields that raised me. If that kid could have seen this moment, standing beside heroes like Dolores Huerta, sharing a story born in those same fields...he wouldâve believed anything was possible.
And thatâs exactly what I hope every child at Echo Valley took away: that their voice, their story, and their culture belong at the center of the American story.
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