Topeka's Hispanic Heritage Month Awards

Dr. Sarah Lucero – Education Award Recipient

The Topeka Hispanic Heritage Month Festival is proud to recognize Dr. Sarah Lucero as this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month Education Award recipient.

A Topeka native and proud graduate of Topeka High School, Dr. Lucero has dedicated her life and career to education, service, leadership, and the empowerment of students and families throughout our community.

With more than 20 years of experience in public education, including 16 years in administration, Dr. Lucero has made a lasting impact on countless students, educators, and families. She previously served as a principal in Topeka, where one of the highlights of her career was leading the transformation of Scott Dual Language Magnet School into a bilingual school that became Kansas’s first International Spanish Academy recognized by the Embassy of Spain.

Throughout her career, Dr. Lucero’s dedication and leadership have earned her numerous honors and recognitions, including Leadership Greater Topeka Class of 2024, the YWCA Woman of Excellence in Education Award, MANA de Topeka’s Latinas in Education Award, the Martin Luther King Jr. Living the Dream Alma Award, the University of Kansas Whelan Leadership for Learning Award, and recognition from the Jayhawk Area Council’s 20 Under 40.

Dr. Lucero represents the important role education plays in strengthening our community, preserving culture, creating opportunities, and inspiring future generations. Her commitment to helping students succeed and empowering families reflects the leadership, cultural pride, and service that Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates.

The Topeka Hispanic Heritage Month Festival is honored to recognize Dr. Sarah Lucero for her outstanding contributions to education and the positive impact she continues to make throughout our community.

Congratulations, Dr. Sarah Lucero, on receiving the Hispanic Heritage Month Festival Education Award!

Andy Valdivia – Arts Award Recipient

The Topeka Hispanic Heritage Month Festival is proud to recognize Andrew “Andy” Valdivia of Topeka, Kansas, as a Hispanic Heritage Month Festival Arts Award recipient, honoring his many years of artistic achievement and his dedication to preserving the history, culture, and stories of Topeka’s Mexican American community.

Andy is a longtime Topeka artist and art educator whose work goes far beyond painting. Through his murals, he has become a visual storyteller, using art to preserve the people, neighborhoods, struggles, accomplishments, and traditions that have shaped generations of families in Topeka.

Among his most significant works are murals created for the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center and Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. His artwork explores the history of the parish, the struggle for civil rights, and the story of Topeka’s five historic Mexican barrios: North Topeka, East Topeka, Oakland, Neutral, and The Bottoms.

Creating these murals required much more than putting paint on a canvas. Andy spent countless hours researching, sketching, listening to community members, and learning from people who personally experienced the history he was portraying. Their memories helped him bring Topeka’s past to life and preserve stories that could otherwise be lost with time.

His murals feature local families and community members alongside important figures in American and Latino history, connecting Topeka’s story to the larger story of civil rights, culture, perseverance, and opportunity in America.

For Andy, art is also an expression of pride in his Mexican heritage. His work reminds us that the history of Topeka’s Hispanic community is not simply something found in books. It lives in our neighborhoods, churches, families, traditions, memories, and the stories passed from one generation to the next.

Through decades of creativity and dedication, Andy Valdivia has created a lasting visual record of our community’s history. His murals allow younger generations to see where they came from while honoring the people who helped build the community they know today.

The Topeka Hispanic Heritage Month Festival is honored to recognize Andrew “Andy” Valdivia for his outstanding contributions to the arts and for using his extraordinary talent to preserve and celebrate our community’s history and Hispanic heritage.

Raul Barron – Community Service Award Recipient

The Topeka Hispanic Heritage Month Festival is proud to recognize Raul “Coach” Barron as a recipient of the Community Service Award, honoring his extraordinary dedication to boxing, mentorship, and the young people of the Topeka community.

For 40 years, Coach Barron has dedicated himself to USA Boxing and to developing young athletes both inside and outside the ring. He also served for 10 years as a boxing official, giving decades of his time, knowledge, and experience to the sport he loves.

Coach Barron’s impact, however, reaches far beyond boxing. He has been a mentor, teacher, motivator, and positive influence for generations of young people. Known for being one of the first to arrive at practice and one of the last to leave, he has given countless hours of his time and energy to helping young fighters develop confidence, discipline, determination, and a strong work ethic.

Throughout his career, Coach Barron has helped young boxers pursue dreams of competing at higher levels, including aspirations of entering the professional ranks. More importantly, he has helped shape young men and women into stronger individuals, teaching lessons about perseverance, respect, commitment, and believing in themselves—lessons they can carry throughout their lives.

Even after four decades, Coach Barron continues to train a select group of fighters and remains committed to learning and sharing his experience with the next generation.

His legacy can be seen in every fighter he has trained, every young person he has encouraged, and every dream he has helped inspire.

The Topeka Hispanic Heritage Month Festival is honored to recognize Raul “Coach” Barron for his outstanding service to our community and his remarkable 40 years of dedication to boxing and Topeka’s youth.

Congratulations, Coach Barron, on receiving the Hispanic Heritage Month Festival Community Service Award! 

The Topeka Hispanic Heritage Month Awards proudly recognize outstanding individuals whose dedication, leadership, and service have made a meaningful impact in our community.

The Education Award honors an exceptional educator, mentor, administrator, or community leader who has demonstrated a strong commitment to education and the success of others. This recognition celebrates someone who inspires learning, creates opportunities, encourages future generations, and helps strengthen our community through education.

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we are proud to honor those whose hard work and dedication are helping build a brighter future while celebrating the achievements, culture, and contributions of our Hispanic community.

This award honors an outstanding individual whose passion, creativity, and dedication to music/arts have made a positive impact in our community.

Through artistic expression, performance, creativity, and cultural involvement, this recipient helps celebrate and preserve the richness of Hispanic and Latino heritage while inspiring others and bringing people together.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, we proudly recognize their talent, commitment, and contributions to the arts and thank them for helping keep our culture, traditions, music, and creativity alive for future generations.

Topeka’s Hispanic Heritage Month – Community Service Award Recipient

This award proudly recognizes an outstanding individual whose dedication to community service has made a meaningful and lasting impact in Topeka and the surrounding community.

The recipient exemplifies the spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month through leadership, compassion, volunteerism, and a commitment to helping others. Through their time, talents, and service, they have worked to strengthen our community, support those in need, and create opportunities that bring people together.

This recognition celebrates not only what they have accomplished, but also the positive example they continue to set for future generations.