Since 1857, Gran Centenario® has championed Mexican heritage and tradition, long celebrating the people, places, and moments that bring our community together.
Our “Angels on Earth” initiative recognizes and honors Hispanics across the country who, through their generosity, devotion, and hard work, are selflessly committed to supporting and uniting their communities.
We invite you to follow along as we toast to these extraordinary “Angels” and share their stories.
Mia Pia Sanchez
Por Todos Mask
At the start of COVID-19, Maria Pia Sanchez created ‘Por Todo,’ a Facebook group that created a community for individuals interested in helping with mask donation, and individuals across the country that are in need of masks. The Facebook group has sparked a worldwide network of Latinas volunteering to create over masks for those in need locally and globally.
As of this Fall, Sanchez and her team of friends have themselves donated over 14,000 masks to local hospitals including Cleveland Clinic Weston, Memorial Hospital Pembroke Pines, Mount Sinai, Genes Foundation, among others. The work of members within the Facebook group has resulted in an additional 4,000 mask donations worldwide.
Earth Marisol Catchings
Azteca Negra
Earth Marisol Catchings of Azteca Negra, an Afro-Latin company founded in 2013 that specializes in handcrafted jewelry, headwraps, and masks.
Azteca Negra is a culture-centered brand that creates accessories with both traditional Mexican and African textiles and upcycled materials.
For the last 7 years, Founder Marisol and her mother, Norma Saavedra, have traveled to Mexico to support local merchants by purchasing authentic textiles from their home country.
In response to COVID-19, Azteca Negra has donated over 500 specialized masks for healthcare workers across the nation, as a way to help protect and thank our healthcare community.
Tomas Delgado
Candelas Music and Arts Foundation
Tomas is the third-generation owner at Los Angeles’ Candelas Guitars – founded in Juarez, Mexico 90 years ago – and founder of Candelas Music and Arts Foundation, dedicated to improving the lives of musicians and artists.
Thanks to Candelas, many students have been able to continue to pursue their passion for music during these difficult and unprecedented times.
Gran Centenario® recognizes Tomas for supporting his community and will be making a financial donation to the Candelas Music and Arts Foundation to further its mission!
Cristina Lynch
Mi Golondrina
Based in Dallas, Cristina founded Mi Golondrina in 2013 to share the beauty and craft of Mexico with the modern woman and the rest of the world – and today, partners with over 600 artisans from all over Mexico.
In response to COVID-19, Mi Golondrina worked with seamstresses to produce masks for local hospitals and frontline workers.
Through relief efforts, Mi Golondrina was able to provide both jobs for the artisan partners and donations to those in need.
To date, Cristina has donated over 8,000 masks to the Dallas Methodist Hospital and National Breast Cancer Foundation, and plans on continuing these relief efforts.
Selma Raven and Sara Allen
The Friendly Fridge BX
Based in the Bronx of New York City, Selma and Sara founded The Friendly Fridge BX to help local families and struggling individuals provide food for their families.
In response to COVID-19, The Friendly Fridge BX worked with a network of 7 to 10 other community fridges along with local grocers, farmers markets, and bodegas across New York to provide daily access to healthy food for local community members, health care workers, and essential staff members.
The Friendly Fridge BX’s community fridge is filled and emptied as many as 4 times daily, in addition to initiatives from 50 other community fridges throughout New York’s boroughs.
