EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE: Breaking down barriers

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Our Extraordinary Person of the Week is helping immigrants become a constructive part of the community. She was born in California after her parents came to America as immigrants. Her father became a businessman and her mother worked in outreach programs at a church. Lucy Vasquez decided to follow in those footsteps to help break down barriers in the Cape Fear.

UNCW students put together a promotional video for Amigos Internacional featuring the 2014 Festival Latino. It’s part of UNCW’s Building a Better Wilmington campaign.
In it you’ll find the diverse crowd taking part in everything from dancing to food to pinatas and games.

The event’s success is due in large part to Lucy Vasquez.

“(At)The first latino festival,” Lucy Vasquez told Daniel Seamans, “hardly any latinos came, compared to what I expected.”

Now in its 17th year, come November, thousands are expected to come to what is considered North Carolina’s largest latino event.

But Vasquez’s journey is much more than the festival she founded. Inside the doors of her outreach organization on Wrightsville Avenue is her mission to bring all walks of life together.

“We developed Central Latino,” Vasquez said. “It’s a location where people can come, we have english classes, spanish classes, we help children with tutoring and school work and set up appointments. It’s a place where people can bring their crisis.”

Vasquez says it’s about breaking down barriers. “Our motto is ‘you’re not alone, you have amigos”, she said.

Because when barriers start breaking you can find relationships building. “I admire the latino community, or any immigrant who comes to America,” Vasquez said. “Because unlike us,those who are born in the United States, they are really coming here because of a dream they want to capture.”

Her dream hasn’t been an easy path but a near death experience renewed her faith. “I said, God, I’m alive, you’re not through with me yet.”

And with the continued help of volunteers in the community, her extraordinary dream will have everyone dancing to a familiar beat.

If you would like to know more about Amigos Internacional and volunteering with the non-profit, contact Lucy Vasquez via email or phone.
(910) 341-0007 or lucyvasquez.amigos@gmail.com