Quetzal Award Celebration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Guatemalan Center of New England

Email: info@guatemalancenterne.orgPhone: (401) 238-6149

Guatemalan Center of New England Announces 2026 Quetzal Award Gala Honoring Community Leadership and Cultural Pride

Providence, RI — The Guatemalan Center of New England proudly announces the annual Quetzal Award Gala, to be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM at the Marriott Hotel, One Orms Street, Providence, RI. This signature cultural celebration honors individuals whose leadership uplifts and strengthens Guatemalan and immigrant communities throughout New England.

The 2026 Quetzal Award will be presented to Catarina Lorenzo, Executive Director of Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance (AMOR). Catarina’s unwavering commitment to immigrant rights, community protection, and collective empowerment has made a profound impact across the region. Her leadership reflects the spirit and mission of the Guatemalan Center of New England: to promote cultural pride, unity, and advocacy for Guatemalan and Latinx communities.

The evening’s keynote speaker is Jennifer De Leon. Born in the Boston area to Guatemalan parents, Jennifer De Leon is the award-winning author of the YA novels Borderless, featured on the Today show, and Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From. Her work centers immigrant stories, identity, and the transformative power of voice and belonging.

In addition to honoring community leadership, the Gala will also celebrate five student scholarship recipients, recognizing outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to cultural heritage. These awards reflect the Guatemalan Center’s dedication to supporting and empowering future generations.

The event will feature live music, cultural dance presentations, dinner, and opportunities for community connection and celebration.

Event Details

Date: Friday, January 30, 2026

Time: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Location: Marriott Hotel, One Orms Street, Providence, RI

Cost: $150 per person

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.guatemalancenterne.org.

About the Guatemalan Center of New England

Founded in 2010, the Guatemalan Center of New England is dedicated to promoting Guatemalan culture, strengthening connections between Guatemala and New England, and supporting the needs and empowerment of Guatemalan communities throughout the region.

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PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA

Contacto: Centro Guatemalteco de Nueva Inglaterra

Correo: info@guatemalancenterne.orgTeléfono: (401) 2386149

El Centro Guatemalteco de Nueva Inglaterra Anuncia la Gala del Premio Quetzal 2026 Celebrando Liderazgo Comunitario y Orgullo Cultural

Providence, RI — El Centro Guatemalteco de Nueva Inglaterra se complace en anunciar la Gala Anual del Premio Quetzal, que se llevará a cabo el viernes, 30 de enero de 2026, de 7:00 PM a 11:00 PM, en el Hotel Marriott, ubicado en One Orms Street, Providence, RI. Este evento cultural emblemático honra a personas cuyo liderazgo fortalece y eleva a las comunidades guatemaltecas y migrantes en toda Nueva Inglaterra.

Este año, el Premio Quetzal 2026 será otorgado a Catarina Lorenzo, Directora Ejecutiva de la Alianza para Movilizar Nuestra Resistencia (AMOR). Su compromiso inquebrantable con los derechos de los inmigrantes, la protección comunitaria y el empoderamiento colectivo refleja el espíritu y la misión del Centro Guatemalteco: promover el orgullo cultural, la unidad y la defensa de nuestras comunidades.

La oradora principal de la noche es Jennifer De Leoon. Nacida en el área de Boston, de padres guatemaltecos, Jennifer De León es la galardonada autora de las novelas juveniles Borderless, que apareció en el programa Today, y Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From. Su trabajo se centra en las historias de inmigrantes, la identidad y el poder transformador de la voz y la pertenencia.

Además, durante la gala se reconocerá a cinco estudiantes becarios, celebrando su excelencia académica, liderazgo y compromiso con su herencia cultural. Estas becas reflejan la dedicación del Centro Guatemalteco a apoyar y empoderar a las futuras generaciones.

La noche incluirá música en vivo, presentaciones culturales, cena y espacios para el encuentro y la celebración comunitaria.

Detalles del Evento

Fecha: Viernes, 30 de enero de 202

Hora: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Lugar: Hotel Marriott, One Orms Street, Providence, RI

Costo: $150 por persona incluye

Venta de boletos y oportunidades de patrocinio en: www.guatemalancenterne.org

Sobre el Centro Guatemalteco de Nueva Inglaterra

Fundado en 2010, el Centro Guatemalteco de Nueva Inglaterra se dedica a promover la cultura guatemalteca, fortalecer las conexiones entre Guatemala y Nueva Inglaterra, y apoyar las necesidades y el empoderamiento de la comunidad guatemalteca en la región.

Bio for Jennifer de Leon 

Born in the Boston area to Guatemalan parents, Jennifer De Leon is the award-winning author of the YA novels Borderless, featured on the Today show, and Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From. She is also the author of White Space: Essays on Culture, Race, and Writing which won the Juniper Prize from the University of Massachusetts Press. She is currently working on two children’s picture books—Sammy and Samuel, and a biography of Nobel Peace Prize winner, Rigoberta Menchú. Jenn is also the editor of Wise Latinas: Writers on Higher Education, an International Latino Book Award-winning anthology. As a tenured Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Framingham State University and faculty member for the Newport MFA Program directed by Ann Hood, she has published prose in over a dozen literary journals including Ploughshares, Iowa Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, and more. She is also a contributor on NPR.

Jenn graduated from Connecticut College with a double major in International Relations and French, earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of San Francisco’s Center for Teaching Excellence and Social Justice while in the Teach For America program, and later, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from UMASS-Boston. She has received several awards and residencies from organizations across the country, including the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Hedgebrook, Macondo, VONA, Associates of the Boston Public Library’s Writer-in-Residence Program, and the City of Boston’s Artist-in-Residence Program.

Jenn is the founder of Story Bridge, a program which aims to bring people together from all walks of life to shape, share, and hear each other’s unique stories. Every Story Bridge participant walks away with new, unforgettable connections. Jenn currently makes her home outside of Boston with her husband and two sons.