[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING CARMEN ``DOLLY'' VAZQUEZ FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE TO WORCESTER 
            COUNTY AND CONGRATULATING HER ON HER RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 2015

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Carmen ``Dolly'' 
Vazquez. Next month Dolly will retire from Centro Las Americas after 23 
years of service to the Latino community in Worcester County.
  Dolly was born and raised in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She came to 
Central Massachusetts from San Francisco, California and began her 
cultural involvement in Worcester by volunteering at WCUW community 
radio station. At WCUW, she hosted a bi-weekly radio show, Herencia 
Puertoriquena for 13 years.
  Dolly was first hired in 1993 by Centro Las Americas to help manage 
their Latin American Festival, and she was later asked to head the 
organization's new Cultural Department.
  Since that Dolly has co-produced the annual Latin American Festival, 
the annual Latino Film Festival and the biennial Viva El Arte art show, 
among other endeavors.
  Dolly has been an active member of our community through her 
involvement with Hispanics Achieving and Celebrating Excellence of QCC, 
and Latino Dollars for Scholars. She is also an incorporator of the 
Worcester Art Museum, YWCA, the Joy of Music Program, and the Worcester 
Historical Museum. For eleven years she also served as board member of 
the Mass Cultural Council and is a former board member of You Inc.
  I want to thank Dolly for her years of service to Worcester County 
and I wish her the best of luck in the future. She is a remarkable 
person who has done so much for the community. I'm also proud to call 
her a close and treasured friend.

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