A Brief Look at This Year’s Hispanic Culture Award Winners

The San Angelo Hispanic Heritage Museum & Cultural Center has announced the winners of their annual awards: “Honoring individuals who embody leadership, service, and cultural pride within our community. Each award is named after a visionary whose legacy continues to inspire San Angelo.” 

The Carolina Angela de la Garza Dewitt Legend Award is presented to the late Henry Hogeda, Sr., founder of The Original Henry’s Restaurant. 

Recognized for his extraordinary contributions to the development and cultural richness of San Angelo. The Hogeda’s restaurants in town have been the traditional meeting place for thousands of families across Texas, with a reputation for high quality and short wait times. 

Hogeda met his wife, Ofelia, working together at Zentner’s in Rowena. Together, they opened their first restaurant on Martin Luther King Drive. The original restaurant had only five tables, seating 20 people. They outgrew this location quickly and moved to Chadbourne St. which sat 300. Eventually they moved to their present location, which seats over 500.  

The award is named for Carolina Angela de la Garza Dewitt, the wife of the city’s founder and namesake of San Angelo. 

The Captain Albert Tijerina Jr. Trailblazer Award is presented to Rick De Hoyos, Attorney at Law. 

De Hoyos received his Bachelor’s Degree in Arts, and Masters in Public Administration from Angelo State, attending law school at UT Austin, graduating with his Doctorate in Jurisprudence in 1987. 

He practiced for three years in the Texas Attorney General’s Tort Litigation Division. After returning to San Angelo he served as assistant city attorney, assigned as the Municipal Court prosecutor for three years, later serving as senior trial attorney.

Opening his personal injury firm in 2003, and serving as the President of the Tom Green County Bar Association from 2003 to 2004, DeHoyos has built his practice into one of the most recognized names in the region.  

He currently serves as board chairman for the Minority Alliance Network Organization (MANO) San Angelo Chapter, where he has lead workshops on financial policy and management for minority business owners. 

The award is named for Captain Albert Tijerina Jr., a figure of courage, leadership, and unwavering service to both community and country.

The Eva Camuñez Tucker Service Award is presented to John Fuentes, owner of Fuentes Cafe Downtown. 

Recognized for his remarkable volunteerism and commitment to preserving Hispanic culture, he served on the board of directors for United Way, the Fort Concho Museum and is a long-standing member of the Downtown Association. 

Fuentes’ Restaurant opened downtown in 1985, where John and his family, especially his father Rosendo C. Fuentes, helped build up one of the best restaurants in town, in the former Concho Drug Building at Chadbourne Street and Beauregard Avenue. 

His dedication for the community shows in the newspaper clippings that stretch back four decades: Long term efforts like contributions to local youth programs and the Boys and Girls Club, down to the little details like downtown beautification and anti-littering campaigns. 

The award is named for Eva Camuñez Tucker, who exemplified kindness, stewardship, and the selfless dedication to uplifting others through service.

The Carol Santry Hispanic Educator Award is presented to Joe Gándar, principal of Lincoln Middle School. 

Recognized for his devotion to education, cultural understanding, and service, Gándar studied at Angelo State, graduating with his Bachelor of Science in 2002, and began teaching second grade at Reagan Elementary, moving on to teaching sixth and seventh grade at Robert E. Lee (Now Lone Star Middle School). 

He served as an at-risk coordinator at John Glenn Middle School, and then assistant principal at Carver Learning Center. As Principal at Lincoln, he was recognized as Secondary Principal of the Year by the Texas Association of Secondary Principals, Region 15. 

The award is named for Carol Santry, who dedicated her life to celebrating Hispanic culture through teaching and mentorship. This awardee exemplifies the power of education to build bridges and honor heritage.

The Amigo Awards are given to significant contributions to fostering understanding and bridging cultural divides in San Angelo.

Simon Rincon, owner of Nacho’s Restaurant, Cantina & Grill. Nacho’s has received attention recently for it’s pay-ahead program, where customers can buy meals for the hungry ahead of time. 

Maria Mejia, Director of Concho Valley Turning Point, coordinating services and treatment for the countless citizens of San Angelo that were helped by the program. 

Araceli Gutierrez, founder and CEO of Conexion Hispana Internacional, the only fully bilingual news outlet in San Angelo, who is often seen at any newsworthy event in town with camera in hand. 

The winners will be formally recognized at the 2025 Hispanic Heritage Banquet on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m. at the ASU CJ Davidson Conference Center.