Hispanic Heritage Month: Bridging Communities Together for a More Resilient Future

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions and cultural heritage of Hispanic and Latino Americans. We could not deliver the Red Cross mission without our many Hispanic staff, volunteers and donors. Among our dedicated Red Crossers is Diana Manzo-Prado of Central California. Diana’s Journey with the Red Cross In 2021, Diana decided to embark on a significant life change, transitioning from a career in retail to becoming a business operations coordinator for the Red Cross, where she found her footing within the organization. Diana’s inspiration to become deeply involved in disaster services and preparedness evolved during her deployment to Florida in response to Hurricane Ian in 2022. Working night shifts at a shelter, she overcame initial challenges and discovered her passion for hands-on disaster response. This experience ignited her strong desire to be “boots on the ground,” actively helping people and making a difference in their lives. Shortly after she returned home, California experienced historic rain and flooding due to a series of powerful atmospheric rivers this winter. Diana once again responded to provide disaster relief, but this response effort struck close to home. Diana’s hometown of Planada was severely impacted by devastating flooding across her community, and she spent weeks dedicating herself to connecting her neighbors, family members and even former teachers to resources including shelter, clean w...
Source: Red Cross Chat - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Disaster american red cross community partnerships diana manzo-prado disaster operations diverse community engagement hispanic community Hispanic Heritage Month Latino Community red cross central california red cross disaster red cro Source Type: news