Our Story
Latino Legacy Foundation
The LLF is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit tax-exempt organization, based in San Diego, California.
The genesis of the LLF dates back to 1994, with the creation of 100 Portraits: Pioneers, Visionaries and Role Models, a community collaborative, traveling photographic exhibit, and soft-cover book (later published in 2001) that highlighted the contributions of San Diego’s Mexican-American community—the first pictorial exhibit and book of its kind at the time.
While San Diego’s Latino base is still predominantly Mexican-American, the Latino and Hispanic community is more diverse, resulting in the richness of our community.
Consider that since 1994, San Diego county’s population has grown from more than 2.4 million to more than 3.3 million. Of that number, Latinos/Hispanics comprise almost 34 percent of the general population, according to the 2020 U.S Census Bureau.
The creator & producer of the “100 Portraits,” Emmy award-winning journalist and producer, Maria Velasquez, believed it was time to look back, look at the present, and look ahead.
The Latino Legacy Foundation was founded with a group of colleagues and friends who embraced the mission.
Founding Board of Directors
A seven-member volunteer board of directors governs the activities of the Latino Legacy Foundation.
Maria Velasquez
President & Chair
Maria Velasquez Communications
Emmy Award-Winning Television Journalist & Producer
Richard Ybarra
Vice Chair
CEO Mission Neighborhood Centers,
San Francisco, CA
Former Executive Assistant to César Chavez
Ricardo Flores
Secretary & Treasurer
Executive Director LISC San Diego
Edward Lopez
Board Member
Executive Director UCAN
Board Member San Diego Unified School District (1996-2004)
Maria Nieto Senour, Ph.D.
Board Member
Former President, San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees
Professor Emerita San Diego State University
Joseph Martinez
Board Member
Award-winning Architect
Author & Academician
George Saldamando
Board Member
SDPD Assistant Police Chief, Retired