Monterey County, California — The Siembra Latinos Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County invites nominations for the 2025 Alfred Diaz-Infante Award. The award was established in 2023, in partnership with Alfred’s family, to honor the late Alfred Diaz-Infante, a community leader and nonprofit executive who created partnerships to create opportunities for all. 

“Siembra” means “to sow,” and Alfred sowed seeds of goodwill and progress along his path, leaving this community better than he found it. This annual award honors Alfred’s work and legacy by recognizing individuals who work collaboratively to make positive change for the Latino community. 

“We are honored to present this award to someone who follows in my brother Alfred’s footsteps as a champion for the Latino community in Monterey County,” said Louie Diaz-Infante, Siembra Latinos Fund Advisory Council Chair. 

Nominations are due Friday, June 6, 2025 by 5 p.m. and information is available at cfmco.org/AlfredDiazInfanteAward. Award criteria include exhibiting values that reflect Alfred Diaz-Infante’s character, including humility, generosity, thoughtfulness, kindness, inclusivity, strength as well as his tireless efforts to create an equitable community. The individual must also be involved in one or more of these areas: equitable opportunities, civic engagement, collaboration, housing, education, environmental justice, farmworker community, environmental justice and mentoring and/or volunteering. 

The Siembra Latinos Fund presented the inaugural award in 2023 to Ernesto Vela, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of Student Services for the Monterey County Office of Education. In nearly 30 years in public education, Dr. Vela has served as an elementary school teacher, principal, district office administrator and program director. 

His dedication to migrant education and his work as a board member and team leader for the Salinas Valley Dream Academy demonstrate his commitment to improving the lives of local Latinos.  

The 2024 award was presented to Dr. Juan P. Magaña, founder, Minorities in Medicine and Hospitalist, at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP). Proud to have been born and raised in Salinas, Dr. Magaña finished his medical training in Internal Medicine at Duke University and returned home to join the medical team at CHOMP as a Hospitalist. He spearheaded the creation of a shadowing program at CHOMP where students from underrepresented backgrounds are provided meaningful mentorship and clinical exposure. For over five years Dr. Magaña and his team have opened the door to students who may not have otherwise had the opportunities to explore a career in medicine. In the last year alone, Minorities in Medicine students received over 2,000 hours of shadowing. 

The 2025 Alfred Diaz-Infante Award will be presented at the annual Siembra Latinos Fund Celebration on Saturday, September 20, 2025 from 4-6 p.m. at the CRŪ Winery in the Santa Lucia Highlands in Soledad. Tickets and sponsorship information will be available soon. 

About the Siembra Latinos Fund  

The mission of the Siembra Latinos Fund is to cultivate Latino leadership and opportunity in Monterey County. It has granted more than $130,000 since 2017 to organizations providing community-based programs to improve the quality of life of local Latinos. It is a fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County. For more information, visit cfmco.org/SLF. 

About the Community Foundation for Monterey County  

The mission of the CFMC is “to inspire philanthropy and be a catalyst for strengthening communities throughout Monterey County.” Thanks to generous individuals, families and businesses who have created charitable funds, the CFMC has granted more than $400 million to nonprofits working towards healthy, safe, vibrant communities since 1984. For more information, call 831.375.9712 or visit cfmco.org. 

About Alfred Diaz-Infante 
Alfred Diaz Infante was president and CEO of CHISPA (Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning), Inc., a nonprofit developer and provider of affordable housing based in Salinas. Alfred’s leadership and advocacy was pivotal in renovating and creating affordable housing in our region. He was a champion for increasing educational access to youth from farm-working families and increased opportunities for families to have access to open space and services near their communities.  

He gave back through volunteer board service for organizations including the Community Foundation for Monterey County, Big Sur Land Trust, Hartnell College Foundation, and Monterey Bay Economic Partnership. He also served as Monterey County planning commissioner and on the board of the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare District. He received Citizen of the Year Honors from the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Outstanding Leadership Award from Hartnell Foundation, where he created a scholarship to honor his parents and those of his wife, Elvira, who all valued education as a path to success.