ABOUT

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Los Angeles educator and activist “Vickie” Castro was raised with her four brothers in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles.  She attended local schools, Euclid Ave., Hollenbeck Junior High, Roosevelt High School and Cal State LA, where she earned her teaching credential. She holds a master’s degree in Urban Education and Administration from Pepperdine University. She was elected to the Los Angeles Board of Education. She joined the E.L.A. Chapter of the  Association of Mexican American Educators( AMAE) where she later served as State President. Ms. Castro currently serves on several community-based board of directors.  Her activism, dedication, and leadership continue to contribute to community empowerment, educational reform and inspire those who follow in her footsteps.

Current Chief Real Estate Officer for Coalition for Responsible Community Development and past Vice President of Real Estate Development and Asset Management for ELACC. A graduate of CSUN with a BA in Urban Studies and Chicano Studies and UCLA with a MA in Urban Planning, Alejandro is devoted to ensuring that underserved communities have access to affordable housing and appropriate support services

Born in El Paso, Texas to selfless and hardworking immigrant parents and she considers herself fortunate to have been the first in my family to attend and graduate from a university with several degrees. Loving grandmother, mother, educator, and Chicana who is proud of her indigenous roots. She believes knowledge is power and through the Arts we can transform our lives by questioning, critiquing, understanding, and embracing our past, present and future existence on our planet.

Hails from and continues to reside in East Los Ángeles.   Continuing his parent’s Boyle Heights adolescent experience and direction, Martín actively practices a multicultural and multi-lingual celebration of Los Angeles’ varied communities.  He has performed for over five decades in symphonic, opera, film, theater, lecture/workshop, and dance productions throughout the Southwest.  He was an original member of Mariachi Mexicapán, conducting field research in Colima, México for a suite of “Bailes Colimenses” for Ballet Folklórico Mexicapán.   Currently, Martín performs with Danza Floricanto USA (Mariachi Mexicapán), the Community Choir of the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Ángeles  and the Verdi Opera Chorus as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Mariachi Foundation and the Angelica Center for Art and Music.

Christie Rios has been the Director of Programs for The Floricanto Center for the Performing Arts for over 14 years and assistant Director of Danza Floricanto/USA for over 17. Christie is a prolific choreographer who is inspired by the human condition and uses her voice to create dances on varied topics like, mental illness, stories of resiliency, molecular biology and motherhood….all while using the vocabulary of Mexican folk dance.

Co-founder and Executive Director for Danza Floricanto/USA, is a retired principal after serving for over 40 years with LAUSD. In his spare-time he designs, constructs, alters and keeps up Floricanto's extensive costume inventory.

Founder, Artistic director and choreographer for Danza Floricanto/USA, is devoted to illuminating her Mexican-American heritage through dance. 

Retired teacher and school administrator for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Born and raised in California, she comes from a family of 11 children. Many of whom have chosen music as their medium of artistic expression. She is a staunch supporter of art in all its forms.