Lynnwood City Council leadership celebrated Sept. 16 as “Alfredo Arreguin Day” at a reception Monday with dozens of attendees. The reception included dancers and members of the Hispanic community wearing ornate traditional clothing. Many of them spoke when the council acknowledged Hispanic Heritage Month later in the evening. Council President Shannon Sessions read the proclamations in English while Council Vice President Julieta Altamirano-Crosby read them  in Spanish.

Many well-known members of the community attended the ceremony, including:

• Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, a former member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 46th district
• Alissa Jones, executive director of the Lynnwood Food Bank
• Maria Casey, executive director of The Fat Brush
• Paola Primera, national ambassador of the U.S. Coordination of Charreria
• Juan Mario Pimienta, president of the Union of Charros Associations of the State of Washington
• Adriana Maldonado, founder of the Aztec Dance Group Yolihuani
• Beatriz Koteles, Spanish GED instructor at Edmonds Community College
• Cecy Garcia Gutierrez, Gabriela Gutierrez, Cinthia Tiburcio, Diana Tiburcio and Adrian Olivas, all of whom represented the group Herencias Mexicanas
• Maria Anakotta, care consultant of the Alzheimer’s Association Washington State Chapter

An internationally renowned artist, Arreguin died in April at age 88. Arreguin was known as a leader in the Latin American art scene, and his 2009 piece, Green Lake, hangs in Lynnwood City Hall.

— Story and photos by Jasmine Contreras-Lewis