Esperanza Velásquez

Miembro Bio:

As co-founder of the Mississippi Hispanic Association (MHA), Mrs. Velásquez served as the first MHA president and a Board Member for five years (1995-2000). Mrs. Velásquez currently serves as Chair of the Board and as fund-raiser for the “Run to the Latin Beat” 5K 2016.

Mrs. Velásquez is from Colombia, South America, where she attained a Bachelor’s degree in Languages, emphasis in Spanish, and taught Spanish for many years before she moved to Mississippi in 1982. She has an Associate’s degree from Hinds Community College (HCC) in Programming and Data Processing; a Master’s degree from Jackson State University (JSU) in Education, emphasis in Spanish; and is currently pursuing a doctorate degree at JSU in Early Childhood Education, emphasis in reading. Mrs. Velásquez taught at HCC from 1987 to 1993 as an adjunct instructor. In 1987, she became the first director of the Foreign Language Center at JSU. Since 1993, Mrs. Velásquez has been a Spanish instructor at JSU.

Mrs. Velásquez is married, has three daughters and four granddaughters. She draws from her experience and the knowledge she has gained as an immigrant to contribute to the well-being of the Hispanic community in Mississippi. Mrs. Velásquez strongly argues that “education is the most effective tool by which to climb the social, economic, and political ladder, especially for us immigrants.” On October 23, 2005, Mrs. Velásquez was presented with the “Woman of the Year” award by the Minority and Small Business Development Division for her dedication to the community.

Elsa Baughman

Miembro Bio:

Elsa Baughman, a co-founder of the Mississippi Hispanic Association, is currently the secretary of MHA. She was born in Venezuela and has been living in the United States since 1976. She received a master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Southern Mississippi and a B.A. in journalism from the University of Zulia in Venezuela. Currently she works as Spanish editor of Mississippi Catholic, the newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Jackson where she began working in 1996. She also is a freelance interpreter and translator for several national companies. She is married and has two daughters.

Victoria Scantlebury

Miembro Bio:

Victoria ha sido miembro de la d Asociación Hispana de Misisipi desde sus inicios.  Ha servido en varios cargos incluyendo Presidente, Coordinadora de Actividades Infantiles para el Festival Latino, y también ha sido bailarina y coreógrafa del grupo folclórico de la Asociación.  Victoria nació en la República de Panamá, y ha estado viviendo en Misisipi por mas de 20 anos.  Es profesoras de español en Jackson Public Schools y Profesora Adjunta de Español en Jackson State University.  En 1997 Victoria se graduó de Jackson State University con un B.S. en Psicología y un minor en Lenguas Extranjeras, y en el 2001 con una maestría en Educción Secundaria con una concentración en español.  También tiene una Certificacion para ensenar ingles como segunda lengua (ESL) de Mississippi College.