LATIN TIMES MAGAZINE - 2019 Summer Edition | Page 29

in politics
Latina Lideres Awards
Commissioner Olga Gonzalez
2019 Latina Mover N Shaker
by: Jolie Gonzalez-Padilla
In the future, if it is God’s will, I will be the next
Mayor of Kissimmee. Many people ask me why
I want to change from city Commissioner to Mayor.
I feel it’s my time to step up into the next
leadership platform, and I feel that as Mayor of
the City of Kissimmee, I can make a bigger
difference in our community.
LTM: What part of Florida do you live in – are you
from Florida? If not – what brought you to Florida?
Olga Gonzalez: I am living in Kissimmee. I was born in Har-
lem Hospital, In N.Y. City. I was brought up in 112 St. be-
tween 0 Madison and Fifth. In a neighborhood, full of diver-
sity. There were Italians, Irish, Blacks, Hispanics, and Jewish,
Gangs, drug pushers, big time prostitution. In the midst of all
that we took care of one another. My parents came here from
P.R. My father running from his Spanish descent family be-
cause they were white and my mother was black skinned, they
did not want my mother, so my parents took a boat to N.Y.
LTM: Tell me about what you do for a living
Olga Gonzalez: At present, I am a Commissioner of the City of
Kissimmee, placed here believe it or not by God. I am a GM,
retiree. They retired me in 1995. I say they retired me because
that is how the system works, they have their ways of working
things out for their benefit, but in this case, it worked out for
my benefit. After many years of working in GM, I got involved
in the Union, UAW, local 664, where I became an EAP Rep. I
took care of the employees with their family problems, I con-
nected them to the correct agencies that would help them with
whatever problem they had, that could interfere in their job
production.
I am also running for Mayor of the City of Kissimmee and that
I have my Doctorate degree in Divinity. I am a Dr. lol
LTM: Tell me about what organizations you are a part of
Olga Gonzalez: After I was given early retirement, I decided
to open a non-profit Org. God put in my heart, that the same
thing I was doing in GM, why not do it in the Community.
I took three years Capacity Building classes with Esperanza
USA, situated in Philadelphia. I picked up a Resource book
from United Way, and started visiting all the agencies that
were out there to help the constituents of the community.
Whence was the Commence of Church and Community As-
sistance Program, Inc. I started to work with DCF, when they
started with the applications on the computer. We became the
largest agency filling out forms for DCF; I am even in a group
picture on the Links bus line. Church and Community became
the biggest One Stop Center in Orlando. I united with a group
L atin T imes M agazine
of ladies, which together, founded the Org. at the time called
Hispanos Trabajando Juntos, for the mere fact, that the His-
panic population was growing, but there was no organization
understanding Hispanics needs. We developed this group that
I took advantage of because, in the later future, they were my
connections, I was at every meeting so that they could see my
face because for one reason or another I was going to be knock-
ing on their door. Church and Community grew unbelievably
all the Org. Partnered with me. We didn’t have to go anywhere;
everyone wanted to join CCAP. We worked with the Dept. of
Health. Had diabetic workshops, gave furniture, help families
stay in a hotel until we worked with them, we worked with the
working poor, gave out 1500 boxes of food a month, and we did
so much more.
LTM: Tell us about what kind of projects you currently have go-
ing on
Olga Gonzalez: I have lots of programs going on all the time,
seeking some good sponsors. In March, we had a wonderful
activity for Women. It is called Able Women Empowerment
Expo and Awards, where we recognize women that are work-
ing for our communities, but no one knows about them. We
also award students from Colleges that are doing an outstand-
ing job in their school, also helping the communities. We are
now seeking space while working in the streets with families.
We continue to work with the working poor, who are the most
affected people in our communities.
LTM: What did I miss? Tell me something you want us to know!
Olga Gonzalez: I have gone through much more than you can
imagine, in my journey I met the man that changed my life for
good. His name is Jesus Christ. He leads my path, has given
me the boldness, and authority to stand before anyone, because
I stand in the truth. He is the way the life and the truth. I am
in this world, but I am not of this world, with Him all things
are possible. I live for Him, and then my family. I have four
wonderful children; He has given me 14 grandchildren, and 3
great-grandchildren. He has blessed me with a wonderful Cu-
ban man that, accepted me with three children, and helped me
become the woman that I am today.
Read more at: www.LatinTimesMedia.com
www .L atin T imes M agazine . com
A braza el calor de tu cultura !
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