{"id":13077,"date":"2026-01-21T17:39:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:39:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/?p=13077"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:39:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:39:18","slug":"arturo-ortiz-retires-from-advocates-for-basic-legal-equality-inc-able","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/21\/arturo-ortiz-retires-from-advocates-for-basic-legal-equality-inc-able\/","title":{"rendered":"Arturo Ortiz Retires from Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Celebrating his 40 Years of Community Advocacy<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Jessica Molina<\/em><\/p>\n

There are not many occasions when someone can say they have committed themselves, wholeheartedly, to a cause for 40 years. But every once in a while, we encounter a shining star, a rare individual who embodies that level of dedication and passion. Our community experienced this with Arturo Ortiz.<\/p>\n

Arturo has served the Latino, immigrant, and migrant community for over four decades, beginning in 1987. He started his career through Migrant Education initiatives, traveling throughout the region to migrant farm camps to provide services and, eventually, legal assistance. Over the years, Arturo\u2019s work spanned numerous organizations, including PathStone, La Raza Unida de Ohio, the Ohio Hispanic Institute of Opportunities, Ohio Farmworker Opportunities, the Farmworker Agencies Liaison Communication and Outreach Network, and Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE).<\/p>\n

Stories of Arturo\u2019s impact, joyful spirit, and unique triumphs were shared at his recent retirement celebration held at ABLE in downtown Toledo. Speakers included Heather Hall, Deputy Director of ABLE; Katie Kersh, senior attorney and project director; Patty Hernandez, Executive Director of LAWO; Dr. Jose Salinas, Director of the Ohio Migrant Education Center; and Miguel Keberlein Gutierrez, Executive Director of Legal Aid Society and General Counsel at Metropolitan Family Services. Local voices included Dr. Linda Alvarado Arce, Board President of Avance Latinx Academic Society & Editor of La Prensa, Inc.; Linda Ruiz-Bringman, Assistant Superintendent of Toledo Public Schools; and me, Jessica Molina, educational consultant and former migrant farm worker.<\/p>\n

Throughout the program, it was clear that Arturo worked hard and found ways to bring joy into this challenging and emotionally demanding work. Colleagues described Arturo as a playful prankster, known for calling people by the wrong name or pretending not to speak Spanish. Arturo later shared that humor was not incidental to the work, but essential. Advocating for immigrants and migrant farm workers can be difficult and heartbreaking. Finding ways to laugh with colleagues and enjoy one another is what sustained him for so many years.<\/p>\n

Arturo\u2019s career was recognized with numerous honors. Governor Mike DeWine submitted an official recognition naming Arturo a tremendous asset to both his colleagues and the broader community. Senator Robert McColley and Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson also honored Arturo, commending his advocacy in employment, immigration, civil, public, and tax law. He received a proclamation from the Lucas County Commissioners for his decades of service. The Toledo City Council acknowledged his growth from an outreach worker to a senior paralegal. He earned two Champion of Justice Awards and was inducted into the Rural Opportunities Hall of Fame. Toledo Public Schools\u2019 (TPS) Escuela SMART\u2019s advisory board, Avance Latinx Acad\u00e9mico Society (ALAS), and TPS recognized him for educating families about their options and helping to keep them safe with a certificate that was prepared by Colette Cordova, Vice-President of ALAS.<\/p>\n

While the celebration marked the end of Arturo Ortiz\u2019s formal career, it served as much more than a farewell. It was a collective expression of gratitude for a man who spread knowledge, advocacy, joy, and laughter throughout his work. As Arturo steps into his well-earned rest, his legacy stands as a reminder to those who continue this work: to serve relentlessly, and to intentionally create moments of joy and laughter to sustain the stamina this work requires.<\/p>\n

The retirement program was organized by Wendy Avi\u00f1a and Estela Melendez, who thoughtfully arranged the program, gifts, and refreshments. It was catered by Sofia Quintero Art & Cultural Center.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Arturo Ortiz Retira de Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Por Jessica Molina<\/strong><\/p>\n

Celebrando sus 40 A\u00f1os de Defensa de la Comunidad<\/strong><\/p>\n

No son muchas las ocasiones en que alguien puede decir que se ha dedicado de todo coraz\u00f3n a una causa durante 40 a\u00f1os. Pero de vez en cuando, encontramos una estrella brillante, una persona excepcional que encarna ese nivel de dedicaci\u00f3n y pasi\u00f3n, y nuestra comunidad lo ten\u00eda con Arturo Ortiz.<\/p>\n

Arturo ha servido a la comunidad latina, inmigrante y migrante durante m\u00e1s de cuatro d\u00e9cadas, comenzando en 1987. Inici\u00f3 su carrera a trav\u00e9s de iniciativas de Educaci\u00f3n para Migrantes, viajando por toda la regi\u00f3n a los campamentos de trabajadores agr\u00edcolas migrantes para brindar servicios y, eventualmente, asistencia legal. A lo largo de los a\u00f1os, el trabajo de Arturo abarc\u00f3 numerosas organizaciones, incluyendo PathStone, La Raza Unida de Ohio, el Instituto Hispano de Oportunidades de Ohio, Oportunidades para Trabajadores Agr\u00edcolas de Ohio, la Red de Comunicaci\u00f3n y Extensi\u00f3n de Agencias para Trabajadores Agr\u00edcolas y Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE).<\/p>\n

Historias sobre el impacto de Arturo, su esp\u00edritu alegre, y sus triunfos \u00fanicos se compartieron en su reciente celebraci\u00f3n de jubilaci\u00f3n, celebrada en ABLE (en el centro de Toledo). Entre los oradores se encontraban Heather Hall, subdirectora de ABLE; Katie Kersh, abogada s\u00e9nior y directora de proyecto; Patty Hern\u00e1ndez, directora ejecutiva de LAWO; el Dr. Jos\u00e9 Salinas, director del Centro de Educaci\u00f3n para Migrantes de Ohio; y Miguel Keberlein Guti\u00e9rrez, director ejecutivo de Legal Aid Society y asesor general de Metropolitan Family Services. Entre las voces locales se encontraban la Dra. Linda Alvarado Arce, presidenta de la junta directiva de Avance Latinx Academic Society y editora de La Prensa, Inc.; Linda Ruiz-Bringman, superintendente adjunta de las Escuelas P\u00fablicas de Toledo; y yo, Jessica Molina, consultora educativa y extrabajadora agr\u00edcola migrante.<\/p>\n

A lo largo del programa, qued\u00f3 claro que Arturo trabaj\u00f3 arduamente y encontr\u00f3 maneras de aportar alegr\u00eda a este trabajo desafiante y emocionalmente exigente. Sus colegas describieron a Arturo como un bromista juguet\u00f3n, conocido por llamar a las personas por el nombre equivocado o fingir que no hablaba espa\u00f1ol. Arturo comparti\u00f3 m\u00e1s tarde que el humor no era algo incidental en el trabajo, sino esencial. Defender a los inmigrantes y a los trabajadores agr\u00edcolas migrantes puede ser dif\u00edcil y desgarrador. Encontrar maneras de re\u00edr con los colegas y disfrutar de la compa\u00f1\u00eda mutua fue lo que lo sostuvo durante tantos a\u00f1os.<\/p>\n

La carrera de Arturo fue reconocida con numerosos honores. El gobernador Mike DeWine present\u00f3 un reconocimiento oficial nombrando a Arturo como un gran activo tanto para sus colegas como para la comunidad en general. Los senadores Robert McColley y Paula Hicks-Hudson tambi\u00e9n rindieron homenaje a Arturo, elogiando su labor en defensa de los derechos laborales, migratorios, civiles, p\u00fablicos y fiscales. Recibi\u00f3 una proclamaci\u00f3n de la Junta de Comisionados del Condado de Lucas por sus d\u00e9cadas de servicio. El Ayuntamiento de Toledo reconoci\u00f3 su trayectoria, desde trabajador comunitario hasta asistente legal s\u00e9nior. Recibi\u00f3 dos premios Campe\u00f3n de la Justicia y fue incluido en el Sal\u00f3n de la Fama de Oportunidades Rurales. La junta asesora de la Escuela SMART de las Escuelas P\u00fablicas de Toledo (TPS), la Sociedad Acad\u00e9mica Latinx Avance (ALAS) y TPS le otorgaron un certificado, preparado por Colette C\u00f3rdova, vicepresidenta de ALAS, en reconocimiento a su labor de informar a las familias sobre sus opciones y ayudarlas a mantenerse seguras.<\/p>\n

Si bien la celebraci\u00f3n marc\u00f3 el final de la carrera formal de Arturo Ortiz, fue mucho m\u00e1s que una simple despedida. Fue una expresi\u00f3n colectiva de gratitud hacia un hombre que comparti\u00f3 conocimiento, dedicaci\u00f3n, alegr\u00eda y risas a lo largo de su trabajo. Ahora que Arturo disfruta de su merecido descanso, su legado sirve de inspiraci\u00f3n para quienes contin\u00faan esta labor: servir incansablemente y crear intencionalmente momentos de alegr\u00eda y risas para mantener la energ\u00eda que este trabajo requiere.<\/p>\n

El programa de jubilaci\u00f3n fue organizado por Wendy Avi\u00f1a y Estela Mel\u00e9ndez, quienes se encargaron de los regalos y la comida. Sofia Quintero Art & Cultural Center (SQACC) se encarg\u00f3 del servicio de catering.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Celebrating his 40 Years of Community Advocacy By Jessica Molina There are not many occasions when someone can say they have committed themselves, wholeheartedly, to a cause for 40 years. But every once in a while, we encounter a shining star, a rare individual who embodies that level of dedication and passion. Our community experienced<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13079,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_rtcl_gb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[296],"class_list":["post-13077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"aioseo_notices":[],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo.jpg",700,525,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo.jpg",700,525,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo.jpg",700,525,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo-300x225.jpg",300,225,true],"large":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo.jpg",640,480,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo.jpg",700,525,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo.jpg",700,525,false],"rtcl-gallery":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo-700x462.jpg",700,462,true],"rtcl-thumbnail":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo-320x240.jpg",320,240,true],"rtcl-gallery-thumbnail":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo-150x105.jpg",150,105,true],"psacp-medium":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo-500x500.jpg",500,500,true],"rpwe-thumbnail":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/arturo-45x45.jpg",45,45,true]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"LaPrensa Newspaper","author_link":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/author\/laprensa\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"Articles<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Celebrating his 40 Years of Community Advocacy By Jessica Molina There are not many occasions when someone can say they have committed themselves, wholeheartedly, to a cause for 40 years. But every once in a while, we encounter a shining star, a rare individual who embodies that level of dedication and passion. Our community experienced","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13077"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13077\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13081,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13077\/revisions\/13081"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13077"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=13077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}