Congressman Neguse Announces El Comité de Longmont as Winner of 2025 Polly Baca Raíces Fuertes Community Service Award In Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

Lafayette, CO —Today, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse and his staff announced that El Comité de Longmont has been named the winner of his annual Polly Baca Raíces Fuertes Community Service Award. He made note of the organization’s decades of service to Colorado’s Latino community. For 45 years, El Comité de Longmont has offered reliable and compassionate support by providing low cost or free services including ESL classes, one-on-one case case management, immigration attorney consultations, and much more. 

“Amid challenging times, El Comité de Longmont has been an anchor for our Latino community. And no group is more deserving of this year’s Polly Baca Raíces Fuertes Community Service Award than their dedicated Board of Directors and staff,” said Congressman Neguse. “El Comité de Longmont sets the bar high for community-based service through their unwavering commitment to human rights, dignity, and justice. We are truly grateful for all they do.”

Each year, the Polly Baca Raíces Fuertes Community Service Award honors individuals who represent the qualities of service to others and the uplifting of the Latino community that former State Senator Polly Baca embodies. Congressman Neguse established the award in 2020 to recognize an exemplary leader in the 2nd Congressional District who best exhibits commitment to the service of others. El Comité de Longmont is the first organization to receive the recognition; previous winners include individuals from across Northern Colorado. 

About El Comité de Longmont: 

El Comité de Longmont has devoted more than four decades of service to the families and communities of Boulder County. Their commitment to service has ensured over 3,000 people per year are helped since their establishment — 93% of whom qualify as very low-income with the majority of whom only speak Spanish. Their role in providing low cost or free services including citizenship and English-Second Language classes, case management, immigration attorney consultations, and more has played a critical role in resiliency in the Longmont community and Colorado as a whole.

El Comité de Longmont’s staff is led by Lisa Moreno, who has more than 20 years of experience in public policy, community development, and social work. She is joined by Edwina Salazar who leads the Board of Directors and works tirelessly for the organization as well. The 11 staff along with the 12-member Board of Directors work tirelessly for human rights, dignity, and justice.

The organization was founded in 1980, after two young Latino men were shot by two Longmont Police Officers. Born from outrage from the community, and demands for justice, El Comité de Longmont was formed by Longmont’s Latino community and became incorporated as a non-profit on November 26, 1980.

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