WHEREAS, Hugo Morales was born on March 23, 1949, in Huajuapam de Leon, Oaxaca, Mexico. At the age of 9, he migrated to Healdsburg, California, where he worked at an agriculture labor camp alongside his parents. It was here, where he first learned about the ‘power of radio’ as a vital means of communication; and
WHEREAS, Hugo Morales faced numerous challenges, yet achieved academic excellence and went on to graduate from Harvard College in 1972 and Harvard Law School in 1975. In September of 1976, Morales co-founded the non-profit organization, Radio Bilingüe, and on July 4, 1980, the radio station went live; and
WHEREAS, Radio Bilingüe is a transnational satellite community radio service that delivers culturally competent programming to Latinos and Indigenous People in Mixtec, Spanish, and English, connecting them with educational and informational content. Under Morales’ leadership, Radio Bilingüe has become the nation’s leading Latino public radio network with 25 stations and 75 affiliated stations; and
WHEREAS, Hugo Morales has received numerous national recognitions for his contribution to public radio. Most recently, Morales received an honorary doctorate from Harvard University for being a beacon in public media and providing the space for voices unheard; making him the first U.S. Indigenous Mexican person to receive such recognition from the University; and
WHEREAS, Hugo Morales has a prestigious career spanning over 40 years and we wish to applaud his passion, dedication, and for being an inspiration for our Fresno community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, Mayor Dyer and the Fresno City Council do hereby proclaim the June 8, 2023, to be:
“Hugo Morales Day”
in the City of Fresno.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands and
affixed the Great Seal of the City of Fresno, California, this 8 th day of June 2023.