Rubie Britt-Height awarded as a Latino community Icon
The Comité de Fiestas Patrias y Tradiciones de Charlotte (CFPTC) recognized Rubie Britt-Height, Mint Museum Director of Community Relations, as an Icon of the Latino community, for her contribution to culture and the preservation of the Hispanic heritage.
“For years, we wanted to cherish Rubie’s support to the local Hispanic artistic talent and the presence of the Afro Caribbean rhythms on the Charlotte Region,” said Rafael Prieto, co-founder of CFPTC.
The award was presented in person to Britt-Height by Charlotte’s Patriotic Celebrations and Traditions Committee on June 25th at CFPTC’s Third Encounter of Directors, Founders, and Volunteers on the Artesan Gelato Ice Cream place in Matthews.
We wanted to bestow her initiative Mint Move, which represents, since 2012, the spirit of celebrating the Afro-Latino culture through the music, dances, rhythms legate by Africans in the Caribbean and the rest of Hispanic America.
“We intended to honor Rubie in the Third Afrolatinos-Black History Month commemoration, held at Johnson C. Smith University on February 27th, 2020, but imponderable circumstances prevented it,” Prieto said.
The Third Encounter of Directors, Founders, and Volunteers become a perfect happening to accolade Britt-Height.
Representatives of many Hispanic nationalities affiliated with Fiestas Patrias applauded her work and accomplishments.
Thanks to the intervention of Britt-Height, the idea of preserving the beautiful and meaningful Colombian tradition of Candles’ Day became real.
With the artist Edwin Gil, CFPTC proposed to do the commemoration at the Mint since the Colombian painter closed his Gallery.
Since 2016, Fiestas Patrias, Soy Latino Como Tu (SLT), Colombian American Foundation (COAMFO), Lideres Colombianos en Charlotte (LCC), and Manolo’s Bakery have been proactive partners of Candles’ Day.
Britt-Height created the event’s motto, “celebrate the LIGHT in CommUNITY, Family, Oneness, Sharing, Faith & Love for All of Humankind, based on a Colombian tradition.”
Manolo Betancur, from Manolo’s Bakery, and owner of Artesan Gelato, provided the appetizers and pastries for the CFPTC Third Encounter of Directors, Founders, and Volunteers.
