Mayor honors La Casa director for cultural contributions

National Hispanic Heritage Month has kept Lillian Casillas busy.

As director of La Casa Latino Cultural Center, Casillas said she coordinates events and programs for the month-long celebration that started Sept. 15.

During the kick-off event for the month, Casillas was recognized for her contributions to the Latino community by Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan and the Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs.

“To be recognized as someone who made contributions to Latinos is a big deal,” Casillas said. “The selection committee told me two weeks before the reception. I didn’t even have a clue that I made the final cut.”

Though Casillas said she was really touched when she knew she was nominated, she did not make it a big deal.

“She didn’t tell us at all,” said La Casa assistant Juan Berumen. “She was just doing things and being busy as usual.”

But Casillas said she was not being humble.

“I felt so honored to be selected as the award recipient,” Casillas said. “I really wish there could be more awards made to people who made contributions to the Latino community.”

In her 16th year at La Casa, Casillas said though many things on campus have changed — her colleagues, the students who helped her at the center and people in the community — what has not changed is her ambition to help the Latino community.

“Lillian is one of the more approachable and enthusiastic people you’ll meet,” Kruzan said in an e-mail. “She puts a lot of energy into encouraging Latino students to get involved in the campus and community. The best way Lillian does that is leading by example, as she is heavily involved in many organizations as a volunteer member who goes out of her way to use her time to benefit others.”

Aside from serving as director of the center, Casillas is part of the IU Latino Studies Program Advisory Board. In Bloomington, she is board president of El Centro Comunal Latino, an organization focused on integrating Latinos into the community.

“She’s one of the hardest working staff members that I know on this campus, a true student advocate,” said Doug Bauder, coordinator for the Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services . “She is often here late at night and on weekends, planning events, counseling students, promoting diversity, collaborating with  her colleagues.”