By Michael P. Walsh
Special to the Voice
Latino resident Abelardo King has been tapped to receive the city’s coveted Hispanic American of the Year award on Friday, Mayor Dorinda Borer announced.
Borer and the West Haven Hispanic American of the Year Alumni Committee will honor King, a native of Samaná, Dominican Republic, for his community commitment and cultural pride at the city’s seventh annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration.
The committee bestows the award annually on a Hispanic resident who epitomizes service in West Haven’s thriving Hispanic community.
The ceremony is open to the public and set for noon at City Hall, 355 Main St.
“Being named West Haven’s Hispanic American of the Year has great meaning for me, not only because of this recognition but also because at the same time the contributions of Hispanics to this city are being recognized,” King said.
King has been a leading Latino journalist in Connecticut since moving to New Haven in 1992 and launching La Voz Hispana de Connecticut, a free weekly Spanish newspaper.
He will celebrate his Dominican ancestry with dozens of loved ones, friends and city officials, along with an array of dignitaries and descendants of folks from the Dominican Republic and Latin America.
Committee members and West Haven officials led by Borer will escort King to the steps of City Hall for his special recognition. A Latin-flavored lunch will follow.
West Haven’s diversity is its strength, the mayor said, and King is a testament to the American dream.
“I am pleased to announce Abelardo King as our 2025 Hispanic American of the Year,” Borer said. “As an award-winning journalist and a longtime resident, his inspiring contributions to the fabric and spirit of West Haven are a testament to the diversity and promise of America.”
Committee member Sammy Rivera, the city’s 2021 Hispanic American of the Year, said: “Abelardo is a great journalist whose words transcend the page to uplift and empower the Hispanic community. With every story, he has championed the voices that often go unheard, bringing light to issues that matter most and paving the way for a more inclusive future.”
In observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15, West Haven recognizes the important legacy of Hispanic Americans and the inspiring contributions they have made to the culture and history of the United States.
Hispanics have had a profound and positive influence on the civic and cultural life of America through their strong commitment to faith and family, hard work and public service. They have enhanced and shaped the national character with centuries-old traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their community.
Hispanic Heritage Month, which traces its roots to 1968, specifically honors the diverse cultures and histories of people from Spain and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean, which includes the Dominican Republic.
The celebration begins mid-month because it marks the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, including those in Central America.
Borer said King personifies the noble qualities of serving his vibrant community and carrying on the proud traditions of the Dominican Republic.
The mayor praised the public-spirited journalist for his devotion to “lifting up” the city and its robust Hispanic community.
At the City Hall event, Borer will present King with a Dominican flag and a mayoral citation for his good works.
He will also receive an embroidered “Hispanic American of the Year 2025” jacket from the mayor.
State Rep. Bill Heffernan, D-West Haven, will present King with an official statement from Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and a General Assembly citation from the city’s delegation.
The cultural event will include remarks by Borer and Rivera, the master of ceremonies. It will also include a prayer and the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Dominican national anthem, “Himno Nacional de la República Dominicana.”
King was born and raised in Samaná, a coastal town in northeastern Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola, bordering the Samaná Bay and the Caribbean Sea.
After graduating from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, he pursued a career in journalism, including a stint as a special reporter for the daily newspaper Hoy.
At a time when many print newspapers have failed, King and his business partner, Norma Rodriguez-Reyes, have maintained La Voz as the state’s leading Spanish-language newspaper as well as a source for online news.
La Voz is also a partner in running WNHH-FM, a bilingual community radio station.
King has won numerous awards for his journalistic work and is “proud to be a Westie.”