Cultura, Cartoons & Celebration: Honoring Lalo Alcaraz at Santa Clara University

April 29, 2025

Silicon Valley Latino was honored to co-host an unforgettable fireside chat with Santa Clara University featuring the iconic Lalo Alcaraz—syndicated cartoonist, cultural consultant, and unapologetically bold voice for the Latino community.

Known for La Cucaracha, the first nationally syndicated Latino daily comic strip, and his creative contributions to culturally defining projects like Coco and The Casagrandes, Lalo has long used humor and truth-telling to push the needle forward on representation and justice.

In a special moment during the event, SVL proudly presented Lalo with our Creo En Ti Champion Award—an honor given to individuals who embody self-belief and uplift our community through their work, voice, and leadership. The award was presented by SVL founder Alex Ontiveros and longtime SVL collaborator, Dr. Belinda Arriaga, founder of ALAS.

Eva Blanco - Masias, Lalo Alcaraz & Lorenzo Gamboa of Santa Clara University

Community voices echoed the impact of the evening and of Lalo’s work. As Darrell Cortez, Executive Director of the Shop With A Cop Foundation – Silicon Valley, shared:

“To me, Lalo Alcaraz represents the essence of a creative Latino cartoonist. His political cartoons are exactly what we need during these tumultuous times—they’re bold, timely, and thought-provoking. He’s a true Latino icon whose work we should all celebrate and cherish. I personally enjoy reading his comics and political satire—they inspire me and challenge us to think critically about the world around us.”

Dr. Belinda Arriaga, founder of ALAS and SVL Advisory Board Member, added:

“Having Lalo Alcaraz at SCU gave us an up-close look at his journey and work. We had a firsthand testimony of his creativity and advocacy that has shaped him to be a leader in his field and a voice of resistance for Latinos across the country.”

“It was wonderful to see bilingual cartoons. Coming from a similar background, it genuinely felt like I was part of the cartoons. Seeing someone from our community succeed in the world of cartooning is truly inspiring.”
— Lourdes Arvizu, SVL Accountant

Lorenzo Gamboa - Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admission

"History in the making," his art is alive and current to the topics he addresses yet it captures political, humor, and art all in the intersection of reality. Amazing artist and great speaker.

We’ve captured this powerful evening through a vibrant Photo Album that celebrates connection, cultura, and community impact.

And don’t miss part two of this feature series—coming soon—featuring our exclusive video interview with Lalo Alcaraz as he reflects on his journey, his activism through art, and why our stories matter more than ever.

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