Hispanas Unidas Recognizes Sisters at Our Lady of the Lake University Convent Center

Hispanas Unidas, an organization advocating for Hispanic women through education, community engagement, and advocacy, visited the Our Lady of the Lake University Convent Center last week to recognize the Sisters of Divine Providence for their impact over the years. This visit was part of the celebration marking the 40th anniversary of their first gathering, which was hosted by OLLU in 1984.

The event began with a shared lunch, after which two presentations were made. First, a letter of gratitude was read to the Sisters, acknowledging their instrumental support of Hispanas Unidas. The Sisters’ contributions have deeply impacted the organization’s mission, particularly in the early years when they helped pave the way for vital conversations around public housing, higher education, health, wage equity, and immigration.

The second presentation was a poster from the first Hispanas Unidas conference. The Sisters of Divine Providence, particularly Sister Jane Ann Slater (then Superior general), Sister Elizabeth Ann Sueltenfuss (then OLLU President), and Sister María Eva Flores (then director of the OLLU Center for Women in Church and Society), played crucial roles in supporting the mission of Hispanas Unidas and laying its foundation. The inaugural conference, funded by the Congregation and other private donations, brought together approximately 1,000 Mexican American women to discuss critical issues affecting their community. Their leadership was essential in shaping both the first and subsequent conferences.

The gathering at the Convent Center was a heartfelt expression of gratitude from Hispanas Unidas representatives (María Antonietta Berriozábal, Rosie Castro, Susana Lopez Krulevitch, Alejandra Villarreal, and Jane Velasquez), recognizing the Sisters’ ongoing influence and commitment to the community over the past 40 years.