SC CMA’s Hispanic/Latino Affairs Division’s Program Manager Receives Prestigious Ohtli Award

For Immediate Release
September 29, 2021
Contact: Shireese M. Bell at 803-563-0283

Ivan Segura, Program Manager for the Hispanic/Latino Affairs Division at the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs received the Ohtli Award -- the highest honor granted by the Mexican government -- for his years of service to the Hispanic and Latino communities.

“I am very honored to have received this award,” said Ivan Segura “I share this distinction with my family and with all the members of our community. We are all on this path together and will continue working to foster the well-being and improve the quality of life of Mexicans and Latinos in South Carolina.”

Segura received the award on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, in Columbia SC, from Claudia Velasco Osorio, Consul General of the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh, NC, as part of the Consulate's festivities to commemorate Mexico’s Independence day.

The Ohtli Award is awarded to individuals who have distinguished themselves by dedicating their lives to advancing the prosperity of Mexican-American and Latino communities and opening pathways that improve the quality of life of the immigrant population.

SC Commission for Minority Affairs Executive Director Dr. Delores Dacosta said Segura has made a tremendous impact at the agency and in the community.

"Ivan's passion for serving his community inspires us all," Dacosta said. "He exemplifies the spirit of service. It's no surprise to us that he was awarded this high honor."

Since 1996, the Government of Mexico has conferred this distinction on individuals and organizations that, through their professional and personal achievements, have helped the integration and empowerment of the Mexican diaspora. This is the first time since its inception that a person from South Carolina has received the award.

The Ohtli Award consists of a medallion, a silver rosette, and a diploma. The word Ohtli means “path” in Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs), and acknowledges individuals outside of Mexico who have helped pave the way for others. The medal depicts an Aztec god cutting grass with a machete. The title honors and recalls the continued tradition of Aztec descendants who still bid farewell with the phrase “Cualli ohtli!” (To have a good trail/journey).

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