TEPEYAC COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

Denver

News: On June 30, when former Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia retires as chancellor of the Colorado Community College System, he will still carry a title of which he can be proud: Tepeyac Community Health Center’s 2025 Tortilla Titan.

Garcia was one of 12 nonprofit, business and media celebrities competing for the coveted honor at Tortillas for Tepeyac, an afternoon of “masa madness” that filled the Denver Art Museum’s Sturm Pavilion with approximately 500 supporters of Tepeyac.

Jesse Ogas, executive director of social responsibility and community affairs at 9News, and Yolanda Ortega, a Su Teatro actress, singer and KUVO Radio host who spent some 35 years as a higher education administrator, have served as hosts of Tortillas for Tepeyac for each of its 28 years.

This year, however, they changed their title to “referees” of the May 21 luncheon event. And with good reason.

The festivities began with mascots for four Denver sports teams – Miles from the Denver Broncos, Bernie from the Colorado Avalanche, Rocky from the Denver Nuggets and Rowdy from Metropolitan State University – participate in a “masa smackdown” where flour, tortillas and rolling pins go flying as each tries to outdo the other to win audience approval.

Rowdy, with a heart-shaped tortilla, was the eventual winner.

Garcia was named Tortilla Titan by judges Patricia Barela Rivera, former director of the Colorado U.S. Small Business Administration, and Adeeb Khan, executive director of Denver Economic Development and Opportunity. He received the nod – and a commemorative rolling pin hand-painted by artist Daniel Luna — for crafting a perfectly round, expertly grilled tortilla.

Attorney Joe Ramos won for making the Wackiest Shaped tortilla – basically shards of dough that he couldn’t make stick into a classic round; Denver7 meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo was proclaimed the Most Spirited roller while 9News anchor Kyle Clark received the People’s Choice Award.

In addition to rolling a perfect tortilla, each contestant was asked to submit a short video that spoke to their determination of becoming the next Tortilla Titan. The prize for best video went to CBS4 meteorologist Dave Aguilera.

Others taking part in the tortilla-rolling competition were Annie Lee, president/CEO of Colorado Access; Donna Lynne, CEO of Denver Health; Jennifer Chheang, vice president of community investment and impact at the Colorado Health Foundation; John Farnam, director of responsive grantmaking at the Buell Foundation; Kristin Todd, CEO of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado; Liz Gardner, executive director of the DaVita Giving Foundation; and Rachel Garcia, executive director of the Mexican Cultural Center.

In his welcoming remarks, Ogas recalled how Tortillas for Tepeyac began as a friend-raiser in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church social hall in North Denver. “I’d bring a big pot of chili and Yolanda and others would supply the side dishes” for guests to enjoy while community leaders such as former Denver fire chief Larry Trujillo competed for tortilla-rolling prizes. “What started as a small friend-raiser has become a significant fundraiser for Tepeyac.”

“What we do has never been easy,” said Tepeyac’s founder, Jim Garcia, “and now it’s even more challenging. By being here today, you, our guests, are affirming that healthcare is a human right and every family has the right to be healthy.”

About the organization: From its start in 1994 as Clinica Tepeyac in a small home on Kalamath Street in North Denver, the nonprofit Tepeyac Community Health Center has grown to be a leading provider of affordable and accessible integrated care for low-income individuals with limited or no health insurance. According to its vision statement, Tepeyac Community Health Center envisions a healthy community with access to regular and ongoing health care that empowers patients, decreases routine visits to emergency rooms and creates healthier families overall. It is located at 2101 E. 48th Ave. Services include medical, oral health, behavioral health and a pharmacy.

Website: tepeyachealth.org

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