SATURDAY • DECEMBER 6 • 2025
Cocktail Reception: 7:30 PM
Dinner & Entertainment: 8:30 PM
JUNGLE ISLAND
1111 Parrot Jungle Trail,
Miami, FL 33132
DRESS CODE: BLACK TIE ATTIRE
SEATED DINNER – OPEN BAR – SPECTACULAR ENTERTAINMENT
*Ride share encouraged
HOSTED BY:
Christina Vazquez
Christina Boomer Vazquez is an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning field journalist with more than two decades of experience in the broadcast journalism industry. Christina is Cuban-American and a Miami native. After earning a political science degree at Boston College, Christina began to pursue her passion for journalism. Her career has taken her to London, Boston, Rhode Island, California, Texas and Arizona. She has covered some of the biggest stories of our time to include The Station Nightclub Fire, Hurricane Katrina, and the George Zimmerman trial. Christina was also the creator of the Emmy Award-winning Local 10 investigative consumer protection segment “Call Christina.” She earned a regional Edward R. Murrow award for her coverage from Honduras exploring the political, economic and security reasons underpinning a surge in unaccompanied migrant children at the US-Mexico border. While working at the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona, Christina was awarded a USC Annenberg Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism. She was also the recipient of several Associated Press awards for her work "Behind the Border," a series covering immigration policy and border issues from Juarez, Mexico, El Paso, Texas, and Columbus, New Mexico. In 2011, Christina decided to return to Miami, Florida to raise her daughter with family. While covering the pandemic from the frontlines for WPLG, Christina also earned a Master of Science in Communications with a journalism innovation specialization from Syracuse University. Christina’s digital journalism has also been recognized, winning Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Florida Chapter digital award categories to include "New Media Engagement." In 2021, Christina was honored for her public service reporting as an Esserman-Knight Journalism Award finalist. Christina is an advisory board member of World Affairs Council of Miami and a member of Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and Global Ties Miami. Christina is also a proud Girl Scouts mom and serves on the board of the Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida.
Performances by:
Tony Succar
Tony Succar is a two-time GRAMMY® and two-time Latin GRAMMY®-winning producer, percussionist, and bandleader born in Lima and raised in Miami. He broke out with UNITY: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson and later made history with Más de Mi, winning Best Salsa Album and Producer of the Year. Recent highlights include the 2025 GRAMMY-winning follow-up with his mother, ¡Alma, Corazón y Salsa!, a viral Celia Cruz tribute, and collaborations with Sheila E., Gloria Estefan, Rubén Blades, and more.
Leslie Cartaya
Leslie Cartaya is a Cuban singer-songwriter and co-founder of the Afro-Cuban funk band PALO!, whose recordings have earned Latin GRAMMY® and GRAMMY® nominations and an Emmy® for a PBS soundtrack. As a solo artist, she’s released No Pares and Llévame Contigo, blending son, salsa, pop, and Caribbean influences, and she’s served as music director on Telemundo’s Don Francisco Te Invita. In June 2025, she releases her third album, Vuelvo a Sonreír, continuing her vibrant fusion of Cuban roots, jazz, and funk.
DJ Alex Gutierrez
DJ Alex Gutierrez is a South Florida music icon with a career spanning over five decades. Since the late ’70s, he’s been known for bringing the vibrant sounds of Disco, Salsa, Freestyle, Funk, Soul, and Classic Rock to life. He has performed at legendary Miami clubs like Alcazaba, Club 609, Mezzanotte, and Café Iguana, and mixed on top local stations including Zol 95, Salsa 98, Clásica 92, Rewind 103.9, and Zeta 92. Renowned for his unique style and passion for preserving the music of the ’70s and ’80s, DJ Alex Gutierrez continues to be a defining voice in Miami’s music scene.
Honoring Our Legacy – Inspiring Our Future
For 50 years, the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana has been more than an organization—we have been a heartbeat in Miami. From uplifting children through scholarships and summer programs, to empowering families with school supplies and community support, to celebrating culture with world-renowned events like Carnaval Miami, our mission has always been clear: to serve with purpose.
This milestone anniversary is not just a celebration of our history—it is a call to action for the future. The 50th Anniversary Gala will be a night of elegance, unity, and impact, where sponsors and community leaders come together to continue a legacy of service. By supporting this unforgettable evening, you are not only honoring half a century of dedication—you are directly investing in the education, growth, and well-being of the next generation. Together, we can ensure the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana continues to make a difference for decades to come.
Proceeds from the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana 50th Anniversary Gala will support the Kiwanis of Little Havana Foundation’s community initiatives, empowering youth and uplifting families through education, mentorship, cultural enrichment, and outreach programs.
Sponsors
Benefitting:
Founded in 1987, the Kiwanis of Little Havana Foundation, 501(c)(3) organization, was established by members of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana with a mission to assist the underserved and at-risk minority youth of South Florida. Forming future leaders and productive citizens through education is the focal point of the Foundation.
The Kiwanis of Little Havana Foundation is committed to making a difference in the lives of thousands of South Florida families through annual community service and fundraising initiatives. The funds generated through these corporate partnerships benefit and inspire the youth of Miami’s less fortunate with educational, health, and youth development programs.
