The Vecinos de South Pasadena non-profit cultural group gathered on Sunday at the War Memorial Building on Fair Oaks Avenue for a board meeting, potluck dinner and a presentation by Chicano artist Herman Sillas. 

Over a bowl of homemade Texas chili, Vecinos Vice President Silvia Ruiz said the group aims to give local Latinos and Chicanos an outlet to participate in their community.

"We formed because we were feeling a desire to contribute in our community the way, for example, the Chinese-American Club does," Ruiz said.

Vecinos, which means "neighbors" in Spanish, formed as a hub for the Latino community in South Pasadena. "Our main goals are to advance the education of our families and promote Latino culture in the South Pasadena community," Olga Aguilar, the group's president, said earlier.

Riccardo Munoz and his wife, Terry Munoz, joined Vecinos a year ago. Both retired, they said this group has helped them connect with other professionals and intellectuals who share their cultural background.

"It's the only group I know of for Latinos in South Pasadena, and it's a great service organization," Riccardo Munoz said.

"It's educational too," Terry Munoz added. "There's a lot of great programming."

Herman Sillas, Sunday night's speaker, spoke about how he got his start in painting as a youth  in art classes in South Los Angeles.

His talent blossomed in his teenage years at the Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles and he eventually attended UCLA. He told the audience that instead of pursuing art as a vocation, he decided to go into law.

Sillas said, as the Chicano movement blossomed in the early 1960s, he decided to serve that movement as a lawyer, representing Chicano activists.

He eventually worked his way up to the position of director at the Department of Motor Vehicles in the administration of former California Gov. Jerry Brown.

Sillas showed several of his paintings, including one titled "Mexican American," which depicted the stark differences between the cultures of Chicanos and white Americans. "When I finished this painting, I looked at it and said 'this is me,'" he said.

Sillas said that many young Chicanos still have the same revelation when they see "Mexican American." "The message is still relevant," he said.

In addition to monthly gatherings, Vecinos President Aguilar said the group offers resources to Latinos who move to the area. "Because South Pasadena's population is predominately white, some Latinos feel isolated when they move here," she said. "We wanted to make sure Latinos, either new to the area or established residents, didn't feel alone." 

Vecinos also plays a role in education. This year, the group's education committee launched a book drive to collect Latino-themed books for local public libraries. Vecinos also awards two $1,000 scholarships to graduating Latino students at South Pasadena High School annually. In addition, they offer educational resources to Latino families in the school district.

"There is a huge educational gap between the mainstream students and the Latino and African-American students in South Pasadena schools," said Aguilar.  "Part of our goal is to work with families, educational leaders and the school board to try to narrow the gap."

Vecinos will hold its next event, a Poker Tournament/Casino Night, to raise funds for college scholarships, from 6 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Nov. 6, at the War Memorial Building.