MONTEREY COUNTY — María Elena Manzo, founder and executive director of Mujeres en Acción, is the recipient of the third annual Alfred Diaz-Infante Award, announced the Siembra Latinos Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Manzo will be presented with the award at the Eighth Annual Siembra Latinos Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at CRU Winery, located in the Santa Lucia Highlands in Soledad. Event proceeds will support grantmaking to support local nonprofits that help advance the economic mobility of Monterey County’s Latino community.
The award was established in 2023 to honor the late Alfred Diaz-Infante, a beloved community leader and nonprofit executive who championed partnerships to uplift the local Latino community.
“To receive the Alfred Diaz-Infante Award is a tremendous honor,” Manzo said. “Alfred’s life was defined by service and opportunity for those often overlooked. I am humbled to be recognized in his memory and to continue building a stronger, more equitable community.”
Manzo has dedicated her life to advancing economic self-sufficiency and leadership development for Latina and indigenous women in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Through her leadership of Mujeres en Acción, she has created a trusted space where women build skills, confidence and collective power to transform their lives and their communities.
Arriving in Monterey County as a farmworker in 1974, Manzo has spent more than 30 years committed to social justice, civic engagement and economic empowerment. She has been instrumental in creating pathways to healthcare access, workforce advocacy and leadership development, impacting thousands of families across the Central Coast.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Manzo co-led COPA’s (Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action) regional response and directed Mujeres en Acción’s local outreach, conducting thousands of calls, identifying urgent needs and advocating for public health solutions. Her leadership contributed to the creation of the VIDA Project, a community health worker initiative in partnership with COPA and the Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC).
She also co-led the organizing strategy behind Esperanza Care, which has provided healthcare access to over 4,500 undocumented immigrants since 2017.
Most recently, Manzo helped expand Mujeres en Acción’s role as a workforce intermediary, working with Joby Aviation to secure public funding after the company committed to creating 400 local jobs in Monterey County. In 2023, she had the opportunity to share her work with the late Pope Francis, who commended her efforts and told her, “Where women are, things work better.”
A strategist and respected community leader, Manzo continues to open doors and create lasting change for women and families across the Central Coast.
“We are thrilled to recognize María Elena for her unwavering commitment to uplifting Latina and indigenous women and families in our region,” said Cecilia Romero, CFMC vice president of philanthropic services. “She embodies the spirit of leadership and community service that Alfred exemplified.”
Louie Diaz-Infante, Alfred’s brother and Siembra Latinos Fund Advisory Council chair, added, “Honoring María Elena continues our commitment to celebrating those who drive positive change.”
Tickets and sponsorship information can be found at give.cfmco.org/Siembra2025. For more information, visit cfmco.org/Siembra or call 831-375-9712.
