‘We value you’: Latino seniors celebrated at Noche Mexicana

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Left to right: Rosa Flores, Victoria Hernández and Herlinda Flores pose outside of The CrossWalk Community Church Hall in Napa during the Noche Mexicana event.

A local, grassroots group recently achieved one of its most meaningful goals this holiday season: celebrating the area’s Latino seniors.

The Bi-National Health Alliance of Napa County hosted a posada-style celebration at The CrossWalk Community Church Hall in Napa on Friday, bringing together more than 60 seniors for a heartwarming evening of connection, culture, and community-building.

But this wasn’t just a simple “sign up and attend” free event. Organizers emphasized that it took extensive outreach and thoughtful programming to make it happen.

“We wanted to bring together Latino seniors who are typically hard to reach,” said Catalina Chavez Tapia, president of the Bi-National Health Alliance. “These are the grandparents caring for their grandchildren, those who often don’t use available services, and those who feel disconnected. We want to be their sense of belonging.”

The Bi-National Health Alliance is centered around improving the quality of life for Napa County’s Latino community by offering resources, hosting workshops and events like Noche Mexicana. Its all-women board of directors gathered donations around the community to bring to life the evening, which featured mental health teachings, musica Latina, activities such as drawing, and lots of laughter.

The church hall was transformed into a vibrant celebration. Bright roses adorned the tables as centerpieces, and colorful papel picado decorations (a type of colorful tissue paper intricately cut into decorative designs, often used to celebrate cultural events and holidays) turned the space into a festive, welcoming atmosphere. Seniors arrived dressed in traditional attire, their jewelry and clothing reflecting their pride in their heritage from different parts of Latin America.

Dr. Alma Perez, who leads the “Healthy Mind, Healthy Life” support group for Mentis, delivered a mental health presentation in Spanish, encouraging attendees to embrace the therapeutic benefits of play and laughter.

“It’s a way of saying you are a part of this community,” said Mirna Galeana, who works for Napa County Adult Protective Services after a career as a lawyer in Mexico. “We honor you, and we see you.”

While the celebration is held annually, organizers emphasized its deeper purpose: addressing the challenges faced by Latino seniors. Tapia said attendees were invited to complete surveys about their needs, providing insights into issues such as the lack of accessible translation services.

“We’ve been working with this community for over 20 years and know there’s so much isolation,” Tapia said. “There’s a lack of translation services, which remains a significant barrier.”

Earlier this year, The Tribune reported on local governments’ efforts to engage Spanish-speaking residents, including trials of AI translation tools often deemed unreliable and insufficient by those we interviewed.

“Noche Mexicana is another way of saying, ‘I am proud of who I am,’” Tapia said. She recalled attending Napa High School in the 1980s, where she was discouraged from identifying as Mexican.

“There weren’t many Latinos in leadership positions then, and there still aren’t now,” Tapia said. That inspired the creation of the annual La Mujer Latina del Valle de Napa conference, celebrating Latina women in the valley.

The wine-growing region continues to break new ground. Calistoga’s Vice Mayor Irais Lopez-Ortega, District 5 Supervisor Belia Ramos, and Napa County Sheriff Oscar Ortiz are among the first Latinos to hold their respective positions. The Tribune, during Hispanic Heritage Month, profiled their journeys, among others.

As the evening wrapped up, Tapia reflected on the importance of spaces like Noche Mexicana. “It’s about pride, belonging, and saying, ‘We matter.’”