Community remembers ‘guiding light’ for hundreds of Hispanic students in Sarasota-Manatee
An unsung hero from the local Hispanic community, Hector Tejeda inspired students to look beyond their obstacles and strive for success.
Tejeda recently died unexpectedly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 67.
In 2014, Tejeda moved to the area after retiring from a career in the pharmaceutical industry. He took on the job of education adviser for UnidosNow, a local nonprofit that empowers Hispanic people, so he could get to know the Sarasota-Bradenton area.
One focus of the organization is encouraging Hispanic youth to enhance their quality of life through education, integration and social equality.
“Hector was somebody who believed in everybody’s potential,” said Luz Corcuera, executive director of UnidosNow . “We were so fortunate that he came to UnidosNow during his retirement and he was able to create a program that is his legacy.”
Tejeda created the organization’s Future Leaders Academy.
The academy helps elementary, middle and high school-aged students and their families navigate the American school system in pursuit of higher education through mentorship, workshops, college tours and accessing financial aid.
Since 2010, UnidosNow has helped 3,000 local students get accepted into colleges and universities and has earned over $14 million in scholarships and grants, Corcuera said. Tejeda played a significant role in fundraising for the organization and finding scholarships for its students.
“He had a lot to do with the success that we have today,” Corcuera noted.
For the students he mentored, Tejeda was a “guiding light.” He motivated them to have fruitful careers in order to live prosperous lives. His former students said he would bring college recruiters to speak with them, schedule college visits, help them improve their college admissions letters, and challenge them to think more highly of themselves.
“He was always so encouraging,” Camila Usubillaga, 20, of Sarasota said. “He put his beliefs in me and always took me by his hand and led the way to what life could be and what life couldn’t be.”
Many of the students Tejeda mentored were immigrants. Despite being high school students, many had to work to help provide for their families after migrating from their home countries. Some students didn’t foresee a future in higher education in the United States because they weren’t U.S.-born, but Tejeda inspired them to dream big.
“He didn’t allow my limited beliefs to get to me, which was something I really, really appreciated about him,” Usubillaga said.
She added that without Tejeda, “I wouldn’t be where I am today, which is going to Middlebury College fully paid for.”
Eric Silva Gomez, 22, of Sarasota also credits Tejeda with his success.
“When I transferred from Flagler College to USF, my options were to go to the St. Petersburg school or be homeless,” he said. “But Hector made time to come to Tampa and help me find an affordable apartment.”
“If it wasn’t for Hector,” he added, “there is a very high chance I wouldn’t have continued my education.”
Many of the students Tejeda helped are now young adults who are well on their way to careers in architecture, biology and law.
One student, Lucero Guzman, 23, of Sarasota, has even followed in his footsteps. After experiencing firsthand Tejeda’s passion for developing leaders within the Hispanic community in Manatee and Sarasota counties, she took a job at UnidosNow after graduating from college.
“The thing that gives me the most peace is that I know we will continue his legacy,” Guzman said. “We will work to make the next generation leaders.”
Corcuera said, “Hector was someone who believed in everybody’s potential, and he was the walking poster child for UnidosNow of his own story.”
Tejeda was born in Guatemala and migrated to the United States as a baby. He attended Marist College in New York, where he earned an accounting degree. He later became a licensed accountant while working for Deloitte in New York City. He then earned his MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston.
Professionally, Tejeda has worked in Hong Kong as a regional marketing director and as a general manager for Merck’s operations in Ecuador and Chile.
He is survived by his wife, Deanne, his children, parents, former wife and siblings.
A memorial service will take place at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the Glasser Schoenbaum Human Services Center, 1750 17th Street, Building J-1 in Sarasota.
UnidosNow will stream the celebration of life from its Facebook page and YouTube channel, as there will be a limited number of seats.
UnidosNow has started a fund to honor Tejeda’s legacy. Interested donors can visit https://www.unidosnow.org/donate.
