A Vibrant Evening of Art, Dinner, and Dancing to Support Mental Health Services in North Carolina
This last September 21st at The Rickhouse we came together as a community to celebrate our 4th Annual Art Auction & Fundraiser, “Expresiones,” and the 20th Anniversary of El Futuro. This special event was an evening filled with art, music, and festivities.
The gala was thoughtfully curated to give mental health a voice, highlight local artists, and help families in our community enjoy a world full of EXPRESIONES. Guests had the opportunity to participate in both live and silent auctions featuring artwork from talented North Carolina-based artists. The evening included dinner, an open bar, and a fusion dance party, creating a vibrant atmosphere of connection and celebration.
“We were excited to host ‘Expresiones’ and celebrate two decades of service,” said Luke Smith, MD, Executive Director of El Futuro. “This event was a wonderful opportunity to bring our community together, support mental health and wellness, and uplift the incredible artists who enrich our lives with their creativity.”
Thank you to our Sponsors: Erie Insurance, Hatch Rockers Immigration, HOLA: Hispanics of Lenovo Association, IQVIA, Latino Community Credit Union, RTI International, UNC Health.
A special thank you to our vendors and in-kind product donors!
Pintamar decor Cris Alvarez photography MedMedia and AdResources printing Empire Distributors beverages Azteca Grill catering The Rickhouse venue DJ Rang audio visual entertainment Brazilian Arts Project dance
Why this is important
El Futuro is North Carolina’s leading nonprofit organization seeking to transform Latino-serving mental health care through bilingual and culturally-responsive behavioral health services including therapy, psychiatry, substance use treatment, and case management. We serve more than 2,500 Latino youth and adults every year through outpatient clinics in Durham and Siler City and we also work to build statewide capacity for mental health providers through our La Mesita Latinx Mental Health Professional Network which has 2,000+ members serving every county in North Carolina and beyond. By supporting Expresiones 2024, you will be joining a community that believes in ensuring quality, culturally-sensitive mental health services for all.
Alvely Alcántara, LCSW
Rossy C. Garcia, MEd 
Katy Sims, MD 
Everardo Aviles, LCSW, LCAS (Eve)
As a medical anthropologist and social work researcher, Dr. Gulbas’ research embodies interdisciplinarity through the integration of applied theories of health and human development with qualitative and ethnographic methodologies. Her work seeks to understand how people—children, families, and providers—navigate complex sociocultural landscapes in the pursuit of mental health. Most of her work, to date, focuses attention on developing more robust interpretations of suicide risk. With funding from the National Institutes of Mental Health, this body of research has contributed to advancements in theoretical and empirical knowledge of the broader contexts within which youth suicide risk is situated. 
R. Gabriela Barajas-Gonzalez is a developmental psychologist and an assistant professor of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Barajas-Gonzalez is the principal investigator of a study that examines the impact of immigration-related threat and stress on school communities. She earned a PhD in developmental psychology from Columbia University and hold a BA in human biology from Stanford University. Dr. Barajas-Gonzalez is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and a first gen college student.
Dr. Parra-Cardona is an Associate Professor in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work (SHSSW) at the University of Texas at Austin. At the SHSSW, he serves as Coordinator for Mexico and Latin American initiatives. He also serves as Area Director for Research at the UT Austin Latino Research Institute. Dr. Parra-Cardona’s program of research is focused on the cultural adaptation of evidence-based parenting interventions for low-income Latinx populations in the US and Latin America.
Bianka Reese, PhD, MSPH is a research scientist and program evaluator specializing in adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive health. Her previous research in the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ+ youth stems from her work as the Research and Evaluation Manager at SHIFT NC (Sexual Initiatives For Teens), where she led largescale evaluations of multilevel, community-based sexual health promotion initiatives and research projects aimed at elevating the voices of diverse youth in North Carolina. Dr. Reese is currently the Senior Research Strategist at Creative Research Solutions, LLC, an award-winning national evaluation, research, and assessment firm.
Tania Connaughton-Espino, MPH is an independent researcher focused on adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive health. Her interest in the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ+ youth stems from her previous work with SHIFT NC (Sexual Initiatives For Teens), where she led the training and evaluation department, conducted capacity-building workshops for youth serving professionals including on the topic of how to be more affirming of LGBTQ youth, and from her extensive experience working with the Latinx population in NC.
Maru Gonzalez, EdD is an Assistant Professor and Youth Development Specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her areas of inquiry include youth development with a focus on activism, social justice, and the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people across familial, school, and community contexts. 
Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, PhD
Hector Y. Adames, PsyD