Last night, El Museo del Barrio, New York’s leading Latino cultural institution, held its first-ever Spring Benefit, which honored CFDA member Willy Chavarria and editor of Vogue México y Latinoamérica Karla Martinez de Salas for their contributions and impact in fashion.

“This is such a very special and personal honor to me as a mixed-race Chicano queer,” said Chavarria as he accepted his award. “I’m a fashion designer, but my team and I do much more than clothes. It’s about why we do the clothes, and who wears the clothes, and how the clothes shift and impact culture. That’s the art of it.”

As Vogue editor for Mexico and Latin America’s issues, Martinez de Salas always strived to break ground, and did so being the first-ever publication to feature four Afro-Dominican models wearing their natural hair and the first to feature Indigenous Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio.

“I knew I wanted to explore the intersection of fashion, culture and art, but which stories did I want to tell?” said Martinez de Salas. “Was it important to profile designers? Yes, but I wanted to do much more than that.”

The evening closed with a special performance by Dominican-Italian singer and songwriter Yendry.

El Museo forms part of New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs’ Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a group of 34 organizations selected for their importance and open-access services to all New Yorkers. Ranging from art and natural history museums to historical societies, theaters, concert halls, performing arts centers, botanical gardens and zoos, this recognition underlines the importance of last night’s benefit as El Museo is the only member dedicated to serving the Latinx community.

El Museo’s Spring Benefit was supported by Maestro Dobel.