Who we are

Our mission

To educate the public about the cultural arts, literature, history, values, and traditions of Spanish origin, and to support and enhance civic, social and financial knowledge and assist members of the community of Spaniards in assimilating into the Indiana community.

What we do

Casa de España organizes and implements programs, events, and activities that will (1) educate the public about cultural arts, literature, history, values, and traditions of Spanish origin, (2) support newcomers from Spain, and (3) strengthen relations between the cultures of Spaniards and Hoosiers. Casa de España also supports and actively participates in activities that have been established by other community organizations whose missions and objectives are consistent with those of Casa de España.

Our board

  • President
  • Maria Wildridge is the Latino Services Director at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. She immigrated to the United States from Spain 20 years ago, and lived in Washington State for five years, where she learned English and earned her paralegal degree. She moved to Indiana and began to assist the Latino community over 15 years ago, when she became a domestic violence volunteer at the prosecutor’s office, while raising her twin daughters and her son. In 2011, Maria was awarded the United States Attorney’s Carol S. Morris Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Rights of Victims for her work with and commitment to the Latino community in Indiana. In 2014, Wildridge was the Latino Advocacy Award by the Latino Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Inc.

  • Vice-President
  • Lara Romero was born in Spain, and moved to Washington state with her family shortly after her eighth birthday. Growing up in the U.S., Lara enjoyed observing and embracing diversity. She considers herself a humanist with a passion for women’s rights and individual empowerment.
    Lara completed her undergrad at Saint Louis University’s John Cook School of Business in Madrid, Spain, with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. She has worked as a victim advocate for the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office, and served as their bilingual liaison for a short amount of time. Lara currently works in Carmel as a Contract Specialist for ACES, an energy risk-management company, but enjoys singing and performing in her spare time.

  • Secretary
  • Trent Taylor is a Hoosier by birth. He started studying Spanish in high school. Trent graduated from Butler University with a Spanish degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree. During the fall semester of his junior year, Trent studied abroad in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, where he completed the Hispanic Studies Program at the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares. Trent has continuously worked with the Latino community in Indianapolis since returning from Spain, working as an interpreter at the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, the former Wishard Health Services, and currently at the Marion County
    Prosecutor’s Office. Trent has also interpreted as a volunteer for 10 years at Shepherd Community’s medical clinic. Trent has a great interest in the Spanish culture and hopes to go back there soon.

  • Treasurer
  • Rosario Garrigós Giménez (Charo) is a native of Valencia, Spain, where she grew up. She obtained a Psychology Bachelor’s degree from the Universidad de Valencia. Charo lived in Zaragoza and Madrid before moving briefly to the US. She return to Madrid where she resided for a while.
    After her husband was assigned to a job in Indiana, Charo and her four children moved with him in 2015.
    She enjoys karaoke and running to her children sports and musical events

  • Other Board Members
  • Danay was born in Cuba, but raised in Badajoz, Spain. When Danay turned 18, she moved to Madrid to go to college and has not stop traveling since. While in Madrid, she studied Computer Engineer at the Universidad Carlos III. After landing a job, Danay was assigned to a position in Indianapolis, where she has lived for about a year.
    Danay is passionate about traveling, food, and animals.

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