The Afro-Caribbean Cultural Center is pleased to present: The third annual Connecticut Black, Latino, Afro-Latino 30 Under 30. Award recognition to honor any Black, Latine, and Afro-Latine individuals 30 years of age or younger who have done extraordinary things in the state.
We are now accepting nominations for the third class of Afro-Latino 30 Under 30 top young leaders.
Honorees will be selected based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated leadership, and industry/community contributions.
2025 CONNECTICUT BLACK, LATINO
30 UNDER 30
2025 NOMINATION FORM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Q: HOW DO I NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR AFRO-LATINO 30 UNDER 30?
A: Nominations for the class of 2024 are open until June 30, 2025. You can enter a nomination here. You just need your nominee’s name, job title, phone number, e-mail address and a brief explanation of why you think they should be named to the Connecticut Afro-Latino 30 Under 30. Then we send the nominee acceptance form directly to the nominee and get all the information we need from them.
Q: CAN I NOMINATE MORE THAN ONE PERSON?
A: Yes. You can nominate as many people as you’d like— including yourself—and you can nominate colleagues, friends, family members or someone you know through their work in the community.
Q: I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL SAYING I WAS NOMINATED, WHAT DO I DO NOW?
A: Congratulations, someone has nominated you for Connecticut Afro-Latino 30 Under 30. We have a two-step nomination process and you must now complete the nominee acceptance form on or before June 30, 2025. The form includes questions about your career achievements, education, volunteering, and community work. It also asks for references from your work and volunteering experiences. The e-mail you received telling you that you were nominated includes a link to the nominee form.
Q: WILL THE NOMINEES BE TOLD WHO NOMINATED THEM?
A: No. The nominees will only be told that they were nominated and that they need to fill out a second form, the nominee acceptance form, but we won’t tell them who nominated them (but feel free to tell them yourself if you’d like).
Q: WHAT MAKES SOMEONE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR CONNECTICUT'S AFRO-LATINO 30 UNDER 30?
A: CT'S Afro-Latino 30 Under 30 are the best and brightest in the State of Connecticut. They are uniquely different from one another but they are all high achievers. They include business people, entrepreneurs, artists, designers, athletes, community organizers, politicians, teachers, inventors and more. They give back to the community and elevate the city through their work, whether it be in their career or volunteer work. They inspire us through everything they do.
Q: DOES BEING NOMINATED MULTIPLE TIMES HELP MY NOMINEE? DOES IT SHOW THAT MANY PEOPLE WANTED THEM ON THE LIST?
A. No. The judges look mainly at the nominee acceptance form that has been filled out by the nominees themselves. While you may want to ensure that your nominee was considered and nominated, it won’t make a difference. Nominees only get one notice of nomination.
Q: THE PERSON I WANT TO NOMINATE LIVES OUTSIDE OF CONNECTICUT. CAN I STILL NOMINATE THEM?
A: Yes. All Afro-Latino 30 Under 30 should have a strong connection to the State of Connecticut. They can live outside of the city limits, but should work or volunteer in Connecticut if this is the case.
Q: I NOMINATED SOMEONE LAST YEAR AND THEY WEREN’T SELECTED. CAN I NOMINATE THEM AGAIN?
A: Absolutely. There are a number of reasons nominees might not get selected including that the judges consider their achievements not yet proven. An additional year may have made them better candidates.
Q: WHY DO I HAVE TO COMPLETE A NOMINEE ACCEPTANCE FORM IF I WAS ALREADY NOMINATED?
A: We have found that often the people who nominate someone for the CT Afro-Latino 30 Und don’t have enough information to give us a clear picture of who the nominees are and what they have accomplished. So, we go straight to the source and ask the nominees to tell us themselves what they’ve done. Your nomination is judged mainly on what you put in the nominee acceptance form — the information you provide and how clear it is.
Q: WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I DON'T COMPLETE THE NOMINEE ACCEPTANCE FORM?
A: If you have been nominated but you do not complete the nominee acceptance form you will not be eligible for the 30 Under 30 and your information will not be sent to our judges for consideration.
CT's AFRO-LATINO 30 UNDER 30 — RULES AND REGULATIONS
CT's Afro-Latino 30 Under 30 – Brought to you by the Afro-Caribbean Cultural Center is sponsored in part by other media, business organizations. (the “Contest Sponsor”).
Nominations run from at or about 3:00 p.m. E.S.T. February 14, 2025, to 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. June 30, 2025 (the “Contest Closing Date”).
Nominees must complete their nominee acceptance form by no later than 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. June 30, 2025.
ELIGIBILITY OF NOMINEES
Connecticut individuals who are Black, Latine, or Afro-Latine who are excelling in their careers, passionate about contributing to the community, helping to raise the profile of our State and will be under the age of 30 as of December 31, 2025, are perfect candidates for Connecticut's Afro-Latino 30 under 30. Nominees must be 16 years of age on February 1, 2024, to be eligible for consideration for the Connecticut Afro-Latino 30 Under 30.
Employees (and persons with whom they are domiciled) of the Contest Sponsor, its agents and representatives, its parents, affiliates, subsidiaries and dealers, as well as suppliers of materials or services related to this Contest, including the members of the contest judging organization as determined by the Contest Sponsor, are not eligible for nomination in the Contest.
TO ENTER
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
There is only one way to enter:
1) Online entry: To enter online, visit taino-nation.org and complete the Nomination Form.
Nominators may enter as many different nominees as they like.
Individuals may nominate themselves for the awards.
All nominees MUST complete the nominee acceptance form before 11:59 pm June 30, 2025.
Entries that are incomplete, lost, stolen, late, delayed, misdirected, illegible, damaged, altered, irregular, destroyed, have been submitted through illicit means, or do not conform to or satisfy any conditions of these Official Regulations shall be disqualified.
GENERAL
By entering a nomination or confirming the nomination, entrants accept and agree to abide by the Official Regulations and the decisions of the judging organization with respect to all aspects of the Contest, which are final, binding and conclusive on all matters relative to this Contest.
In the event it is determined that an entrant has entered in a fashion not sanctioned by these Official Regulations, the entrant will be disqualified and all of the entries submitted by the entrant will be disqualified. Entries are subject to verification by the contest judging organization.
All entries become the permanent property of the Contest Sponsor. Entrants may be contacted occasionally by the Contest Sponsor via e-mail, unless the entrant notifies the Contest Sponsor otherwise, for the purpose of informing the entrant of further promotional opportunities. This Contest is subject to all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws and is void where prohibited.
At any point in the Contest, an entrant may be disqualified at the discretion of the editorial team if the entrant is unable to meet the requirements for the 30 Under 30 story and photography in a timely manner. This includes being unavailable or unreachable for interview or fact checking or failing to attend the photo shoot for any reason. Entrants may also be disqualified if it is determined that the nomination form misrepresents the entrant’s achievements in any way.
CT Afro-Latino 30 Under 30 program rules and FAQ revised February 13, 2025.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Produced by Twist Nightlife Entertainment, Pa'lante Theater Company and the Afro-Caribbean Cultural Center.
Each year thirty of our top leaders thirty years old or younger are recognized at a special awards night event. Nominees come from across the business and non-profit community. A panel of respected business and community leaders selects the thirty honorees.
For any questions, please contact the co-chairs at:
Email us at info@taino-nation.org to stay updated go to www.taino-nation.org
PLATINUM SPONSOR $6,000
Complementary 10 Tickets to 30 Under 30 Awards
Full page ad in our event program (5’’w x 8’’h) – Back of program if preferred
Logo on step and repeat.
Special thank you at the awards gala
Presentation at the awards gala
5-minute presentation at nominee mixer
Special recognition for media promotions
Feature logo on website for 30 Under 30 Website
Logo on all signage at the gala
Logo on digital screens at gala
Logo on all 30 Under 30 email blasts distributed throughout the community
Option to put flyers/info kits etc in the 30 Honoree swag bags
GOLD SPONSOR $4,000
5 Complementary Tickets
Full-page ad in our event program (5’’w x 8’’h)
Special thank you at the awards gala
Special recognition on media promotions
Feature Logo on Website for 30 under 30
Logo on all signage for the mixer and gala
Logo on digital screens at gala
Option to put flyers/info kits etc in the 30 Honoree swag bags
SILVER SPONSOR $2,000
3 Complementary Tickets
Half-page ad in our event program (5’’w x 3.75’’h)
Special thank you at the awards gala
Social media shout-outs
Feature Logo on Website for 30 under 30
Logo on digital screens at gala
Option to put flyers/info kits etc in the 30 Honoree swag bags
BRONZE SPONSOR $1,000
2 Complementary Tickets
Half-page ad in our event program (5’’w x 3.75’’h)
Special thank you at the awards gala
Social media shout-outs
Feature Logo on Website for 30 under 30
Logo on digital screens at gala
Option to put flyers/info kits etc in the 30 Honoree swag bags