On Wednesday, Sept. 17th , from 6 pm to 8 pm, the cowboys and vaqueros of Charlie’s Night Club kick off Hispanic Heritage Month with a benefit Taco dinner to support the Cameron Jesse and Joana Lucero Manito Scholarship at Regis University. Determined to continue their yearlong efforts all proceeds from the event to will be donated to the scholarship.
“We want to celebrate the culture and history of Hispanic Heritage Month by helping to ensure the endowment of this unique scholarship. In doing so, we honor the legacy of Cameron Jesse, a young Hispanic gay leader who devoted himself with passion and commitment to advocating for the LGBTQ+ community,” said Charlie’s General Manager, Edd Schommer.
The vision for the scholarship began to take form in 2022, when MSU Denver student Cameron Jesse was looking for a service-learning project as part of his work with the university’s Journey through Our Heritage team.
Jesse’s roots were deeply connected to the Spanish and Indigenous peoples of Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. Growing up in a rural community, he not only lacked access to support services as a gay youth but also faced a scarcity of affirmation for his Hispanic “Manito” identity. These experiences became the driving force behind his collaboration with Regis University to create a scholarship honoring the family of Joanna Lucero.
Reflecting on why he chose this project , Jesse once shared: “When I learned there was a family of Hispanic queers just like me who were out of the closet since the 1940s, I was all in….” Tragically, Jesse died in September of 2023 before the Manito Scholarship was finalized. Upon his death, his name was added to the scholarship.
Charlie’s commitment to join forces with family and community to continue Jesse’s vision is based on a long history of philanthropy. Over the years, Charlie’s, in keeping with founder John King’s legacy of giving, has raised millions of dollars to support charitable causes.
The bar was established by King in the early 1980s and became a central hub for members of the Colorado Gay Rodeo Association (CGRA). King and his friend Wayne Jakino were also founding members of the International Gay Rodeo Association. At the very foundation of all rodeos are the contributions of Hispanic culture.
In 2017, King interviewed with Dr. Rebecca Scofield of The Voices of Gay Rodeo. He expressed a strong desire to do more to embrace Hispanic “cowboys”. King stated that just welcoming these cowboys was not enough; he wanted to adjust the rules of the CGRA to fully incorporate and include them as participants.
“What John King strived to create in all his endeavors was an entire community that was inclusive and diverse. Kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month by paying tribute to Cameron Jesse and Joana Lucero is an honor,” said Edd Schommer. “Cameron was very proud of his cultural heritage and put great effort into a project that honors those who laid the groundwork for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.”
Charlie’s efforts from earlier in the summer during Pride raised over $1000 for the scholarship. All proceeds from the Taco Bar Dinner on Sept. 17th will go to the scholarship. The event is $40 per person and includes dinner and an 1800 Cucumber/ Jalapeño Margarita
