By Paige Zulandt

The American Red Cross of Tennessee, in partnership with the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, launched its first Los Donantes (“The Donors”) event. This is part of a blood donation campaign designed to increase donations within Latino communities and to share the vital importance Latino blood donors have in strengthening the blood supply.

Los Donantes was held at Casa Azafran on Saturday, November 22, 2025. The event kicked off with some lively dancing from Ballet Folklorico Sol de Mexico Nashville. Attendees then heard from Eva Angelina Romero, a board member with the Nashville Area chapter of the Red Cross. Eva discussed the importance of blood donations, as well as the overall mission of the Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering. She even rolled up her sleeve to donate blood.

Kim Ponce with Ponce Law also spoke about how crucial blood donations are when it comes to saving lives. For Kim, blood donations are what got her through open-heart surgery when she was just 6 years old. During the 14-hour operation, her body was replenished with blood donations three times.

“I made it to 57 and every day I try to make it a better day because I feel blessed for every day God gives me,” Kim shares.

From those undergoing surgeries to cancer patients, the need for blood is constant. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Latinos play a critical role in helping patients in need of lifesaving blood products because more than half of all Latinos in the U.S. have Type O blood. Type O blood is the most transfused blood types and unfortunately is most often in critical supply.

Neyra Arguello, Program Manager for the Catholic Charities South Family Resource Center, helped coordinate the event, and praised Los Donantes for not only helping encourage more blood donors, but for creating a more united community.

“Events like Los Donantes are essential because they create a space where our community can come together to share hope, support one another, and help save lives,” Neyra shares. “This partnership has been deeply meaningful to me and to the Catholic Diocese of Nashville. Working alongside the American Red Cross and our community partners reminds us of the power of unity and service. It has been an honor to contribute to an event that not only meets a critical need, but also strengthens the bonds that hold our community together.”

We are grateful to our partners for helping make this event a reality and for sharing the lifesaving impact of blood donation. If you are interested in becoming a blood donor, make an appointment to donate near you at RedCrossBlood.org.