HARLINGEN, RGV – The 28th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards will be broadcast on KMBH-TV, the Rio Grande Valley’s PBS station, at 9 p.m. this evening.
Rita Moreno will host the show. Honorees include Robert Rodriguez, Pedro Martinez, Ana Gabriel, Arturo Sandoval, Becky G and more.
Performances on the show will be Moreno, Lila Downs, Arturo Sandoval, Ana Gabriel, Gaby Moreno, and Becky G.
Additional presenters will include U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez and U.S. Small Business Administration Administraor Maria Contreras Sweet.
Other presenters include Mexican Ambassador Miguel Basañez, TV anchor and previous Hispanic Heritage Award winners Soledad O’Brien and José Andrés, and Marisela de Montecristo.
Previous honorees include celebrities, physicians, scientists, educators, innovators, public officials and community and business leaders selected by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. The awards were established by the White House in 1987 to commemorate the creation of Hispanic Heritage Month.
This year’s honorees include:
• Director Robert Rodriguez for Vision, presented by Hershey’s
• Musician Arturo Sandoval for Arts, presented by Southwest Airlines – The Official Airlines of the Hispanic Heritage Awards
• Healthcare Provider Maria Gomez for Healthcare, presented by CVS Health
• Singer Ana Gabriel for Legend, presented by Hilton Worldwide
• Scientist Dr. Vladamir Alvarado for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), presented by ExxonMobil
• The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics for Education, presented by Target
• Hall of Fame Pitcher Pedro Martinez for Sports, presented by Univision
• And Singer Becky G will receive the Inspira Award as a special recognition for serving as a role model for youth in the public eye
“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is proud to partner with Target, PBS and all our sponsors to honor yet another visionary group of Latino leaders with the Hispanic Heritage Award and share our cultural pride, accomplishment and great promise with all of America,” said Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. “We are also excited about the great line up of performances led by the incomparable Rita Moreno. The evening will certainly be entertaining, meaningful and inspirational.”
Tijerino said the awards show will serve as a launch of HHF’s award-winning, year-round programs. He said these programs inspire, identify, prepare and position Latino leaders in the classroom, community and workforce to meet America’s priorities in the STEM, finance, education, media, and innovation fields.
For more information on the mission and work of HHF, visit www.hispanicheritage.org.
