The 38th Hispanic Heritage Awards can now be watched via streaming at PBS.org & the PBS video app

Watch ALL The Individual Honoree Profiles And Acceptance Speeches For: RAUW ALEJANDRO, FELIX CONTRERAS, CHEECH MARIN, ROSIE PEREZ, JULISSA PRADO and GLORIA TREVI. Plus, Music Performances By DAYMÉ AROCENA, DANNYLUX, GLORIA TREVI, LISA LISA, and RAINAO.

Watch the full show HERE

Press Images For Use May Be Found HERE (Getty)

 “One of the nation’s most prestigious Latino cultural events of the year… There is something inherently thrilling about the Hispanic Heritage Awards: the show entertains, inspires, and feeds the soul.”– NAHJ 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced today that the 38th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards (HHAs) is now available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS app, continuing the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Watch the full show or explore individual segments (see all links below) and get inspired by the 2025 Class of Honorees.

Filmed on September 4 at the historic Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the ceremony brought together voices and visionaries from across the arts, entrepreneurship, journalism, education, public service, and beyond to honor the essential contributions of Latino leaders to the United States.

This year’s honorees include: Legendary comedian, actor, and art collector, CHEECH MARIN; trailblazing journalist and an international ambassador for Latin music and art, FELIX CONTRERAS; Latin Music superstar, hailed by Rolling Stone as “The Queen of Mexican Pop,” GLORIA TREVI; passionate advocate for natural beauty, Latina empowerment, and sustainability, founder and CEO of Rizos Curls, JULISSA PRADO ; Puerto Rican superstar, RAUW ALEJANDRO;  and Oscar, Golden Globe, and Emmy-Nominated Actress, ROSIE PEREZ.

The ceremony was hosted by actress and producer Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez) and featured special musical performances by honoree Gloria Trevi, along with a lineup of chart-topping, award-winning artists including Daymé Arocena, DannyLux, Lisa Lisa, and RaiNao. The evening delivered an electrifying celebration of music and culture, with additional appearances by iconic artists and trailblazers such as Ivy Queen, Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), Paulina Chavez, Crazy Legs, members of Menudo, Gina Torres, Ivette Rodriguez, Julian Works, and more.

Rauw Alejandro: “Este premio es para todos ustedes”

Honoree Profile, Acceptance Speech

“Wow. I am very excited to be here. I am the child of a cultural crossroads, and what a blessing it is to carry this mix in my blood, because it guides my art and my path. Like me, all of you who are listening to me and our leaders share that mixture in your blood, because your great-great-grandparents also came from different shores of the world looking for a home, and together they built the nation we share today. Let us not forget that we are the fruit of that great effort. We were children once, we saw other leaders, and today it is our responsibility to continue their legacy: to fight for justice instead of war, to seek unity in our diversity, and to protect what they left us with so much sacrifice. I am truly grateful for this recognition, but I do not accept this award for myself, because this award is for all of you: those Latino mothers and fathers, those Latino grandparents who struggle every day to raise their families; for the visionaries who left their mark, and for all Latinos who continue to create extraordinary things in today’s world. Proud to be Puerto Rican. Proud to have been born in the Caribbean. Cosa Nuestra Rauw Alejandro, I love you with all my heart. Thank you very much.”  – Speech Excerpt

Felix Contreras Thanks All the Artists Who’ve Trusted Him

Honoree Profile, Acceptance Speech 

“First of all, I want to thank my ancestors, who lived the lives they lived, to get me to where I am right now. In Mexico and beyond. Thank them for what they did, where they lived, what they did to get me here tonight. Including my mom. And I want to thank the Hispanic Heritage Foundation for this amazing honor and recognition. … And to everyone at NPR… it’s been an honor and privilege for the last 24 years… to work at … the best news organization in the world… and we need public media now more than ever… And to everyone who has been part of the Alt.Latino story for the last 15 years… I barely have the words to express how much you have contributed to my life… to every single musician that has been on either the podcast… or on a Tiny Desk Concert… thank you for trusting me with your most precious commodity: your words and your music…I hope I did it justice. And I want to go back to the theme of family, because we are one big, loud, loving, boisterous Latino family. And I want you to remember that my joy is your joy, your struggle is my struggle. And that’s how we’re going to get through what we’re experiencing right now.”- Speech Excerpt

Cheech Marin Dedicates 2025 Arts Award “To All The Artists”

Honoree Profile, Acceptance Speech

“Thank you very much. I knew this was an important event, so I wore my formal Crocs tonight. I’m the only guy I know has a pair of black patent leather crocs… I want to thank the Hispanic Heritage Foundation for giving me this award, which I dedicate to all the artists who made it possible for there to be this category. And now we have our first Chicano museum… it’s attracting worldwide attention, support from the community… and in our first year we were voted one of the top 50 museums in the world. …I’ve come to the conclusion that art is the only thing we leave behind as a culture, because it says who we were, and who we are, and what we hold dear, and what is our purpose. And it goes on for generations. So it’s an incredible fortune to be the head of a museum that everybody from around the world can go see.” – Speech Excerpt

Rosie Perez: “You Will Not Be Marching Up That Hill Alone”

Acceptance Speech

“Thank you so much to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and congratulations to all of my fellow honorees. To be amongst people like Cheech, I mean… I’m blown away. The leaders that I know and admire have taught me that in order to lead, you have to know when to lead, when to follow, and when to get the hell out of the way. And I’ve learned, and I’m still learning how to navigate each of those lanes. But they also taught me something else: if you’re going to step in front, never fall back. …In these uncertain times when the fear of cancelation, litigation, incarceration and deportation, it is understandably terrifying to even think about marching up a very treacherous hill. Trust me. I know. But I leave you with this. There’s no waiting for it to happen to you. Because if it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us. And it’s happening right now. If you feel in your heart there is a necessity for change for what is right and good, try to push through and take that first step, even if it’s a tiny one, because every drop in the bucket counts. And know that when you do, you will not be marching up that hill alone.”- Speech Excerpt

Gloria Trevi calls for “Más unión, más amor”

Honoree Profile, Acceptance Speech, Performance 

“…We’re here. More alive than ever. My beautiful people. Up there. Down there. At home. Here in this beautiful place. Thank you very much. Thank you all.. I’m nervous. I’m excited, but above all, I’m grateful. First and foremost, I want to thank God. To begin with, I want to summarize by also thanking the Latin American Hispanic community that works and fights tirelessly for their dreams, for their families, and for themselves. These are people who, wherever they are, love their roots and also the country where they hold their heads high with dignity and hard work. This recognition is more meaningful than ever.  At this moment, when we need more unity, more love. For me, this recognition is like a hug of hope, of hope in humanity, in humanity, with more tenderness. Thank you.” – Speech Excerpt

 Julissa Prado Dedicates Award to Parents and Immigrants

Honoree Profile, Acceptance Speech 

“Thank you so much! I am incredibly honored to receive the entrepreneurship award. I never thought that in launching a brand to help me care for my curls, that I’d be able to touch so many people and help them feel seen, beautiful and represented…I started Rizos Curls with my brother 8 years ago, 100% self-funded. And by self-funded I mean we had zero marketing dollars and had to get creative. But luckily, I had something money can’t buy, and that’s 100 Mexican cousins in LA. It was a family effort and WE all made this happen together. The success of my business is a testament to the creativity, raw talent, and hard work that exists in the working-class immigrant neighborhoods where I grew up. I was blessed to witness everyday entrepreneurs who taught me the true meaning of making the most with what you have…  I am so proud to be the daughter of immigrants, and to transform the very things others might see as barriers into my greatest strengths. So, I dedicate this award not only to my parents, but to every immigrant parent and child who comes to this country with big dreams… and I stand here as proof that — despite the odds — you CAN accomplish your wildest dreams.” – Speech Excerpt

 Additional Performances

DannyLux performs “Ya No Estás” (Live!) 

Daymé Arocena performs Celia Cruz classic “Quimbara” (Live!)

Lisa Lisa performs “I Wonder If I Take You Home” (Live!)

RaiNao performs “Gualero REFF12.31” (Live!)

In an excerpt of welcoming remarks preceding the show taping, Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO, of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation also shared:

“Welcome to the 38^th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards… Washington, DC is the home to immigrants from 193 different countries and territories which means as a visitor or resident, you will benefit from their invaluable perspectives, ideas, and cultural experiences. It’s also the home to the Hispanic Heritage Awards which were created to commemorate the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month under the Reagan Administration in 1988.  The Hispanic Heritage Foundation staff, board of directors and our sponsors look forward to once again sharing our cultural pride, our accomplishment, and our continued great promise to this country and the world.  Aquí estamos. That simple statement means so much.  And we belong wherever we are, and whoever we are …  one of us, is ALL of us.  We share journeys from our home countries, to the border, and to communities across America … From the very beginning, immigrants were part of America’s promise, and over the past 250 years, which we will celebrate next year, we have done our part in making an impact on this great country.  But let’s talk about now …The US Latino GDP is more than 4 trillion dollars making us, as a community the world’s fifth-largest economy if we were an independent nation. Nearly half of all Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. That means the next breakthrough in AI, clean energy, or medical research will likely come from someone whose family arrived here just a generation ago.  As we look back to celebrate 250 years of America, let’s also look forward.  The next chapter of America’s history will be written in large part by Latinos and immigrants. Today, about one in five people in the United States is Latino, and over the next 25 years that number will be one in three. Our immigrant communities are an embodiment of American resilience, sacrifice, and hope—the same values that drew centuries of immigrants to this country including our founding fathers.  And even then, we were already here.” – Speech Excerpt

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The Hispanic Heritage Awards (HHAs) were established by The White House in 1988 to commemorate the creation of Hispanic Heritage Month in America and are often recognized as “America’s Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration” and supported by 40 national, Latino-serving institutions. The HHAs recognize Latino accomplishment, vision, and cultural pride.  Watch highlights from last year’s awards HERE & find all past HHA Honorees HERE.

About the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

The Hispanic Heritage Awards serve as a launch of HHF’s year-round mission focused on education, workforce, societal impact, and leadership. Visit www.HispanicHeritage.org. Follow HHF on Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok.  Listen to the HHF podcast Fritanga on your favorite streaming service and HHF YouTube channel.

For more information on the 38^th Hispanic Heritage Awards, please contact John Reilly, [email protected] or Nicolás Peña, [email protected].

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