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TV Tune-In Alert: America’s Signature Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration

Hispanic Heritage Foundation

THE 36TH ANNUAL HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDSPremieres this Friday, September 29 on PBS and Streaming on PBS.org and the PBS App.

 2023 Honorees Include Omar Apollo, Café Tacvba, Cesar Conde, Siete Family Foods, and Wisin.

 Hosted by Leslie Grace, Music Performances by Omar Apollo, Café Tacvba, Leslie Grace, Alejandra Guzman and a Centennial Tribute to Tito Puente Featuring Tito Puente, Jr., Milly Quezada, Alex Cuba and Pedrito Martínez.

 Additional Appearances By: Michael Cimino, Richard “Crazy Legs” Colón, Annie Gonzalez, Nicholas Gonzalez, Pati Jinich, John Leguizamo, Xolo Maridueña, Constance Marie,  Francia Raisa, Sasha Calle, Ángel Manuel Soto, And More.

WATCH THE PREVIEW TRAILER ON PBS Or HHF YouTube  – Find Show Images Here

Greenlighting Latinidad – Inside the capital’s landmark Kennedy Center, the cool marble halls are lit up by the electric energy of Latino artists and entertainers. Luminaries and changemakers in the arts, food and culture [attend] one of the nation’s most prestigious Latino cultural events of the year, the 36th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards, celebrating their trailblazing, international impact… there is something inherently thrilling about the Hispanic Heritage Awards: The night moves on a collective brilliance of the guests and honorees; and the show entertains, inspires, and feeds the soul. On this night, colorful figures in film, music, media and the culinary worlds share their talent, and stories of hope and perseverance.Palabra / National Association Of Hispanic Journalists 

WASHINGTON, DC – America’s signature Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, The 36th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards premieres Friday, September 29, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App. The awards, created by the White House to commemorate the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month, are among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos and are supported by 40 national Hispanic-serving institutions. The awards ceremony was held and taped for broadcast on Thursday, September 7, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. 2023 marks the ninth consecutive year the awards have been presented on PBS.

Honorees for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Awards include multiple Grammy/Latin Grammy winners Café Tacvba (Arts Award); Chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group, Cesar Conde (Media Award); Grammy Award nominee Omar Apollo (Inspira Award); the fastest-growing Mexican American food brand, Siete Family Foods (Entrepreneurship Award); and Urban Latin music icon Wisin (Vision Award).

SAMPLE HONOREE ACCEPTANCE QUOTES 

OMAR APOLLO: “I remember growing up very ashamed of being queer and Latino. The diaspora of Mexicans was very small and I was reminded constantly that I couldn’t succeed in the arts because of who I inherently was. Innocent parts of me I couldn’t change.  I’m happy to say, in front of all of you now, that there was no truth to what my counterparts were advising… As a child I never imagined myself to have the privilege and platform that I do now. I’m extremely happy and honored to be recognized on behalf of the Latino and queer community and will continue to express myself freely and openly in the way that I choose.”

CAFÉ TACVBA (Ruben Albarrán): “…we would like to honor the young people, all the people who come from different countries, different cultures, to enrich this nation with their art, their culture, with their work, with their effort. And so, this nation is as rich as it is thanks to migrants. Always remember no one is illegal. No one.”

 CESAR CONDE: “In these historic moments, we take very seriously our role as a leading news organization in keeping our country and thousands of communities informed through accurate and balanced news.  And we must do so without fear or favor. Because a free, independent and accurate press is central to sustaining a healthy democracy. We also know that it is so essential for news organizations such as ours to do all that we can to build trust with our audiences. The path to building that trust is not only accuracy and fairness. It is also making sure that we as a team and in our content reflect the rich and beautiful diversity of the communities that we serve.”

SIETE FAMILY FOODS (Veronica Garza): “I have felt firsthand how important it is for Latino communities and communities of color to see themselves represented in every field and industry—not only during Hispanic Heritage Month, but every day, year-round.  All of our stories, talents, and achievements matter and have the power to inspire the future Latino community—just like those who came before us inspired who we are today. Juntos inspiramos, together we inspire.”

WISIN: “I want to dare the entire Hispanic Community to never stop dreaming. I am a living example that dreams can come true, and will continue to work tirelessly and continue to be a tool so that the new generation can continue to grow.”

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Acclaimed Dominican American singer, songwriter and actress Leslie Grace (In the Heights) will both host and perform, with additional musical performances by honorees Omar Apollo and  Café Tacvba, a special return performance by Alejandra Guzman, and a special centennial tribute to the legendary Tito Puente featuring Tito Puente, Jr., Milly Quezada, Alex Cuba, and Pedrito Martínez.

Special appearances on the 36th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards will also include John Leguizamo (Leguizamo Does America); Michael Cimino (Never Have I Ever); Sasha Calle (The Flash); Francia Raisa (How I Met Your Father); Annie Gonzalez (Flamin’ Hot); Constance Marie (With Love); Xolo Maridueña (Blue Beetle); Pati Jinich (Pati’s Mexican Table); Nicholas Gonzalez (La Brea); Richard “Crazy Legs” Colón (Rock Steady Crew); and Ángel Manuel Soto (Director, Blue Beetle).

-Find Additional 2023 Hispanic Heritage Awards Images Here –

Credit: Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images, courtesy of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

About the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

The Hispanic Heritage Awards serve as a launch of HHF’s year-round mission focused on education, workforce, social impact and culture through the lens of leadership. HHF is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, visit www.hispanicheritage.org and follow the Hispanic Heritage Foundation on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.

About PBS 

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 42 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, FacebookInstagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.

CONTACTS:

For the 36th Hispanic Heritage Awards: John Reilly, [email protected] or Nicolás Peña, [email protected]

For PBS: Becky Scullin, PBS, [email protected]  

Cara White / Mary Lugo, CaraMar, Inc. [email protected]; [email protected]

For images and additional up-to-date information on this and other PBS programs, visit PBS PressRoom at pbs.org/pressroom.

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