“Network leaders work tirelessly to make their communities better,” said Arce. “Their help this year has been essential for our organization’s mission of making an impact, empowering and inspiring individuals to reach for a brighter future, for themselves, their families, and their communities.”

This year, we presented five awards to the following network members:
Network Member of the Year: Rocio and Juan Almanza
Lifetime Achievement Award: Roberto Salazar
Emerging Leader Award: Gabriel Van Praag
Outstanding Young Professional Award: Ashley Suarez-Burgos
Environmental Justice Leadership Award: Violet Sage Walker
Hispanic Access Partner of the Year: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

“For many years, Latinos have contributed to the flourishing of our nation in ways big and small, but they are often marginalized, misunderstood, and minimized within the American experience,” said Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access. “We seek to shine a light on the countless hidden stories of strength and empower Latinos to lead in all sectors of American life, but we could not do it without members of our network, which is why this year we wanted to honor them during our annual event as a part of Hispanic Heritage Month.”

The program included a celebrity keynote address by Jessica Darrow, best known as ‘Luisa’ from Disney’s hit movie “Encanto”, along with videos recognizing five of our key network members and the awards ceremony. We also announced our Hispanic Heritage Month limited-edition Mejor Juntos t-shirt. To watch the full program, please visit https://fb.watch/fz4QSoc2IQ/.