A Week Ago Today - NHMC Gala Recap

November 3, 2023

Eugenio Derbez, Jharrel Jerome, Eva Longoria, Miguel, Julissa Prado, Aarón Sánchez, Jessica Sarowitz, Ángel Manuel Soto, And Gina Torres Honored At National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Impact Awards Gala 

Hosted By Francia Raisa & MJ Acosta-Ruiz

Still energetic from last Friday’s event, the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) hosted its annual Impact Awards Gala at the Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles. Hosted by actor and activist Francia Raisa and entertainment and sports host and speaker MJ Acosta-Ruiz, the evening celebrated the outstanding individuals in the entertainment industry that are making strides towards a positive portrayal of the Latino community, both in front of and behind the camera. 

To see photos from the event, please use the link here.

The 2023 NHMC Impact Awards Gala Honorees and presenters included:

• Aarón Sánchez - Master Creator Impact Award
  • Presented by Lisa Vidal + Diana Maria Riva
• Ángel Manuel Soto - Outstanding Film Director Impact Award
  • Presented by Wilson Cruz
• Eugenio Derbez - Social Impact Award
  • Presented by Patricia Riggen
• Eva Longoria - Icon Impact Award
  • Presented by Patricia Riggen
• Gina Torres - Our Voice Impact Award
  • Presented by Mayan Lopez
• Jessica Sarowitz - Visionary Impact Award
  • Presented by Congressman Joaquin Castro
• Jharrel Jerome - Next Generation Impact Award
  • Presented by Boots Riley
• Julissa Prado - For the People Impact Award
  • Presented by MJ Acosta-Ruiz
• Miguel - Powerhouse Impact Award
  • Presented by Jessie Reyez

The evening also included special appearances from Alessandra Rosaldo (Actor), Alycia Pascual-Peña (Actor), Federal Trade Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, Annie Gonzalez (Actor), Benito Martinez (Actor), Bobby Soto (Actor), Brenda Victoria Castillo (NHMC President & CEO), Chelsea Rendon (Actor), Curly Velasquez (Lifestyle Influencer), Dolores Huerta (Civil Rights Activist), Emilio Rivera (Actor), Emily Tosta (Actor), Fabian Alomar (Actor), Jessie Garcia (Actor), Isabella Gomez (Actor), Jesse Garcia (Actor), Linda Yvette Chávez (Writer), Maya Murillo (Internet Personality), Mayan Lopez (Actor), Mike Colter (Actor), Moisés Zamora (Writer/Filmmaker), Raiza Licea (NHMC Correspondent), Richard Montañez (Author), Sarunas J. Jackson (Actor), Tony Rodriguez (NHMC Correspondent), Wilmer Valderrama (Actor), Wilson Cruz (Actor), Yadi Rivera (Actor), Yvett Merino (Producer), and more.

The 2023 NHMC Impact Awards highlights included:

• Eva Longoria graced the stage and stressed the importance of Latinos celebrating one another: “I want to build an empire within this industry that looks like us and sounds like us. I also want to say don’t ever take these celebrations for granted. These are very important rooms to be in. We need to applaud each other often. I am humbled with this honor and I celebrate all of the honorees tonight!”

• When accepting the NHMC Social Impact Award, Eugenio Derbez emphasized the importance of taking control of our own narratives: “The more we can break down stereotypes, the more we can take control of our own narratives, and the more we will inspire the next generation of Latinos to succeed. We need our children to see who we really are and how we really contribute to the world.”

• Miguel shared his wisdom on how to create meaningful impact: “In order to be impactful, it requires the collaboration and the consideration and the creativity of many. It’s not the ideator, it’s the idea, it’s the execution and it’s all the small things that happen to fall into place along the way that make something great and impactful.”

• Brenda Victoria Castillo, NHMC President & CEO, shared that this year’s theme is “We are the rule, not the exception” and expressed NHMC’s support for the recent strikes across the country: “NHMC supports these efforts and wants to ensure that Latine representation - Indigenous-Latinos, Afro-Latinos, Asian-Latinos, members of the LGBTQ+ communities - all of us - that we are the norm, not the exception in these negotiations. We have a monumental task ahead of us. Yet when I look at each and every one of you in the room, I am filled with hope. I see a group of changemakers in this room.”

• NHMC Our Voice Impact Award honoree Gina Torres shared during her speech, “I do count among my greatest blessings that my day job has given me the kind of visibility that makes a difference and I do not take it for granted. And I'm just getting started.”

• Jharrel Jerome accepted his NHMC Next Generation Impact Award from director, writer and musician Boots Riley. During Jharrel’s speech he said, “The award that I got tonight - I’m sharing it with everyone in this room. This is for us. We are all the next generation. We are all the next everything. This is for every shade of us, every creed of us - we will all be in this together. So I’m in this room and very honored to be here.”

About the Impact Awards:

The Impact Awards Gala is just one part of the NHMC’s overall mission to spotlight the importance of accurate, fair, and positive representation in media, including advocating for an increased number of Latino writers on major networks and streaming services, the increased representation of diverse talent on major television and film sets, and educating media and industry executives on the variances of Latino culture. 

2023 NHMC’s Impact Awards Gala Committee: Abel Lezcano, Co-Chair, Iva Colter, Co-Chair, Bonnie Abaunza, Brenda Victoria Castillo, Chanelle Hardy, Glenda Martinez, Jaime Davila, Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, Joanna Diaz Soffer, Peter Lenkov, and TimMcNeal.

Past Impact Award honorees include George and Mayan Lopez, Colman Domingo, Francia Raisa, Yvett Merino, Salma Hayek Pinault, Rosie Perez, Matthew Lopez, Tessa Thompson, America Ferrera, Jay Hernandez, Ann Sarnoff, Dany Garcia, Isabella Gomez, Amy Lippman, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Ozzie Areu, James Cameron, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Saldana, Danny Trejo, Diego Luna, Benjamin Bratt, Robert Rodriguez, and more.

About The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC)

NHMC is a woman-led non-profit civil and human rights organization that was founded to eliminate hate, discrimination, and racism toward Latino communities.

NHMC educates and increases Latino visibility, from their policy work in Washington, D.C., to their media advocacy work in Hollywood, where they collaborate, create, and connect Latino talent with the entertainment industry. At NHMC, they focus on all forms of media because it is one of the most influential and powerful institutions that shape society’s attitudes, values, and beliefs.

NHMC has a number of initiatives dedicated to building bridges within our community, including the Series Scriptwriters Program, which has helped launch the careers of more than 200 Latinx writers. For over ten years, the Latinx Stream Showcase has also helped launch 300+ Latinx creators’ careers in front and behind the camera. The program showcases 4-5 short films written by, starred in, and directed by Latinos.

NHMC leads the work to eliminate online hate and disinformation across media platforms. NHMC advocates for the Affordable Connectivity Program, Lifeline Program, Net Neutrality protections, and closing the digital divide for Latino and other marginalized communities. NHMC works in partnership with other social justice organizations to safeguard democracy in the United States of America.

PR Contact:

Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis | NHMCImpactAwards@ssmandl.com