HispanicBusiness

Diversity in Culture through Musical Performances Including Symphony, Pop Singer, Ballet, and Mariachis --> 19th Annual Celebration at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Features a More Intimate Evening of Cultural Pride

Washington, DC--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--October 18, 2005--The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) today announced highlights of the 2005 Hispanic Heritage Awards, which will range from traditional Mexican mariachis to a symphony performance to a rising pop singer/songwriter to one of the leading prima ballerinas in the world. The 19th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on October 24 will be an intimate and elegant evening to promote the diverse cultural interests of the Hispanic community and focus on the vision, commitment and achievement of the Honorees.

“As the second largest majority in America, we go forward with our Hispanic heritage as a symbol of what unites us, inspires us and defines us,” said Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. “Appropriately, the theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Embracing Heritage.’ We look forward to an evening full of inspiration, entertainment, and cultural pride.”

This years Honorees include international symphony conductor Maestro James Brooks-Bruzzese, Arts Award; author and leader of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health Dr. Jane L. Delgado, Ph.D., M.S., Education Award; the first Hispanic U.S. Secretary of Commerce The Honorable Carlos Gutierrez, Leadership Award; internationally acclaimed soccer player Tab Ramos, Sports Award; and CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien, Vision Award. Six National Youth Award recipients will also be honored and positioned as role models for their peers.

Performers for the evening include Lorena Feijoo of the San Francisco Ballet and former star of the famous Ballet Nacional de Cuba; Members of the Symphony of the Americas and members of the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arts Honoree James Brooks-Bruzzese; Peruvian-born guitarist and songwriter Maria Matto; and for the first time, the traditional meets contemporary as Campanas de Americas performs with the Tejano Divas.

Susie Castillo, MTV VJ and Miss USA 2003, will be the Mistress of Ceremonies for the black-tie event.

Presenters will include:

-- CNN’s Wolf Blitzer
-- Shelbie Bruce (from the hit movie Spanglish)
-- Carlos Calderon (from Univision’s Primer Impacto)
-- America Ferrera (from Real Women Have Curves and recently Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants)
-- Galen Gering (from NBC’s soap opera Passions)
-- CNN en Espanol’s Ana Maria Montero
-- Mauricio Ochmann (from Telemundo’s soap opera Frijol)
-- Alisa Valdez-Rodriguez (author of Dirty Girls Social Club)
-- Rosanna Tavarez (host of the TV Guide Channel)
-- Supermodel Patricia Velásquez

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is backed by a prestigious list of corporate sponsors, including Dr Pepper, SUBWAY(R) restaurants, Kellogg Company, AstraZeneca, SBC and the Smithsonian Institute, American Airlines (the official airline of the 2005 Hispanic Heritage Awards), NBC Universal, Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (the official insurance company of the 2005 Hispanic Heritage Awards), Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (the official car of the 2005 Hispanic Heritage Awards), Southwest Airlines, TimeWarner and CNN, ExxonMobil, Fannie Mae, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., BB&T, Erwin Gomez Spa and Salon, Diageo, William Morris Agency, ComunicAD, JRG Communications, Inc., Latina Style, LatinPointe, Inc., Lusvin J. Mayen, PencilBox, Inc., The Raben Group, and Urban Concepts.

About the Hispanic Heritage Foundation
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) celebrates and promotes Hispanic pride, culture, accomplishment and leadership through national and regional educational and inspirational programs focusing on putting Hispanics in a position from which to lead. The 19-year-old, Washington-based nonprofit fulfills its mission through year-round programs including: the Hispanic Heritage Awards, which honors notable Hispanic leaders onstage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; the Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards, a leadership program recognizing outstanding young Hispanic role models by rewarding them with over $500,000 in educational grants and features a Speakers Bureau to inspire their peers; and the LOFT (Latinos on Fast Track) initiative which systematically provides corporate America with top Hispanic talent in an effort to bolster and diversify the workforce with a focus on a management track.

For more information please visit http://www.HispanicHeritage.org