To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month (running Sept. 15 – Oct. 15), the Hispanic Heritage Foundation awarded their 30th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards. This year, our own Latin Recording Academy was honored with the Arts Award.

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Other honorees included Luis Fonsi of "Despactio" fame, who received the Trailblazer Award and "Mozart In The Jungle" actor Gael García Bernal, who was honored with the Vision Award. Awards were also given in the arenas of inspiration, leadership and science, technology, engineering, and math.

The celebration on Sept. 14 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., featured performances by Latin GRAMMY winner Gaby Moreno, Fonsi, Concha Bukia, Locos Por Juana, and pianist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner. Presenters spanned the gamut from YouTube personalities to actors, civil rights icons, and authors, among others.

The Awards were created to recognize the accomplishments of leading Latin people and organizations across various disciplines while "celebrating cultural pride and the great promise to America." Past Hispanic Heritage Awards honorees include Juan Luis Guerra, Rita Moreno, Plácido Domingo, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Los Tigres Del Norte, 2017 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Alejandro Sanz, and Gloria Estefan, among others.

Catch the Hispanic Heritage Awards on Oct. 6 at 10 p.m. ET on PBS.

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