22nd Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards to honor Latino leaders

During star-studded ceremony on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, DC- –The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and Presenting SponsorExxonMobil will present the 22nd Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards on Capitol Hill on September 29, 2009, as seven Latino leaders in various categories will be celebrated for their achievements in their field and in the community. A dynamic stage production will feature top Latino artists performing and members of Congress presenting the awards.

The 2009 Hispanic Heritage Honorees include:

• Rock superstars Maná, presented with the first “Green” Award
• Artist Romero Britto, presented with the Humanitarian Award
• Animation Figure Dora the Explorer, with the Education Award
• Boxer Oscar de la Hoya, with the Sports Award
• Mathematician and Professor Richard A. Tapia with the Math and Science Award
• Singer Olga Tañon with the Arts Award
• Senator Robert Menendez with the Leadership Award

In addition, National Recipients of the Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards will take their place onstage as young leaders. After the ceremony, the guests of the Hispanic Heritage Awards will attend a stage production hosted by Heineken at the New Hogate’s on the Washington Waterfront featuring performances by Olga Tañon, Chichi Peralta, Don Omar, Cristian Castro, and La Quinta Estación. During the Honorees Reception, Mexican cuisine will be prepared by America’s Top Chef Winner Rick Bayless.

“We are privileged to pay tribute to the 2009 Honorees who will certainly carry on the great tradition of past Honorees,” said HHF Chairman Dr. Pedro Jose Greer, Jr., who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last month and the Hispanic Heritage Award for Leadership in the nineties. “The Honorees represent the tremendous contributions Latinos make in America and the Youth Awardees the great promise of what’s to come. The Honorees serve as role models not only for Latinos but for all Americans. And we are grateful to ExxonMobil for their support not only for the Hispanic Heritage Awards but to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s mission.”

The Hispanic Heritage Awards were created in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan and the White House to commemorate the creation of Hispanic Heritage Month. The Hispanic Heritage Awards will take place at the Senate Russell Building, Russell Caucus Room, Washington, DC, on Capitol Hill. The event will serve as a culmination of the year-round mission of HHF, which identifies, inspires, prepares and positions Latino leaders in the classroom, community and workforce.

Current sponsors of the Hispanic Heritage Awards include ExxonMobil, Heineken, Viacom, Nickelodeon, US Army, Amgen, Time Warner, Hewlett-Packard, PhRMA, US Navy, UPS, University of Phoenix, M&T Bank, Washington Hispanic, Green Depot, National Education Association, Onyx Media, The Raben Group, Exito Music & Entertainment, Erwin Gomez Salon, among others. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for Hispanic Heritage Awards.

Youth Awards sponsors include ExxonMobil, NBC Telemundo, Southwest Airlines (also the Official Airlines of the Youth Awards), NSHMBA, Staples Foundation for Learning, Hewlett Packard, Subway, Sprint/Nextel Foundation, Astra-Zeneca, US Army, UPS, among others.

Please visit www.HispanicHeritage.org for more information.

CONTACT:
Contact: Maria Esmeralda Paguaga (571) 237-2290 mariaesmeralda@HispanicHeritage.org.