2024 Latino Talks Program

LATINO TALKS PROGRAM

WELCOME REMARKS

CHAIRMAN´S REMARKS

SINDY M. BENAVIDES

President & CEO, Latino Victory Foundation

LUIS A. MIRANDA, Jr.

Board Chairman, Latino Victory

SPONSOR REMARKS

PANEL I

Clint odom

VP of Strategic Alliances & External Affairs, T-Mobile

FEATURING:

THE POWER OF MUSIC frankie negrÓn

Grammy-Nominated Platinum

Recording Artist

MODERATOR:

KATHARINE PICHARDO-ERSKINE

Executive Director, Latino Victory Foundation

SPECIAL REMARKS

PANEL II

THE POWER OF DEFIANCE: MEET THE LATINAS CHANGING THE GAMES

ALEjandra y. castillo

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development

PANELISTS:

SABINA MATOS

Lt. Governor of Rhode Island

LINA HIDALGO

Harris County Judge

MODERATOR: rochelle garza

Chair, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights/ President of Texas Civil Rights Project

SINDY M. BENAVIDES

President & CEO, Latino Victory Foundation

PANEL II

A FIRESIDE CHAT WITH MARIA ELENA SALINAS: THE POWER OF VOICE AND JOURNALISM

PANELIST:

MARIA ELENA SALINAS

Award-winning journalist and author

MODERATOR:

CRISTóBAL J. ALEX

Board Member, Latino Victory; Partner and Head of DC Office, Tusk Strategies

SPECIAL REMARKS

THE FOUNDERS AWARD CEREMONY

Robert Alvarado

Founder of Alvarado Construction Incorporated/Founder and Chairman, Alvarado Restaurant Nation

HONORING:

EVA LONGORIA Bastón

HENRY R. MUÑOZ III

PRESENTED BY:

Second Gentleman of the United States, Douglas Emhoff and Latino Victory Board Chairman, Luis A. Miranda, Jr.

THE FIRST AWARD

HONORING:

Lt. Governor of Rhode Island SABINA MATOS

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo

PRESENTED BY:

CÁSTULO DE LA ROCHA

Board Member, Latino Victory, President and CEO AltaMed

SPECIAL 10TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENTATION

CLOSING RECEPTION

LATINO TALKS PROGRAM

SPEAKERS SPEAKERS

cristÓbal alex

Cristóbal Alex is a senior government, political and advocacy leader. As the founding president of Latino Victory Fund, he helped launch and build an organization that has elected hundreds of candidates to office, from the school board to the U.S. Senate.

Cristóbal now leads Tusk Strategies’ Washington office, and is a well-respected voice on MSNBC and other major outlets and publications.

Her work has earned the top awards presented in broadcasting, among them multiple Emmys, including a lifetime achievement Emmy, a Peabody, 3 Gracie Awards, the Edward R. Murrow Award and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism.

Cristóbal previously served as the White House Deputy Cabinet Secretary linking the White House and Cabinet, supporting agency coordination on a portfolio of President Biden’s top priorities, including the historic American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and a whole-of-government approach to promote equity. Among Biden for President’s first hires, Cristóbal served as a Senior Advisor to Joe Biden where he helped develop and implement state and national strategy, including the primary campaign’s political and coalition efforts, and served on the Biden-Sanders Unity Taskforce, and later on the Presidential Transition Team.

Before his transition into politics, Cristóbal spent five years working with George Soros’ Open Society Foundations and the Ford Foundation where he managed more than $75M in grants to strengthen and protect our democracy. Cristóbal started his career as a civil rights lawyer with MacDonald Hoague & Bayless and led the National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights. A native of El Paso, Texas, Cristóbal lives with his wife Taí and two brilliant daughters ages six and three.

Robert alvarado

Robert Alvarado is the founder of Alvarado Construction Incorporated (ACI) and Alvarado Restaurant Nation (ARN). He currently serves as Chairman Emeritus of Alvarado Restaurant Nation.

Robert is a rags-to-riches story who founded ACI with his wife Linda Alvarado in Denver Colorado in 1974.

Starting out building small projects like bus shelters, Robert and Linda quickly grew ACI into one ot the top construction firms in Colorado where they went on to serve as a General Contractor for massive projects including the Denver International Airport, the new Colorado Convention Center, Colorado Ocean Journey Aquarium, the Denver Broncos Stadium, the Phoenix Convention Center, the Hyatt Convention Center Hotel, amongst others.

Alvarado Construction continues to operate 50 years later, building projects primarily throughout the southwestern United States.

In 1984, Robert diversified from construction and formed ARN to enter the restaurant franchise space by opening his first Taco Bell restaurant in Denver Colorado. ARN expanded into the Pizza Hut and KFC brands and grew through aggressive development and acquisitions to become one of the largest restaurant franchise operators in the county. Forty years later, ARN has grown to over 215 restaurants and operates in Colorado, California, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. The company employs over 5,000 team members from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. Today ARN is viewed as one of the premier operators in YUM brands and one of the largest minority-owned firms and restaurant operators in the country.

As an entrepreneur of Mexican descent, Robert became passionate about minority fairness and opportunity. His interest in advocating for minority projects began early when competing for bids on construction projects. It was evident that minority contractors were at a disadvantage, and he quickly developed a passion for leading the charge for more work for minority firms.

In the 1980’s, Robert successfully co-founded MAC (Minority Association of Contractors) which spearheaded the charge for Black and Hispanic firms to get more participation in government projects. The organization had great success in gaining participation for minority firms in Denver, and this passion continues today as Robert continues to advocate for more fairness for minorities across government projects.

Sindy Marisol Benavides is the President and CEO of Latino Victory of Latino Victory, a progressive organization dedicated to building Latino political power at the local, state, and federal levels.

Sindy is a recognized national civil rights leader deeply committed to uplifting the voices of vulnerable and underserved populations.

With nearly two decades in the non-profit sector, Sindy has helped build organizations to scale from the bottom up through strategy development, governance, communication, partnerships, and outreach.

Prior to joining Latino Victory, she served as Chief Executive Officer for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the country. She also served as the Chief Operating Officer and National Director for Civic Engagement and Community Mobilization for LULAC, the Vice President of Field and Political Operations for Voto Latino, and the Northern Virginia Political Director for the 2012 Kaine for Virginia senatorial campaign. She has also been the National Director of Community Outreach for the Democratic National Committee and the Latino Liaison and Director of Gubernatorial Appointments for Governor Timothy M. Kaine.

A proud Honduran-American, Sindy immigrated to the United States with her family and has experienced the American Dream. She now devotes her career to public service, ensuring that countless young people, women, and immigrants have the same opportunity. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, where she graduated Valedictorian of her class and studied Political Science with a minor in Spanish.

She has also attended American University for her Master’s degree in International Affairs and is working on submitting her substantial research paper. Sindy is a proud alumna of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), Wellstone’s Advanced Campaign Management School, SPIN Academy, VCU’s Minority Political Leadership Institute and UVA’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership. She proudly serves as a board member of the National Disability Institute and on various External Partnership, Consumer, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Councils for Fortune 500 companies. She lives in northern Virginia with her beloved family.

Sindy can be found on Twitter @SindyBenavides.

Sindy marisol benavides

ALEJANDRA Y. CASTILLO

Alejandra Y. Castillo’s first lessons about the economy came as a child. She rose at 4 a.m. to help her father run his bodega in the Bronx and refined her math skills by calculating sales tax for her mother’s Avon business.

Throughout her career and life, Castillo has sought to build bridges and help others. She was the first in her family to learn English, which she did with the help of PBS shows like Sesame Street and The Electric Company.

Like many immigrant children, she was tapped to help her family and community navigate life in America.

She accompanied non-English speakers to appointments and helped neighbors translate letters from their landlords or the Social Security Administration. As an adolescent, she was always trying to help others. Her father died when she was 13, which thrust her further into a “problem solver” role. Castillo is a relentless visionary and change maker dedicated to building community-based solutions that advance individual empowerment.

The eldest child of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Castillo is the first woman of color to be appointed Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. In this role, she leads the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and is responsible for fulfilling the bureau’s mission of leading the federal economic development agenda.

The New York City native has served in leadership positions under three Presidential administrations – Presidents Biden, Obama, and Clinton. Castillo’s professional career spans three decades in Washington, D.C. Her work has focused on creating equitable and inclusive opportunities for all Americans. Castillo considers herself an embodiment of the American Dream. Her personal experiences of helping her parents run small businesses to support her family have given her a unique perspective and fuels her determination to create transformative change.

When she was 11-years old, she moved from New York to the Dominican Republic –just after Category 5 storm Hurricane David hit in 1979. Her family set up an importexport business, and once again, she got a first-hand glimpse at entrepreneurial grit through trips to the ports with her father where products were shipped to the U.S. After briefly living in Portugal, Castillo returned to the United States. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, becoming the first in her family to complete a university degree.

Her 1992 college graduation occurred against the backdrop of tectonic shifts in American civil rights, highlighted by that year’s landmark decision in Kentucky v. Wasson, and the shooting of Yoshihiro Hattori. Drawing inspiration from the achievements and setbacks of that year, Castillo committed to a life of public service, joining the Senate Labor and Resources Committee staff where she worked under Senator Ted Kennedy before leaving to earn a master’s degree in public policy at the University of Texas.

During the Clinton Administration, she served as a Senior Policy Analyst to the Deputy Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, where she was responsible for developing and analyzing White House initiatives on anti-drug trafficking and interdiction, anti-money laundering policies, and drug prevention and treatment programs.

In 2001, Castillo left government employment but not public service. Continuing her lifelong commitment to transformative change, she applied – and was accepted – to American University’s Washington College of Law, receiving her Juris Doctor in 2004. She went on to serve as the executive director of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), where she was instrumental in working with the White House and non-profit organizations like Latinos for a Fair Judiciary in support of the nomination and confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Her current role with EDA brings her back to the Department of Commerce, an agency she first joined in 2008 as a Special Advisor to the Under Secretary for International Trade. In this capacity, she was responsible for business outreach and intergovernmental affairs and assisting in the development of policy initiatives geared at trade promotion and enforcement of U.S. trade laws.

At EDA, Assistant Secretary Castillo is leading the implementation of historic levels of funding, delivering dynamic economic development programs that are having real impact in building our economy from the bottom up and middle out. Working to ensure the success of regional innovation economies and that all pockets of our country are given the opportunity to compete, grow and thrive, Assistant Secretary Castillo serves as Federal Co-Chair for the National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and as Co-Vice Chair of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Council for Inclusive Innovation. In 2014, Castillo was appointed by President Obama to serve as the National Director of the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), becoming the first Hispanic woman to lead the agency. Her work at MBDA was tremendously rewarding and close to her heart, as her father was a minority business owner.

During her tenure, she led MBDA’s efforts to boost the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises (MBEs). Under her leadership, MBDA expanded its effort to help MBEs gain access to capital, contracts, and business opportunities. Before her appointment as director, she served as MBDA’s national deputy director, managing day-to-day operations and its network of 44 business centers. Immediately prior to President Biden appointing her to lead the EDA, Castillo was the Chief Executive Officer of YWCA USA, where she championed the 163-year-old organization and its 204 associations serving over 2.3 million women and families across 1,300 communities in the United States. YWCA’s mission is to eliminate racism and empower women. Castillo is an active member in various civic and professional organizations, including the Hispanic National Bar Association, Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia, American Bar Association, and American Jewish Committee. She also serves as a Board Trustee for the University of the District of Columbia. In 2010, Hispanic Business Magazine recognized Castillo among the Top 100 Influential Latinos in the U.S. She received the 2010 Rising Star Award by the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia. Castillo has ten nieces and nephews, two of whom she is raising, leading the next generation of trailblazing entrepreneurs. She believes the economy does not function without women fully participating in the workforce and, through hard work and perseverance, continues to advocate as a strong Hispanic female role model.

ALEJANDRA Y. CASTILLO

Douglas emhoff

Second Gentleman of the United States Douglas Emhoff

As Second Gentleman, Mr. Douglas Emhoff is working to share the priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration with people across the country and around the world.

Mr. Emhoff has traveled to 37 states, two native nations, and fourteen countries. During his travels, he has met with health care professionals, parents, teachers, caregivers, community leaders, legal aid providers, small-business owners in urban and rural areas, communities of color, and Tribal communities to hear their stories and to share how the Administration is working to help their families.

The Second Gentleman delivers remarks at the Department of Labor’s Equity in Focus Summit on Thursday, September 22, 2022 (Official White House Photo by Cameron Smith).As the first Second Gentleman, married to the first woman vice president, Mr. Emhoff knows the power and importance of having women in leadership positions. He has seen what it has meant to young girls and boys to look up to Vice President Kamala Harris and is a champion for gender equality. Mr. Emhoff has met with gender ministers in both Japan and France and has hosted roundtable discussions with women and young girls around the world to discuss the importance of equity in the workplace, equal pay, and protecting reproductive rights and health care.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, joined by their family and Rabbi Peter Berg of The Temple Atlanta, participate in a blessing of the Mezuzah, Thursday, October 7, 2021, at the Vice President’s Residence in Washington D.C. (Official White House Photo by Cameron Smith) As the first Jewish spouse of an American president or vice president, Mr. Emhoff has been honored to share his Jewish heritage and culture—from celebrating Passover in the White House to affixing Mezuzahs on the doorposts of the Vice President’s Residence.

Mr. Emhoff has been a leading voice on combating antisemitism and hatred wherever it exists. He convened Jewish leaders at the White House for the first of its kind roundtable to bring attention to the rise in antisemitism. He has also worked with Jewish student leaders on campus and with the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combatting Antisemitism to promote a whole-of-society approach to countering antisemitism.

Douglas emhoff

He regularly engages with individuals from the Jewish community as well as other faith-based groups to discuss the Administration’s priorities to strengthen religious tolerance and protect religious freedom.

As a lawyer for over 30 years, Mr. Emhoff cares deeply about justice and equality in our legal system. He is an advocate for access to legal aid and removing barriers – legal, social, and financial – to ensure that every person can get the help they need to arrive at justice. In January 2020, Mr. Emhoff began teaching law courses at the Georgetown University Law Center and is enjoying the opportunity to mentor the next generation of lawyers.

Mr. Emhoff made it a top priority to encourage people to protect themselves and their communities by getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

He has visited vaccine clinics in churches, community health centers, schools, stadiums, and even barbershops to raise awareness around the importance of getting vaccinated.

Mr. Emhoff was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Matawan, New Jersey, by his parents, Mike and Barbara, with his siblings, Jamie and Andy. His family moved to the Los Angeles area during his teen years.

Mr. Emhoff earned a B.A. from California State University, Northridge and a J.D. from University of Southern California Gould School of Law. He and the Vice President have been married for eight years and are the proud parents of Cole and Ella Emhoff.

RochelLE M. Garza

Rochelle M. Garza Rochelle Garza is an attorney from the Rio Grande Valley currently serving as President of the Texas Civil Rights Project, one of the most influential legal organizations dedicated to empowering Texas communities and creating policy changes in the state.

Rochelle has the honor to be appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights by President Biden where she will serve as Chair until 2028.

The USCCR is the oldest independent and bipartisan commission in the U.S. created by the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

In 2022, Rochelle became the democratic nominee for Texas Attorney General on a platform focused on voting rights, reproductive rights and government accountability. She was the first Latina to be nominated in Texas history to run for Attorney General by any major party.

Rochelle is the daughter of two public school teachers. At a young age, Rochelle learned firsthand how broken our healthcare system is. Her oldest brother, Robby, suffered a brain injury during childbirth and grew up with disabilities. Rochelle watched her parents work tirelessly to ensure Robby had the care he needed. Like so many families, she knows what it’s like to make sacrifices for the health of her family.

So Rochelle became a lawyer for the people –– fighting for the civil rights of children, immigrants and families and has expertise in immigration, family, criminal and constitutional law. Her work has had broad impacts on civil rights, including the “Garza Notice,” a federal requirement that ensures teens in immigration detention control their reproductive health care choices, which is still in effect today.

Rochelle graduated from the University of Houston Law Center and from Brown University with honors. She lives with her husband, Adam, their toddler daughter, and their dog, Ramses, in Brownsville, Texas.

Judge Lina Hidalgo is the head of Harris County’s governing body. She is the first woman to be elected County Judge and only the second to be elected to the Commissioners Court.

Harris County is the third largest county in our nation. Its population of more than 4.5 million rivals that of the entire state of Colorado. The Harris County Judge and four County Commissioners oversee a $4.3 billion budget that helps fund key county services and institutions.

The County Judge is the presiding officer on the Commissioners Court. As the main governing body of Harris County, the Commissioners Court plays a critical role that is part administrative, part legislative, and part judicial. Its many responsibilities include adopting a budget; setting tax rates; calling for bond elections; building and maintaining county infrastructure such as roads and bridges; and overseeing county courthouses, jails, libraries, parks, and the Harris County Flood Control District.

By state law, the County Judge is also the county’s director of emergency management, leading the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM). In addition to her formal duties, Judge Hidalgo plays an important advocacy role for the County.

Judge Hidalgo believes that our region will remain competitive only through proactive and creative leadership on issues like flood control, transportation, criminal justice reform, and education. She is committed to ensuring that Harris County government is transparent, accessible, and accountable to every resident. She wants Harris County to be a place where everyone can attain the American Dream.

Judge Hidalgo’s leadership has been recognized through numerous awards and national honors. She received the prestigious John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award for her swift response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was recognized with the Jack Brooks Foundation Leadership Award for her work to protect voting rights and access to the ballot box. Judge Hidalgo has also been named to the TIME Magazine 100 Next list as well as Forbes 30 Under 30.

Harris County Judge LINA HIDALGO

Eva Longoria Bastón

Having worked consistently in Hollywood for over 20 years, Eva Longoria has cemented herself as an industry staple known for her work both in front of and behind the camera.

An award-winning actress, Emmy-nominated director, producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist, Longoria has been leading the charge for diverse and female representation since her starring role in the hit ABC series Desperate Housewives.

Named by Variety Magazine as one of the directors to watch in 2021, Longoria made a big splash at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival with her criticallyacclaimed documentary, La Guerra Civil. The film tells the story of boxers Oscar de la Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez and delves into the historic bout between the two Latino giants. Longoria directed the pilot episode of the HBO Max series Gordita Chronicles, which premiered on the streaming platform in June 2022, which she also executive produced alongside Zoe Saldana. Other past directing credits include the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Versus, as well as episodes of Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love, Grand Hotel, Black-ish, The Mick, LA to Vegas, Jane the Virgin, Telenovela, Devious Maids, Latinos Living the Dream, and the short films Out of the Blue, and A Proper Send-Off. Longoria was nominated for a 2021 Daytime Emmy for her directing work on Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love.

She made her feature directorial debut in June 2023 with the Searchlight biopic Flamin’ Hot, about the story of Richard Montañez and the spicy Flamin’ Hot Cheetos snack, for which she beat out multiple high-profile film directors vying for the job. Flamin’ Hot premiered on June 9th on Hulu and was the most-watched Searchlight Pictures streaming premiere ever. Earlier in 2023, CNN premiered Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico, a six-part original docu series that followed Longoria as she traveled across Mexico exploring the country’s cuisine. Most recently, she was seen in Aristotle and Dante, a film based on the novel of the same name. Coming up, Eva is set to star in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, season 4 of the fan-favorite series Only Murders in the Building, and Amazon MGM’s The Pickup alongside Eddie Murphy, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Jack Kesy, and Marshawn Lynch.

PROGRAM

Eva Longoria Bastón

In October 2023, it was announced that Longoria and leading entertainment executive and entrepreneur Cris Abrego have formed a new media holding company and premium content studio, Hyphenate Media Group. Longoria’s lauded and awarded UnbeliEVAble Entertainment production company will now move under the Hyphenate Media Group banner. Hyphenate Media Group’s first title will be Land of Women for AppleTV+, which Longoria is set to executive produce and star opposite Carmen Maura. The six-episode dramedy series is inspired by Sandra Barneda’s best-selling novel of the same name. The innovative bilingual series is set to premiere in June 2024.

In September 2021, Longoria launched Casa Del Sol tequila, a luxury sipping tequila inspired by the magic of the golden hour and the legend of the Aztec goddess of agave, Mayahuel. In April 2024, it was announced that Eva would join Siete Foods as an investor and strategic advisor. Longoria is also an original investor in Angel City FC, a female-driven soccer club founded by a mix of athletes, celebrities, and other businesswomen. A true sports fanatic, Longoria is also an investor in Club Necaxa, a Liga MX team based in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and is a co-owner of the padel team, Eleven Eleven Team USA.

Named by People Magazine as one of the “Women Changing the World,” Longoria is a dedicated philanthropist and activist who has consistently lent her voice to the issues she is passionate about, ranging from immigration to STEM education. Committed to empowering Latinas everywhere, Longoria established the Eva Longoria Foundation (ELF) in 2012 to help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families. She is a co-founder of Latino Victory Fund, Momento Latino, and Poderistas. Longoria has also been the face of L’Oréal Paris for over 15 years. A native of Texas, Longoria currently resides in Los Angeles with her family.

Lt. Governor Sabina Matos

Sabina Matos is the 70th Lieutenant Governor of the State of Rhode Island. She was appointed to the office in 2021 and was elected to serve a full four-year term in November 2022.

She is the first woman of color to hold this post and the first Dominican American to hold statewide office in the United States.

As Lieutenant Governor, Sabina Matos chairs statewide policy councils on emergency management, small business, and healthcare, manages veterans service programs, and advocates for housing equity. Prior to her current role, Lieutenant Governor Matos served on the Providence City Council from 2011 until 2021. In 2019, she was the first Latina elected to be City Council President.

Lieutenant Governor Matos immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 1994 and graduated from Rhode Island College in May of 2001. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island, with her husband and their two children.

Luis A. Miranda, Jr., has four decades of experience as a leader in the public, private, political, and advocacy sectors. He arrived in New York City from Puerto Rico in 1974 to study psychology at NYU but soon found himself drawn to community action when he organized his neighbors to fight for better schools for their children.

In the 1980s he was a special advisor for Hispanic Affairs to Mayor Ed Koch, and he continued to serve in key roles for the Dinkins and Giuliani administrations. As a founding partner of the MirRam Group, Miranda has consulted on several successful political campaigns, including the senatorial campaigns of Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Most recently he managed New York Attorney General Letitia James’ successful reelection. Miranda is the founding president of the Hispanic Federation and is currently the chairperson of the Latino Victory Fund, the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, Viva Broadway and the Public Theater. He is a board member of The City, and former chair of the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Luis a. miranda jr.

Miranda’s memoir, Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit That Is Transforming America, released by Hachette Books in both English and Spanish on May 7, 2024. In Relentless, he shares the fascinating narrative of his life and career—from his early days as a radically minded Puerto Rican activist to his decades of political advice and problem-solving.

Luis and his wife, Dr. Luz Towns-Miranda, have three children, Luz MirandaCrespo, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Miguel Towns. Now as adults, Luz MirandaCrespo and Lin-Manuel Miranda are married to Luis Crespo and Vanessa Nadal, respectively, with children of their own. For over 40 years, Luis Miranda and Dr. Towns-Miranda have been community activists since their first date in 1978, and since HAMILTON’s critical and commercial success, the family has expanded their work with additional resources through the Miranda Family Fund and Miranda Family Fellowship. Luis shepherds all the family’s philanthropic endeavors, which span increasing people of color’s representation throughout the arts and government, ensuring access to women’s reproductive health, and preserving and strengthening the arts in Puerto Rico.

Henry r. muñoz iii

Henry R. Muñoz III is leading a rising discourse on the imprint of Latino identity on American society throughout history that is poised to move front and center in the 21st Century, as Latino Americans converge at the center of politics and the economy.

At a critical juncture in the lead up to President Obama’s reelection in 2012, Muñoz, a businessman, designer, activist, producer, opinion leader and philanthropist, teamed up with actress Eva Longoria to found the Futuro Fund, to ensure that Latino voices in critical states and nationwide were being heard and their votes both fought for and counted.

Born and raised in Texas – a state whose Latino population is positioned to be a national force over the next decade, Henry R. Muñoz III is he son of Henry “The Fox” Munoz, Jr., a prominent 20th-century Latino farm labor and immigrant’s rights advocate with deep roots in Mexican-American and Latino communities across the state.

In addition to founding the Latino Voter Project and the Futuro Fund, Muñoz, along with former Washington Post Publisher Donald Graham, is a founder of TheDream.US, a national scholarship foundation to benefit the children of The Dream Act that is dedicated to placing direct action behind the belief that the American dream should be truly available to all. He is also a member of the Board of The National Parks Foundation, where he has pushed to establish The American Latino Heritage Fund, which supports the creation of National Monuments and Heritage Sites that record the contributions of Latinos to the history of the country.

Frankie Negrón Latin music superstar Frankie Negrón has been called "the genre's next definitive voice” by All Music Guide.

Since 1997, his distinct blend of traditional salsa with progressive influences such as pop, rock, gospel, R&B, hip-hop, and reggaetón has garnered numerous plaudits. Negrón has earned many Grammy nominations, Billboard Award nods, and two Premio Lo Nuestro Awards for “Song of the Year”.

He’s also had several number one singles, four gold and platinum albums, and nine Billboard Top 40 Hot Latin Tracks. His last album, his ninth overall, 2009’s Independence Day (Airgo Music), earned enthusiastic reviews from New York Times’ Jon Pareles who highlighted it in his seasonal record release roundup. Negrón was also selected to perform the album’s Spanglish hit, “Holding On to Love”, on an episode of ABC’s One Life To Live, where he also appeared with a speaking role. Despite the many commitments of his professional life, Frankie Negrón always makes time for something very personal: giving back to the Latino community through his passion for health issues.

Negrón is an active supporter of the American Diabetes Association and the American Red Cross. “Juvenile diabetes is an important issue in my family, and in the Latino community. Blood donation is important to educate people about because a majority of Latinos have O positive blood type, making us universal donors,” Negrón explains. Frankie attends events, screenings, makes public service announcements, and puts on special performances to benefit both organizations. “Wanting to give back is vital to me. I am blessed to have career where I share my voice, but that voice extends beyond my music. I get to be a voice for my community,” he says. “My family has been directly affected by juvenile diabetes and by not having organ matches when needed. Getting treated or screened for diabetes can save your life, and a pint of blood can save someone else’s life. Our time on this earth will be measured not by what we accumulated, but by what we shared. I need to share this message.” The New Jersey-born and raised salsa singer of Puerto Rican descent recently began a creatively fruitful relationship with Airgo Music.

The album delivered the epic single “Adicto A Tu Piel”, a fan favorite and an industry smash, reaching #3 on the Billboard Tropical charts alongside pop superstars and garnering a staggering amount of radio spins. Negrón debuted his first English single, “Torn”, on Good Day New York where the show highlighted the album’s innovative packaging which included a Frankie Negrón-branded USB drive. The album was Frankie’s first independent release, and the label negotiated groundbreaking direct distribution deals for it with Walmart and Best Buy.

Frankie negrón

CLINT ODOM

Clint Odom is the vice president for strategic alliances & external affairs at T-Mobile. Previously, Odom led policy and advocacy for the National Urban League while simultaneously serving as executive director of their Washington Bureau.

Odom served for a decade in the United States Senate as legislative director for Senator Kamala Harris of California and general counsel to Senator Bill Nelson of Florida. Odom also served as a senior advisor at the Federal Communications Commission and practiced law at the firm Dow, Lohnes & Albertson (now Cooley LLP). Odom served as a law clerk to the Honorable Henry T. Wingate of the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Mississippi and is a graduate of Louisiana State University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Katharine Pichardo-Erskine is a trailblazer who has melded political organizing expertise and executive leadership to become a widely recognized changemaker in the governmental, political, and civic arena. She takes charge as Executive Director at Latino Victory with a mission perfectly suited to her 25 years of experience as a successful leader and passionate advocate: building political power within the Latino community and ensuring that Latino voices are included in the nation’s policy and fiscal agenda.

Empowering Latinos, and all underrepresented communities, have always been at the center of Katharine’s adult life and career. From her start as a civic education organizer at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, to her time as chief of staff and other senior-level positions in government, Katharine has been at the forefront of advancing our communities. She has fought publicly for common-sense immigration reform, universal access to healthcare, a good quality education for all children, economic policies that create upward mobility for all, and fair and equal representation at all levels of government.

katharine pichardoerskine

Most recently, Katharine served as Senior Vice President at the MirRam Group, a top-tier New York-based strategic consulting firm where she has managed some of the firm’s most prominent portfolios. Specifically, lobbying, government and community relations on behalf of corporate, labor and non-profit clients. Between 2018 and 2022, Katharine also led the firm’s political arm, as President of the Hamilton Campaign Network (HCN). In this role, Katharine worked with stakeholders around the country to engage Latinos in the political process, provide a roadmap for voter participation efforts during the 2020 Presidential campaign, and support down-ballot races in 10 strategically important states.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Katharine is a proud product of New York City public schools and Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY). Perhaps there is no greater demonstration of her executive leadership and political acumen than her role in various successful high-profile and history-making campaigns, including the election of Adriano Espaillat as the first Dominican-American in Congress. She also helped to elect Letitia James, the first woman and person of color to be elected Attorney General of New York, and Eric Gonzalez, the first Latino District Attorney in the Northeast.

Today, Katharine is a sought-after strategist. She has appeared on various “power lists,” including City and State New York’s top political consultants list. She is also a regular political commentator on Telemundo as well as other media outlets in English and Spanish.

Cástulo de la rocha

Cástulo de la Rocha joined AltaMed Health Services—then La Clínica Familiar del Barrio—as Executive Director in 1977 and has since led its transformation from a storefront clinic in East Los Angeles into one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers in the nation.

As President and CEO of AltaMed, de la Rocha leads a team of more than 3,000 employees who oversee more than 400,000 patients and managed care members across AltaMed’s network of medical, dental, and PACE sites throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties. He received his B.A. in Political Science from U.C. Santa Barbara and his J.D. from Berkeley Law and currently serves on the Health Tech 4 Medicaid Expert Council. de la Rocha is also a Board Member Emeritus for National Medical Fellowships.

Katharine Pichardo-Erskine is a trailblazer who has melded political organizing expertise and executive leadership to become a widely recognized changemaker in the governmental, political, and civic arena.

She takes charge as Executive Director at Latino Victory with a mission perfectly suited to her 25 years of experience as a successful leader and passionate advocate: building political power within the Latino community and ensuring that Latino voices are included in the nation’s policy and fiscal agenda.

Maria elena salinas

Empowering Latinos, and all underrepresented communities, have always been at the center of Katharine’s adult life and career. From her start as a civic education organizer at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, to her time as chief of staff and other senior-level positions in government, Katharine has been at the forefront of advancing our communities. She has fought publicly for common-sense immigration reform, universal access to healthcare, a good quality education for all children, economic policies that create upward mobility for all, and fair and equal representation at all levels of government.

Most recently, Katharine served as Senior Vice President at the MirRam Group, a top-tier New York-based strategic consulting firm where she has managed some of the firm’s most prominent portfolios. Specifically, lobbying, government and community relations on behalf of corporate, labor and non-profit clients.

Between 2018 and 2022, Katharine also led the firm’s political arm, as President of the Hamilton Campaign Network (HCN). In this role, Katharine worked with stakeholders around the country to engage Latinos in the political process, provide a roadmap for voter participation efforts during the 2020 Presidential campaign, and support down-ballot races in 10 strategically important states.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Katharine is a proud product of New York City public schools and Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY).

Maria elena salinas

Perhaps there is no greater demonstration of her executive leadership and political acumen than her role in various successful high-profile and history-making campaigns, including the election of Adriano Espaillat as the first Dominican-American in Congress. She also helped to elect Letitia James, the first woman and person of color to be elected Attorney General of New York, and Eric Gonzalez, the first Latino District Attorney in the Northeast.

Today, Katharine is a sought-after strategist. She has appeared on various “power lists,” including City and State New York’s top political consultants list. She is also a regular political commentator on Telemundo as well as other media outlets in English and Spanish.

LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP

LATINO VICTORY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LEADERSHIP

Luis A. Miranda, Jr., Chair of the Board

Cristóbal Alex

Yrthya Dinzey-Flores

Lisa Duarte

Dr. Erika Gonzalez-Reyes

Ambassador Capricia Marshall

Regina Montoya

Leo Muñoz

Cástulo de la Rocha

Randi Weingarten

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