The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) on Friday, June 6th, hosted its annual Impact Awards Gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, recognizing individuals in the entertainment industry who champion accurate and positive portrayals of the Latino community. The event, co-hosted by writer, actor, and comedian Al Madrigal and actress, writer, and producer Jessica Marie Garcia, celebrated the achievements of honorees while underscoring the critical need for positive representation in media, especially in light of recent anti-immigrant actions.
Honoring Latino Excellence
The 2025 NHMC Impact Awards Gala honored a diverse group of talents, including the casts of Acapulco (Authentic Storytelling Impact Award) and Cobra Kai (Ensemble Impact Award), accepted by Camila Perez & Enrique Arrizon and Xolo Maridueña, respectively. Other notable honorees included Cris Abrego (Leadership Impact Award), Daniella Pineda (Outstanding Performance Impact Award), Isabela Merced (Next Generation Impact Award), Phil Lord (Visionary Impact Award), and Rey Mysterio (Legend Impact Award).
The Impact Awards Gala serves as a cornerstone of the NHMC’s broader mission to advocate for increased Latino visibility in media, pushing for more Latino writers on major networks, greater representation of diverse talent on film and television sets, and educating industry executives on the nuances of Latino culture. Past honorees include a long list of prominent figures such as Salma Hayek Pinault, Rosie Perez, Diego Luna, and Zoe Saldana, among many others.
Gala vs. ICE Raids
However, the celebratory atmosphere of the gala contrasted sharply with concurrent ICE raids in Los Angeles. Just miles from the celebration, authorities targeted and detained innocent laborers. Reports from the Los Angeles Times indicated that, despite the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s claims of targeting “criminals,” data suggested that most of those arrested were not convicted criminals; nearly half were Mexican working-age men.
NBC News further highlighted the disparity in immigration enforcement, revealing internal ICE data. This data showed that a significant portion of individuals arrested and booked between October 1 and May 31 (partially under the Biden administration) had no conviction for serious crimes; immigration and traffic violations were the most common offenses. Nearly half of those in ICE custody faced neither conviction nor charges for any crime.
NHMC Calls for Positive Representation
Attendees at the Impact Awards Gala frequently voiced their feelings about the urgent need to maintain positivity, foster community, and actively combat harmful stereotypes. They reiterated the vital importance of events like the Impact Awards, especially as the current administration increasingly villainizes the Hispanic community in the United States. Positive depictions of the Latinx community are more crucial now than ever to counter negative narratives and ensure accurate representation.