Latinos shine in all spheres of american life

JOSÉ ANDRÉS CHEF, HUMANITARIAN In 1991, a 21-year-old chef left his native Spain to seek his fortune in the United States. Fast-forward 33 years. Today José Andrés is a highly successful

businessman recognized for both his culinary vision and his humanitarian work around the globe. With restaurants in major U.S. cities including Washington, Las Vegas, Miami Beach, New York

City, Chicago and Los Angeles, the celebrated chef also has published cookbooks, starred in TV shows and created the Global Food Institute at George Washington University to “fix our world’s

broken food systems.” But perhaps his greatest impact has been as the founder of World Central Kitchen, launched in 2010 to provide aid and meals to disaster-stricken nations. His efforts

have earned him the 2015 National Humanities Medal and two Nobel Peace Prize nominations. “In the moments that we face the biggest, most traumatic moments of our lives, it’s so easy to lose

hope,” he told AARP. “So, we serve warm, comforting dishes — ones that don’t just bring calories, but also bring nourishment — and a reminder that the sun will rise again tomorrow.” Juan

Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images; JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images; Getty Images SILVIA TCHERASSI FASHION DESIGNER With boutiques in the United States, Spain, the Dominican Republic and her

native Colombia, Tcherassi has been a force in the world of international fashion since launching her brand in 1987. Ten years later, she opened her first U.S. boutique in Miami, the city

she has called home ever since, and the place where she oversees her growing brand, which includes the luxury Tcherassi Hotels. She is a recipient of France’s Knight of the Order of Arts and

Letters, bestowed on leaders of the international arts community for their contribution and commitment to cultural service. Tcherassi’s work has been the subject of several books and museum

exhibits. Hailed as the “mastermind of Latin flair” — a trend that has given visibility to other Latin American designers — she describes her style as a “blend of tradition and modernity”

designed to serve women of all ages. Getty Images; Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Lifetime SOLEDAD O’BRIEN JOURNALIST, MEDIA EXECUTIVE Journalist, broadcast

producer, speaker, philanthropist and author, the founder of SO’B Productions is, at heart, a storyteller. The New York–born, Harvard-educated daughter of an Irish-Australian father and an

Afro-Cuban mother, O’Brien often taps into her background as a multiracial American woman to bring her unique perspective to film and television projects such as the 2009 series and book

_Latino in America_, the 2022 documentary _The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks_ — winner of a Peabody Award — and the 2023 podcast series with Rob Reiner, _Who Killed JFK?_. A hard-nosed

reporter who has testified before Congress on disinformation and extremism in the media, she has been recognized with top honors including an Emmy Award, the Gracie Award and the Alfred I.

Dupont Award. Business Wire/AP Newsroom; Courtesy National Archives, photo no. STS056-04-008 - STS-056 ELLEN OCHOA ASTRONAUT The first Latina to become an astronaut, Ochoa is a veteran of

four space flights and from 2013 to 2018 served as the director of NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Born in Los Angeles, Ochoa is also a classical flutist and has three patents to her

name. As befits a lifelong learner, Ochoa has had seven schools across the nation named after her and is a passionate advocate for women and minorities to enter science and technology

fields. To that end, since retiring from NASA she has authored a series of five bilingual children’s books, _Dr. Ochoa’s Stellar World_, one for each of the letters of STEAM (science,

technology, engineering, arts and math), with the final installment coming out this fall. “Education is what allows you to stand out,” she says. “We need the best and brightest from all

backgrounds to work together” to break through the challenges of space exploration and beyond. Ochoa’s many awards include NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal and Exceptional Service Medal,

and she has been inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. In May 2024, President Joe Biden honored her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.