HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS JOIN CURRENT AND FUTURE STARS TO PRESENT AND PERFORM
DURING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS

Kennedy Center Ceremony to Include a Star-Studded Tribute to Past and Current Honorees;
Television Broadcasts Scheduled for September 30 on NBC Universal Stations and October 1 on Telemundo and American Forces Networks

WASHINGTON, DC – The Hispanic Heritage Foundation today announced an all-star line-up for the 20th Anniversary of the Hispanic Heritage Awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on September 7. The ceremony will be hosted by Judy Reyes from NBC’s Scrubs and Carlos Ponce, host of the recent Miss Universe 2006 Pageant on NBC who also starred in the WB’s 7th Heaven. The 20th Anniversary special will air on NBC Universal stations September 30 and Telemundo Network as “Los Primos Herencia Hispana” at 7 p.m. on October 1, and on the American Forces Network also on October 1.

Presenters will include Actress Rosario Dawson; Actress Nadine Velasquez; Actress Shelbie Bruce; Actress Dania Ramirez; Cover Girl Supermodel and former Miss Universe Amelia Vega; Director and 2001 Hispanic Heritage Awards Honoree Gregory Nava; Baseball Hall-of-Famer Orlando Cepeda; Actress Eva Tamargo; Actress Silvana Arias; CNBC Anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera; Actor Mario Cimarro; Actor Christian Meier; Actor and son of the late Hispanic Heritage Award honoree Anthony Quinn, Alex Quinn; Telemundo show host Maria Antonieta Collins; MTV host and former Miss USA Susie Castillo; Actress Julissa Bermudez; Actress Alicia Adams; and Talk-Show Host and 2001 Hispanic Heritage Awards Honoree Cristina Saralegui.

2006 Hispanic Heritage Awards Lifetime Achievement Honoree José Feliciano will be joined by his two sons for a special performance. Other performances will include Legendary Norteño music icons and GRAMMY® Award winning artists Los Tigres Del Norte, Puerto Rican Salsa/Reggaeton singer Michael Stuart, Ballet Hispanico, and Mexican Pop Star Jimena. In addition, nine national Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards recipients will be honored on stage by former Miss USA and current MTV Host Susie Castillo. The event, which celebrates Hispanic pride, culture and accomplishment, is appropriately-themed “Looking Back, Moving Forward.” Maria Perez-Brown is the show’s Executive Producer, and the Director is Chuck Vinson (Last Comic Standing).

The 2006 Hispanic Heritage Awards Honorees being celebrated are: Antonio Banderas, Arts, actor; Dr. Juliet Villarreal García, Education, first Latina president of a college or university; Lt. Col. US Army (retired) Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, Leadership, community activist and highest-ranking Latina in the Combat Support Field of the U.S. Army; Juan Marichal, Sports, Hall-of- Fame baseball legend; James A. Johnson, Vision, Chairman Emeritus of the Kennedy Center; and José Feliciano, Lifetime Achievement, internationally-renowned recording artist.

“The dynamic tribute being planned for the esteemed 2006 Hispanic Heritage Awards Honorees and the 20th Anniversary of the program will be emotional, entertaining and inspiring,” said José Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. “We are grateful to the impressive group of Latino entertainers and legendary performers who are coming to Washington to celebrate our mission, especially our past Honorees who will once again take a bow from the venerable Kennedy Center stage.”

Festivities surrounding the ceremony will include a party at the Dominican Embassy on September 5, a reception at the Smithsonian Castle hosted by the Smithsonian Latino Center on September 6, the Latino Leaders Luncheon on September 6, a Youth Awards luncheon and press opportunity on September 7, and a photo opportunity, Honoree’s reception, Honoree’s dinner and After Party on September 7. Erwin Gomez Salon in Georgetown will provide Hispanic Heritage Awards Honorees, Youth Award recipients, presenters, performers, and past honorees with pampering sessions that include hair and makeup services on the day of the show.

The Hispanic Heritage Awards will air as a one-hour program at the following times on these NBC Universal stations on September 30: WNBC New York, 7pm; KNBC Los Angeles, 7 pm; WCAU Philadelphia, 7 pm; KNTV San Jose, 7 pm; WRC Washington, 7 pm; WTVJ Miami, 7 pm; KNSD San Diego, 7 pm; WVIT Hartford, 7 pm; WMAQ Chicago, 6 pm; KXAS Dallas, 12:30 pm.

The 2006 Hispanic Heritage Awards are made possible in part by: Host sponsor AARP; Medallion sponsors AstraZeneca, AT&T, Kellogg Company, and SUBWAY® restaurants; Gold sponsors Dr Pepper, NBC Universal and Telemundo; Allianz Life, the Official Insurance Company; American Airlines, the Official Airline of the Hispanic Heritage Awards; Staples Foundation for Learning, the Official Presenter of the 20th Anniversary Portrait Gallery; U.S. Navy, the Official Armed Forces Partner; Volvo, the Official Car; and Hennessy, the Official Bar Host. In addition, the Hispanic Heritage Awards are sponsored by Southwest Airlines, AOL, Target, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Time Warner Inc., MTV Tr3́s, People en Español, ESPN Deportes, Lehman Brothers, Temple Inland, Beazer Homes, Chase and MasterCard Worldwide, Fannie Mae, GlaxoSmithKline, Home Builders Institute, Abercrombie and Fitch, Gannett Co., Inc., Sallie Mae, United Health Group, and Creative Artists Agency. To join the prestigious list of sponsors and share in the historic 20th Anniversary of the Hispanic Heritage Awards, please call 202.861.9797.

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization (Federal I.D. #52-181825), identifies, inspires, promotes, and prepares Latino role models through national leadership, educational, and workforce programs. The Hispanic Heritage Awards, which began as a small White House ceremony commemorating the creation of Hispanic Heritage Month, has become the most recognizable and celebrated Hispanic honor and event in America, and serves as a culmination of the Foundation’s year-round programs, which include the Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards, LOFT (Latinos on Fast Track) and HispanicHeritage.org. For more information about the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, please visit www.HispanicHeritage.org.