This year, the media publisher received an award from a prominent Latino group. She also celebrates her website’s 30th anniversary honoring Hollywood’s budding Latino talent.
The National Association of Hispanic Publications recently named Bel Hernandez Publisher of the Year for her demonstrated excellence in publishing and service to the Latino community in the entertainment industry through her Latin Heat Entertainment, an online trade publication. The recognition couldn’t be more timely as it coincides with Latin Heat’s 30th anniversary.
presents the Publisher of the Year Award to Bel Hernandez
In celebration of its three decades of service, Latin Heat has launched the Latin Heat Rising Star Award honoring a talent who is stepping into the spotlight in a major way. The award’s first recipient is actress Annie Gonzalez, a proud Chicana artist from East Los Angeles. Her breakout role came in Netflix’s Gentefied, which led to a starring role in Eva Longoria’s directorial feature film debut Flamin’ Hot. Furthermore, Gonzalez recently landed another starring role, George Lopez’s Once Upon a Time in Aztlan for Amazon Prime Video. The budding actress is currently seen in in season two of Gentefied, which debuted in November.
Both Hernandez’s NAHP Published of the Year and Gonzalez’s Latin Heat Rising Star awards will be presented at an industry event Wed., Dec. 17 in Los Angeles County.
Credited with expanding the coverage of Latinos in Hollywood, Hernandez, dubbed as “The Godmother of Latino Hollywood” by MovieMaker Magazine, has received many recognitions and forged many alliances throughout the years, most notably with her mentor and former publisher of The Hollywood Reporter to promote the “crossover” coverage of Latinos. She was recently named to Credentials Committee of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the producer the Golden Globe Awards.
“Looking back, I reflect on where we were back then as a creative community, it was the independent Latino directors creating the opportunities for Latinos–Gregory Nava with Selena and El Norte), Robert Rodriguez with El Mariachi and Desperado), Miguel Arteta with Star Maps), Edward James Olmos with Stand and Deliver and American Me, and others”, Hernandez reflected. “Fast forward 30 years and now there is a cadre of Latino creatives who continue to cast authentically and create the future stars of Hollywood who happen to be Latino”.
NAHP’s founding president Kirk Whisler will present the Publisher of the Year Award to Hernandez at Wednesday’s invitation-only industry event. Gentefied’s Gonzalez will also be presented with the Latin Heat Rising Star Award.
The celebrity red carpet event is sponsored by Neft Vodka and will benefit Brighter Future Charity, a non-profit organization devoted to enriching and empowering the lives of youth, adults and families within the autism community.
Herdandez is also CEO of Latin Heat Media, a multi-media company whose mission is to create content by Latinos and about Latinos for universal audiences. The parent company of this website, Latin Heat. LHM also produces TheTRENDTalk Show and LATINAFest, a festival that celebrates all things Latina.
In addition to running her own media company, Hernandez is also involved in various community causes. She serves on the advisory boards for Farmworker Justice and the Mexican American Cultural Education Foundation. Hernandez has been recognized for her journalist endeavors with an ALMA Award and a Mujeres Destacadas Award from La Opinión Newspaper. Additionally, she has been honored by the Hispanic Public Relations Association, Latina Style Magazine, Hispanic Lifestyle, National Hispanic Health Foundation, National Hispanic Media Coalition, the City of Los Angeles and Women in Theater Festival.
Featured Photo: Bel Hernandez (Credit: Latin Heat Media)
