LA PLAZA DE CULTURA Y ARTES TO RECOGNIZE WALMART, LA MARISOUL, AND ANTONIA HERNÁNDEZ AT ITS POBLADORES AWARDS GALA

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Sep 12, 2023, 16:00 ET

The must-attend event caps Latino Heritage Month in Los Angeles and welcomes more than 400 cultural, business, and government leaders in downtown L.A. on Thursday, October 12

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes will celebrate its 12th Annual Pobladores Awards Gala fundraiser on Thursday, October 12, at its campus located in downtown Los Angeles. Walmart and Grammy-winning singer and songwriter La Marisoul will be honored with the distinguished Pobladores Awards; and nationally known civil rights and philanthropic leader Antonia Hernández, will receive the inaugural Gloria Molina Community Champion Award.

Through its annual gala, LA Plaza recognizes individuals, organizations, and companies who, much like the original pobladores settlers from Mexico, have blazed a trail that continues to endure, inspire, and enrich.

LA Plaza is a community hub where people gather to celebrate Latino culture through exhibitions, music, dance, culinary arts, and multigenerational artmaking and storytelling experiences. The support raised during the gala ensures LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes can continue to provide community access to educational, exhibition, and programming initiatives at the museum and cultural center.

2023 Pobladores Awards Honorees are Walmart, La Marisoul and Antonia Hernández:

Walmart has been a strong supporter of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes since the organization first welcomed visitors. Walmart provided a $500,000 grant to kickstart the organization's success by funding its educational programs. Over time, Walmart continued its support by contributing an additional half of a million dollars through sponsorships and program support.

La Marisoul (Eva Marisol Hernandez), is a musician, songwriter, actress and the lead singer for La Santa Cecilia. Since an early age, she began to interpret various musical styles, ranging from traditional Mexican songs, romantic boleros, jazz classics, and rock. In 2014 and 2017, La Santa Cecilia won the Grammy for Best Latin Rock Album. The band celebrated their quinceañera with the release of Cuatro Copas in 2023. Most recently, she has performed solo.

Nationally regarded for her expertise in immigration, civil rights and philanthropy, Antonia Hernández has spent more than four decades advocating for social justice and improving the lives of underserved communities in Los Angeles County and beyond. Since 2004, she has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of California Community Foundation, one of Southern California's largest and most active philanthropic organizations. Previously, Ms. Hernández was president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). She currently serves on advisory boards and committees including the Commission on Presidential Debates and for the Anne Ray Foundation among others.

For more information, individual tickets and sponsorship packages, please visit:
https://lapca.networkforgood.com/events/53848-2023-pobladores-awards-gala

The 12^th Annual Pobladores Awards Gala platinum sponsors: Bank of America, PepsiCo, SoCalGas, and Walmart. Gold sponsors: California Community Foundation, Queens Care Health Centers, Telemundo/NBC 4, U.S. Ventures, and Miguel Santana & Elizabeth Zamora. Gala Reception Sponsor: First Citizens Bank

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