We Are All Human Foundation Revives 1945 Spanish Language Version of the U.S. National Anthem to Recognize Hispanics in America's War Against COVID-19

New recording of El Pendón Estrellado, originally commissioned by the U.S. State Department under President Franklin D. Roosevelt

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We Are All Human

Apr 14, 2020, 13:00 ET

NEW YORK, April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The We Are All Human Foundation (WAAH) today released a newly recorded rendition of the official Spanish language version of the U.S. National Anthem, which was first commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. The release of El Pendón Estrellado (The Star-Spangled Banner), recognizes both the 75^th anniversary of FDR's death on April 12 and the role of the Hispanic community fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Roosevelt once said that one of the great regrets of his life was that he could not converse in Spanish," said David B. Woolner, Senior Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and author of The Last 100 Days: FDR at War and at Peace. "Had he lived but a few more years, there is little doubt that this beautiful rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner would have inspired him to learn Español. We Are All Human deserves credit for reminding us – as FDR did – of the important role that Hispanics are playing in helping us meet this crisis."

Composer Clotilde Arias created the original translation of the national anthem as part of President Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy with Latin America. In the newly-released music video, the anthem is performed by Jeidimar Rijos, the 2019 winner of "La Voz," the Spanish language version of the "The Voice," and features footage of Hispanics serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Spanish version of the U.S. national anthem is a treasure as it represents U.S. Hispanics, who are both 100% Hispanic and 100% American," said Claudia Romo Edelman, founder and CEO of the We Are All Human Foundation.

The production of the music video for El Pendón Estrellado was led by global advertising agency Grey Wing and is part of the Hispanic Star – a platform to unify Hispanics nationwide and celebrate their contributions to advance and support America. The Hispanic Star recently launched the Hispanic Response and Recovery Plan to serve as a clearinghouse for information and to mobilize individuals nationwide to help mitigate the devastating economic impact of COVID-19 on Hispanic small businesses, entrepreneurs and independent workers.

Spanish language media partner, Univision, premiered El Pendón Estrellado today on Despierta America in support of WAAH's long-term initiative the Hispanic Star – a platform focused on unifying Hispanics nationwide and celebrating their contributions to advance and support America.

About We Are All Human
The We Are All Human Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit devoted to equity, diversity and inclusion. Made up of an experienced group of marketers and sustainability activists with backgrounds from the United Nations, global affairs, media, and the corporate world, our team is committed to making change through collective action.

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SOURCE We Are All Human