Gala Honorees & Speakers

Distinguished Honorees

Amb. Esteban Moctezuma Barragán

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mexico to the United States of America

Rep. Gilbert Cisneros

U.S. Representative, California’s 31st District

Aaron D. Ford

Attorney General, State of Nevada

Rep. Jimmy Gomez

U.S. Representative, California's 34th District

Mayor Brandon Johnson

Mayor, Chicago, Illinois

Sister Norma Pimentel

Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley

Noel Candelaria

Secretary-Treasurer, National Education Association

Lidia Martinez

Latina Community Advocate and Lifelong LULAC Member

Flor Martinez

Latina Advocate and Social Media Influencer, @FlowerinSpanish

2025 Legislative Conference Speakers & Panelists

Gina Brillon

Comedian, Actress, Writer

Aaron D. Ford

Attorney General, State of Nevada

Matthew J. Platkin

Attorney General, State of New Jersey

Rep. Emily Randall

U.S. Representative, Washington's 6th District

Rep. Gilbert Cisneros

U.S. Representative, California’s 31st District

Dr. Raul Ruiz

U.S. Representative, California's 25th District

Rep. Delia C. Ramirez

U.S. Representative, Illinois' 34th District

Anna M. Gomez

Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) [Introductory Remarks]

Margaret Huang

President and CEO, Southern Poverty Law Center

Derrick Johnson

President and CEO, NAACP

Janet Murguía

President and CEO, UnidosUS

Alexandra Reeve Givens

President and CEO, Center for Democracy & Technology

Dr. Beatriz Cuartas

President and CEO, GovtBee

Rebecca Pringle

President, National Education Association

Maya Wiley

President and CEO, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Dr. Elena V. Rios

President, National Hispanic Health Foundation

Marc Morial

President and Chief Executive Officer, National Urban League

Gaby Pacheco

President and CEO, TheDream.US

Stephen K. Benjamin

Former Senior Advisor to the President for Public Engagement

Dr. Tina Loarte-Rodriguez, DNP, RN, CPPS, CPHRM

Executive Director, Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce & Chief Executive Officer, Latinas in Nursing

Alejandra Y. Castillo

Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce

Joe Walsh

Former U.S. Congressman (R-IL 08) & Board Member, State Democracy Defenders Fund

Dr. Ernesto Castañeda

Director, Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, American University

Amb. Norman Eisen (ret.)

Co-founder and Board Member, State Democracy Defenders Action

Sister Norma Pimentel

Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley

Liz King

Senior Program Director, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Roman Palomares

LULAC National President and Chairman

Juan Proaño

Chief Executive Officer, LULAC

Elida Martinez

LULAC Vice President for Young Adults

Aric Herrera

Texas LULAC Deputy Director of Young Adults and Texas A&M LULAC President and Founder

Alba Villa

Attorney, Immigrant Rights Advocate, and Chief Development Officer, LULAC

Entertainment

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