Welcome Inspiring Latinos Features!

Inspiring Latinos is a project that seeks to inspire America by recognizing Inspiring Latinos everywhere.  This page provides features of Inspiring Latinos with resources and inspiration from the individuals. The individuals exemplify at least one of our five pillars: financial viability, education, health, cultural heritage, and civic engagement.

We welcome you to submit your story or recommend someone that has inspired you.

Esai Morales

Esai Morales

September 7, 2023

Esai Morales is a veteran actor, performing artist and activist. From roles in TV series and films to Broadway productions, his career in the entertainment industry spans over four decades. Conscious of his heritage, he has been a key advocate in reforming the image of Latinos in Hollywood and expanding positive representation. … Read More

Tatiana Bailey

Tatiana Bailey

August 9, 2023

Tatiana Bailey is an economist, healthcare expert, presenter and writer based out of Colorado Springs, CO. She has become a nationally recognized expert in economics through her years of education and work in the field. Bailey grew up in the nation’s capital of Washington D.C. … Read More

Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin

June 28, 2023

Ricky Martin is an award-winning Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, actor, author, and humanitarian. He is known for hits like “Living La Vida Loca” and “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely”, appearances on television series, and his philanthropic work. He first began his career at the age of 12 when he joined the Puerto Rican music group Menudo … Read More

Joelle L. Martinez

Joelle L. Martinez

June 8, 2023

Joelle L. Martinez is the President, Executive Director, and CEO of the Latino Leadership Institute (LLI) at the University of Denver. The organization was founded in 2013 by a collection of Denver Latino leaders, with Martinez joining in 2014 to further the vision of helping Latinos prepare for and connect with positions of influence and … Read More

Andrea Guajardo

Andrea Guajardo

April 14, 2023

Andrea Guajardo is the Founder, Director and Resident Choreographer of the New York City-based dance company Ballet Nepantla. Created with co-founder Martín Rodríguez, she envisioned a production that combined traditional and contemporary dance while tapping into the historic and social dynamics of Mexican-American culture. Dancing has always been a central part of Guajardo’s life. She … Read More

Richard & Jessica Fierro

Richard & Jessica Fierro

March 13, 2023

Jessica and Richard Fierro are the founders and owners of the Colorado Springs brewery Atrevida Beer Co. Founded in 2018, they sought to create a bold, daring establishment that lives and breathes the motto ‘Diversity, it’s on tap!’. With Jess as the head brewer, the company is Colorado’s first Latin owned brewery run by a … Read More

Ana Isabelle

Ana Isabelle

February 14, 2023

Ana Isabelle is an award Winning Puerto Rican Actress, Singer-Songwriter, Dancer who stuns in her role as Rosalia in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story”, an adaptation from the 1961 version and she carries a long resume of success. Isabelle’s family played a huge part in her music career. At five years old, she was practicing … Read More

Vanessa Otero

Vanessa Otero

January 3, 2023

VANESSA OTERO Is the founder and CEO of Ad Fontes Media, but this wasn’t always her plan. She earned a B.A. in English from UCLA and a J.D. from the University of Denver. She was a patent attorney leading up to the 2016 election when social media users were growing polarized and posting links to … Read More

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda

November 8, 2022

LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA Grew up in Manhattan, New York City, specifically Washington Heights. When Miranda was just seven years old, his Puerto Rican parents took him to see Les Miserables which sparked his interest in musicals. As he matured, his music taste widened to R&B and Hip Hop but his love for musical theater stayed strong. … Read More

Jasmine Star

Jasmine Star

September 16, 2022

JASMINE STAR While enrolled in law school, she made the difficult decision to drop out to be with her ill mother. She decided to pursue her passion of photography and now is one of the Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the world, along with helping other female entrepreneur and is a first-generation Latina. Jasmine Star … Read More

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba

June 10, 2022

JESSICA ALBA Intelligent founder who truly lives the values of her company. was born on April 28th, 1981, in Pomona, CA. Her father is of Mexican descent and her mother of various European descent. Since her father was in the US Air Force, they moved around to Mississippi and Texas before settling down in southern … Read More

Dr. Les “Coach” Fernandez

Dr. Les “Coach” Fernandez

March 31, 2022

Dr. Les Fernandez worked many jobs as a boxing coach to psychotherapists, but he was also a dedicated youth worker. Coach, as most of the youth he worked with called him, believed that all kids, regardless of if they were drop-outs, drug users, or youthful offenders, were not loving or feeling loved. Coach made this … Read More

Ildaura Murillo-Rohde

Ildaura Murillo-Rohde

February 16, 2022

Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was born in Panama on September 6th, 1920 and arrived in the U.S. in 1945. Her nursing career began in San Antonio, Texas where there was a large Hispanic population but few Hispanic nurses. This experience promoted her determination to obtain a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing at New … Read More

Ellen Ochoa

Ellen Ochoa

January 15, 2022

ELLEN OCHOA Born in California, Ellen Ochoa earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from San Diego State University and a master’s degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Dr. Ochoa, a veteran astronaut, was the 11th director of the Johnson Space Center; the first Hispanic director and only the second female director. Before … Read More

Sonia Sotomayor

Sonia Sotomayor

November 24, 2021

SONIA SOTOMAYOR was born in the Bronx, New York in 1954 to Puerto Rican-born parents, Juan Sotomayor and Celina Baez. Her father was a manual labor and her mother was a nurse. Her father died when she was nine, and she was subsequently raised by her mother. The family took residence in the Bronxdale Houses, … Read More

Ruben Gonzalez

Ruben Gonzalez

October 6, 2021

RUBEN GONZALEZ a four-time Olympian, a professional keynote speaker and a bestselling author. Gonzalez has spoken for over 100 of the Fortune 500 companies about developing mental toughness, attitude, and the principles that lead to success in business and in life. Gonzalez was born in Campana, Argentina, an oil town about 50 miles north of … Read More

Molina Speaks

Molina Speaks

June 18, 2020

MOLINA SPEAKS an artist, poet, musician, lecturer, educator, and human bridge. As Artist, he has been named a Westword “Mastermind.” Molina has released over a dozen lyrical albums and has performed at a long list of Denver’s iconic cultural and performance venues. Molina is an honoree of the Lalo Delgado Poetry Festival and has served … Read More

Karma Leigh

Karma Leigh

June 10, 2020

KARMA LEIGH a Chicana from Colorado who was blessed to grow up between two worlds, the urban life of the city and the natural wonders of the Rockies. Both have inspired her work as an artist and educator. She teaches art to children, typically with non-profit organizations. She spent 7 years teaching with Museo De Las … Read More

David Ocelotl Garcia

David Ocelotl Garcia

May 21, 2020

DAVID OCELOTL GARCIA an accomplished across several mediums including painting, sculpture, and murals. His work can be seen in public art commissions, and both museum and private collections.  He is a resident artist at the Latino Cultural Arts Center in Denver, Colorado. David discovered his natural ability and passion for fine art at the age … Read More

Juan-Maria Gallego

Juan-Maria Gallego

October 28, 2019

JUAN-MARIA GALLEGO About Juan-Maria Gallego , PsyD. Juan was attracted to different cultures very early on.  Born in Spain, he attended a French school, Le Lycée Français D’Alicante, since the age of three.  After spending several summers learning English in Cork, Ireland, he completed his high school in Walled Lake, Michigan, completing his bachelor’s degree … Read More