HITN MEDIA, the leading Spanish-language public media network in the U.S., honored five influential Puerto Rican figures at a ceremony Friday, November 13, at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Centro) at Hunter College in Manhattan. The event, part of the network's Emmy-winning Puerto Rican Heritage series, recognized Rita Moreno, Juan González, Mari Carmen Aponte, Jacobo Morales and Antonia Pantoja, who was honored posthumously, for contributions to education, journalism, diplomacy, entertainment and civil rights.
The honorees represent different generations and fields of achievement. Rita Moreno, born in Humacao, Puerto Rico, and raised in New York, has built a career spanning more than eight decades and is among the few artists to have received an Oscar, a Tony, two Emmy Awards and a Grammy. Juan González has spent more than five decades reporting on social and political issues, exposing corruption and advocating for accountability as a journalist, activist and author. He co-hosted Democracy Now! since 1996, received two George Polk Awards and authored Harvest of Empire, and was the first Latino inducted into New York's Journalism Hall of Fame.
Antonia Pantoja, honored posthumously, was an educator and civil rights advocate who founded ASPIRA in 1961 to develop leadership among Latino young people. Her legal efforts helped secure bilingual education in New York City public schools through a landmark 1972 lawsuit, and she later became the first Puerto Rican woman to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Mari Carmen Aponte, a native of Santurce, Puerto Rico, practiced law for more than 25 years before serving as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador and Panama. She was the first woman to lead the Hispanic National Bar Association and has received honorary degrees for her public service. Jacobo Morales, an actor, filmmaker, poet and playwright, has played a central role in Puerto Rican cinema over seven decades. His film Lo que le pasó a Santiago became the first Puerto Rican production nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, bringing international attention to Puerto Rican filmmaking.
Michael D. Nieves, president and CEO of HITN MEDIA, said the honorees' vision and determination opened doors in cinema, journalism, theater, diplomacy and education. "Their pursuit of social justice reflects the perseverance and strength of the Puerto Rican community, allowing future generations to pay it forward," Nieves said. The ceremony also featured the premiere of five short films documenting the honorees' lives and achievements, followed by the presentation of commemorative plaques.
Now in its fifth year, HITN MEDIA's Puerto Rican Heritage series has become a central part of the network's programming during Puerto Rican Heritage Month. The Emmy-winning initiative documents the achievements and lasting influence of Puerto Ricans in American history, preserving stories of leadership, perseverance and innovation for future generations. The films and the complete series are available through HITN MEDIA's digital platforms, including HITN GO and the Puerto Rican Heritage website.
HITN MEDIA reaches more than 35 million homes in the United States and Puerto Rico through major distributors, including DIRECTV, DIRECTV NOW, AT&T U-verse, AT&T TV, AT&T TV Now, DISH Network, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Mediacom, CenturyLink Prism, and Altice, Liberty Cable and Claro (Puerto Rico).
For more information, the corporate webpage is HITN.org and the TV webpage is hitn.tv.
