HPRA Honors Karina Martinez and Adrianne C. Smith with 2025 ¡BRAVO! Awards for Cultural Leadership

The Hispanic Public Relations Association has announced Karina Martinez and Adrianne C. Smith as the 2025 ¡BRAVO! Awards honorees, recognizing their exceptional contributions to multicultural communications and diversity initiatives. The awards ceremony will take place on November 13, 2025, at The Drake Hotel in Chicago, bringing together industry leaders and cultural storytellers nationwide.

HPRA National President Sonia V. Diaz emphasized the significance of recognizing communicators who shape cultural narratives, stating that at a time when inclusion is under attack and cultural narratives are being rewritten by those on the outside, the work of Martinez and Smith stands firm. Their leadership reflects the understanding that stories rooted in courage and carried by community are the ones that endure.

Karina Martinez, honored as Pioneer of the Year, brings a rare blend of cultural intelligence, political savvy, and brand strategy to her work. As co-founder of DRAFTED, she created a platform that elevates the voices and visibility of Latinas in sports and storytelling, making them central to the narrative. Her career spans leadership roles in top agencies, major political initiatives, and public interest campaigns, consistently pushing for more than optics by insisting on depth, access, and accountability.

Adrianne C. Smith receives the DEI Champion award for her career-long commitment to building lasting frameworks for inclusion. As founder of the Cannes Can: Diversity Collective and Chief Inclusion and Impact Officer at FleishmanHillard, she has expanded access and opportunities for creatives from under-resourced communities on global stages. Through initiatives like Inkwell Beach at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Davos during the World Economic Forum, Smith has created space for honest conversations, real investment, and long-overdue visibility for traditionally ignored creators.

Smith's work also includes launching the Center for Excellence in Advertising at Howard University and guiding agencies on their internal inclusion efforts. Her leadership is defined by rigor, vision, and results that move the work forward without compromise, reflecting both a commitment to representation and to developing infrastructure that supports long-term access, growth and innovation.

The HPRA ¡BRAVO! Awards, now in their 11th year, remain the public relations industry's leading platform for recognizing professionals who build cultural capital, lead with integrity, and deliver impact that resonates beyond the campaign cycle. This recognition comes at a critical moment when the communications industry faces increasing pressure to authentically represent diverse communities and create meaningful inclusion rather than superficial diversity efforts.