The National Hispanic Media Coalition has announced the first wave of honorees for its annual Impact Awards Gala, taking place April 24 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. The evening celebrates individuals whose work is actively expanding Latino representation in film and television, and this year’s list arrives with serious creative credentials behind every name on it.
Apple TV’s sharp Hollywood satire The Studio takes home the Beyond the Lens Impact Award, with recognition going to co-creator, writer, and co-executive producer Frida Perez, actor Keyla Monterroso Mejia, music editor and composer Lorena Perez Batista, and composer Antonio Sanchez. The show has made a genuine industry impact since its debut, and the NHMC’s recognition reflects exactly the kind of collective, behind-the-scenes contribution that rarely gets its due.
Belissa Escobedo receives the Outstanding Actress Performance in a Series Impact Award for her role as Isabella on NBC’s Happy’s Place opposite Reba McEntire, one of the few Latinas in a lead role on broadcast television right now. Beth de Araújo is honored with the Visionary Impact Award for her feature film JOSEPHINE, which won both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and went on to compete at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear. Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters co-writers Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan share the Storytelling Impact Award for a collaboration that blends genre storytelling with themes of identity and belonging in ways the industry has rarely attempted.
Comedians Chris Estrada and Frankie Quinones co-host the evening. “This year’s honorees are the latest examples of our voices having an impact and leading their work into award and cultural recognition,” said NHMC President and CEO Brenda Victoria Castillo. Additional honorees and presenters will be announced ahead of the April 24 gala.