(WASHINGTON) — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol could issue its first subpoenas in the coming days, possibly targeting several former high-level aides to President Donald Trump for records and information, sources tell ABC News.
Former GOP congressman and Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows and White House aides Dan Scavino and Stephen Miller are among those of interest to the committee, sources familiar with the matter have told ABC News.
Trump’s former campaign manager Brad Parscale, who, like the other aides, remains close to the former president, could also be subpoenaed by the panel, sources said.
Sources also said that John Eastman, a lawyer who worked with Trump’s legal team last year, could also be subpoenaed for records and testimony by the committee.
Eastman was the author of a controversial memo obtained by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Robert Costa that encouraged Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election results on Jan. 6 to keep Trump in office by rejecting the electors in nearly a dozen states.
A spokesperson for the committee declined to comment when reached by ABC News.
Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told reporters on Monday that the first subpoenas could be issued “within a week.”
Lawmakers were briefed on the status of the probe by committee staff for more than five hours Monday night in the Capitol, meeting in person for the first time in weeks to walk through the complex inquiry via PowerPoint slides.
Thompson said the committee has scheduled testimony with persons of interest, but would not say who those people are and whether they have officially accepted the invitations from the committee.
Committee investigators are in the process of reviewing thousands of pages of documents obtained in response to requests issued in recent weeks to federal government agencies and 35 social media and communications companies.
The panel has also requested documents from the National Archives, which maintains and preserves White House records. National Archives officials said they’re in the process of reviewing the request and have yet to turn over any documents to the committee for their review.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden for the first time admitted the diplomatic fallout with France over a recent defense deal could have been better handled, the White House said Wednesday in a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron’s office.
Biden and Macron spoke on the phone Wednesday, in a bid to smooth over the diplomatic fallout from a defense partnership the U.S. struck with Australia and the United Kingdom.
“The two leaders agreed that the situation would have benefitted from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners,” the statement from the White House and Élysée Palace said. “President Biden conveyed his ongoing commitment in that regard.”
The reconciliatory note could signal that France may tone down its criticism of Biden after he agreed to share nuclear submarine technology with Australia.
France’s leaders have compared Biden to his predecessor, President Donald Trump, saying the U.S. surprised France, a key ally, with the agreement — which resulted in Australia scuttling a major deal that had been underway with France.
Biden and Macron plan to meet in Europe in October, according to the statement. Biden is set to head to Glasgow, Scotland, that month for a summit on the climate crisis, although the two sides did not say where the leaders planned to meet.
Meanwhile, Macron will return the French ambassador to Washington next week — France had recalled him in response to the defense news — and the ambassador will who will “then start intensive work with senior U.S, officials,” the statement reads.
The two leaders “have decided to open a process of in-depth consultations, aimed at creating the conditions for ensuring confidence and proposing concrete measures toward common objectives,” the White House and Élysée Palace said. “They will meet in Europe at the end of October to reach shared understandings and maintain momentum in this process.”
The statement also said Biden “reaffirms the strategic importance of French and European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.”
(WASHINGTON) — Months before the Haitian migrant surge at the southern border, Border Patrol agents on the front lines in Texas sounded alarms that Del Rio was vulnerable and resources could become overwhelmed, according to email messages reviewed by ABC News.
Despite the warnings, officials say preparations for the migrant surge only began when large waves started showing up this week. Now the Biden administration is scrambling to track, process and remove those gathered under an international bridge in the South Texas town of Del Rio that at one point ballooned to more than 14,000.
In one email to Del Rio sector management dated June 1, 2021, members of the National Border Patrol Council expressed the need for additional measures to process migrants in the field in the event that facilities became overwhelmed. Agents offered specific suggestions including the use of digital tablets to allow for early initiation of the migrant intake process immediately after encounters with Customs and Border Protection.
In a second email days later, the Del Rio agents went so far as to ensure the tablets had wireless data capabilities with the right network provider so they could be used along the international boundary line.
The emails were sent to Del Rio Sector Border Patrol management, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Management responded weeks later to the June emails with a single line in red typeface:
“This is being explored, several other platforms are being considered which are more efficient.”
“The agency did indeed consider the tablets, but it never materialized into anything of substance,” said Jon Anfinsen, National Border Patrol Council vice president. “As the months went on, the groups continued to increase in size and frequency, but the temporary facilities are only now starting to come online over the past few days, after things had already spun out of control.”
Anfinsen said the groundwork for the migrant surge only began last week as the border became overwhelmed.
Asked by Republican Rep. Michael McCaul on Wednesday about the emails, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said his Department does track migration in Central and South America but that the rate at which this group came together at the border was unprecedented.
“We watch the flow of individuals who are seeking to migrate irregularly through Mexico from the Northern Triangle countries, and further south we do indeed track it,” Mayorkas said. “And nevertheless, a congressman, as I previously articulated the speed with which this materialized is unprecedented.”
“Did you see this threat coming? And if so — what if anything did you do?” McCaul pressed.
“We have not seen before such a rapid migration — irregular migration — of individuals as we have observed and experienced with respect to the Haitians who have crossed the border in Del Rio Texas,” Mayorkas said. “That has been an unprecedented speed.”
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request to comment on the email exchange. U.S. Customs and Border Protection declined to comment.
There were other early warning signs, including reports of large migrants groups moving into Panama in the early weeks of summer. Panama’s foreign minister was concerned about the mounting pressure after the country’s migration division reported a 477% increase in border crossings between January and April, according to a June report from Bloomberg News.
Haitian migrants have been leaving the island nation in large numbers since the massive earthquake of January 2010. Many moved to reside in Brazil and Chile but have faced a lack of economic stability and security in South America.
Arrests at the border have neared record levels over the summer. CBP has made more than 1.5 million arrests or detentions so far this budget year. Immigration officials point out a significant portion, sometimes as much as a third, of those arrests involve repeat offenders and the administration has taken steps to send migrants further into the interior of Mexico to prevent recidivism.
Haiti has been devastated by natural disasters and political unrest with two major earthquakes in roughly the past decade. The first in 2010 sent thousands seeking refuge in South America. A less expansive, but still deadly, earthquake last month killed more than 2,200. But this most recent quake occurred after the July 29 deadline set by the Biden administration for any Haitians to receive refuge in the U.S.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday worked to salvage his sweeping legislative agenda as Democratic infighting imperiled his ambitious goals on infrastructure, climate change, and Americans’ relationship with government into peril.
The president planned to host a series of Democratic congressional leaders and factions at the White House, with the goal of pushing two pieces of legislation to the finish line: the bipartisan $1.2 trillion physical infrastructure bill that already passed the Senate but faces challenges in the House, and a potentially much larger bill with hundreds of billions of dollars for “human infrastructure” — funding for child care, eldercare, universal preschool, free community college, combating climate change, and a host of other Democratic priorities.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters late Tuesday that she intends to put the bipartisan infrastructure bill on the floor next week — as early as Monday — for consideration, but it’s unclear if and when the lower chamber will vote on the bill.
Pelosi and Democratic leadership have urged their entire caucus to support the bill, despite the fact that the $3.5 trillion bill is still weeks away from completion and progressives have said they won’t support the bipartisan bill unless the larger social bill is passed. Historically, Pelosi is loath to put a bill on the floor that will fail, so leadership must decide soon how they intend to play this.
Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who met with Pelosi on Tuesday for 90 minutes in her office and is expected to meet with Biden later Wednesday — told ABC News that more than half of her caucus, which stands at nearly 100 members, is ready to tank the bipartisan infrastructure bill if the larger progressive bill isn’t ready by next week.
Meanwhile, moderate Democrats in both houses of Congress oppose some specific items in the larger bill — which Biden calls his “Build Back Better agenda” — as well as its overall price tag. They’ve threatened to tank that bill if significant changes aren’t made to it — changes the progressives adamantly oppose.
“Our belief is that it’s not, it’s not a random number, it’s about what we are putting into the bill and what we’re willing to take out. So if there are people who say they want a smaller bill, are they going to take out childcare or are they going to take out housing or are they going to take out climate change efforts? What is it that we’re going to take out? For us, it’s never been a $3.5 trillion bill. It’s a $0 bill, because there was plenty of money to pay for the entire thing,” Jayapal told ABC News.
With his agenda at risk, Biden planned to host Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at 2 p.m., followed by House Democratic moderates and Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who has been leading the charge against the larger spending bill, according to people familiar with the meetings. Later, at 5:30 p.m., he’ll meet with Jayapal of Washington, according to a person familiar with the meeting.
“I hope he is the secret sauce,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said of Biden late Tuesday night.
“The president of the United States is always a very influential figure, and I know he wants both bills passed,” Hoyer told reporters.
Biden senior adviser Kate Bedingfield, the White House communications director, will travel to the Hill to meet with House Democrats around 3 p.m., according to a person familiar with that meeting.
Manchin has said for months he believes there should be a “strategic pause” before Congress takes up the reconciliation bill, citing his concerns about spending. His opposition to the price tag runs in tandem with Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Either one of them could tank the progressive bill from becoming law.
Separately, progressives are insisting that a pathway to citizenship is included in the bill. The Senate parliamentarian dealt a blow to Democrats late Sunday after ruling that immigration reform does not have a direct budgetary impact and therefor could not be included in the reconciliation bill.
Schumer and other Democrats expressed deep disappointment and vowed to continue fighting for new pathways to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally.
The messy legislative fight carries high stakes with next year’s midterms looming and the president hoping to chalk up a major win Democrats can point to as his approval sags after a much criticized withdrawal from Afghanistan and amid the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
Biden must also contend with a looming possible government shutdown on Oct. 1. Democrats in the House passed a short-term spending bill late Tuesday that would punt the shutdown fight to Dec. 3. The legislation also provides billions in aid for emergency disaster relief and Afghan evacuees. It also suspends the debt limit to December 2022.
But Senate Republicans have vowed to block any legislation that would lift or suspend the debt limit.
Senate Republicans say they oppose suspending the debt limit because of additional spending measures Democrats are currently crafting — even though the debt limit does not authorize new spending and is instead paying off previous debt, much of it incurred during the Trump administration.
Senate Democrats have countered that they have lifted the debt limit with Republicans under the Trump administration on multiple occasions and say it’s a bipartisan responsibility.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said if Congress does not act to raise the debt limit, the U.S. could default on its debt sometime in October, potentially triggering an “economic catastrophe.”
Republicans, led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have said for weeks they will oppose any measure that raises the debt ceiling, insisting that Democrats can do it alone given their control over all three branches of government.
“Since Democrats decided to go it alone, they will not get Senate Republicans’ help with raising the debt limit. I’ve explained this clearly and consistently for over two months,” McConnell said on the Senate floor earlier this week.
Biden has often touted the deal-making skills he honed over decades in the Senate, and the next few days will put his abilities to the test.
(NEW YORK) — A mom who is in the final stage in her fight against ovarian cancer is sharing the details of her “gritty story” to help educate and inform women.
Dr. Nadia Chaudhri, a 44-year-old neuroscientist and professor from Montreal, Canada, has been battling Stage 3 ovarian cancer for the past year, undergoing a hysterectomy and several rounds of chemotherapy.
In May, Chaudhri, the mom of a 6-year-old son, was hospitalized again and learned the cancer had returned, forcing her to tell her son that her cancer was now terminal.
She shared on Twitter this month that she is now receiving palliative care and preparing herself and her family for the reality that she will not be “coming home from this hospital visit.”
I am flooding my Sun with presents. Anything that will remind him of Mama. Today as he left the hospital he said ‘see you tomorrow, although you might also be dead.’ That hurt until I realized he knew I wasn’t coming home from this hospital visit. pic.twitter.com/jP4QKTN1vV
Chaudhri is using her time in the hospital to send a powerful message to women about ovarian cancer, which causes more deaths each year than any other gynecologic cancer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Ovarian cancer comes in many forms & treatments are more advanced for some forms than others, but he bottom line is that ovarian cancer research is underfunded,” she wrote. “We also need more awareness of symptoms because early detection improves prognosis dramatically.”
Chaudhri’s six-month journey to an ovarian cancer diagnosis began in January 2020 when she started to feel symptoms like fatigue, abdominal pain, lower back pain and changes in urination.
After being treated with three courses of antibiotics for what was misdiagnosed as a urinary tract infection, Chaudhri said she continued to have symptoms like fatigue and abdominal pain.
The topic of cancer only came up once she underwent a second ultrasound.
She showed the results to her uncle, a gynecologist, who suggested a blood test for cancer markers, which led to further tests, according to Chaudhri.
“Two weeks later I had a laparotomy. They cut me open from sternum to pubic bone. Indeed, I had cancer,” she wrote. “They removed all of the visible disease in a four hour surgery. It happened on June 10 2020. About 6 months after I first started ‘feeling bad.’”
In January 2020 I started feeling unwell. I was tired, had vague abdominal pain, severe lower back pain & a mild increase in frequency to urinate.
Chaudhri went on to describe the details of her treatment for ovarian cancer, including multiple rounds of chemotherapy and several attempts at clinical trials.
“Know your bodies,” Chaudhri urged women. “Pay attention to fatigue and changes in bowel/urinary tract movements. Make sure you understand all the words on a medical report. Do not dismiss your pain or malaise. Find the expert doctors.”
What women should know about ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer originates in the ovaries, which make female hormones and produce eggs, or in the nearby areas of the fallopian tubes and the peritoneum, the tissue that lines your abdominal wall, according to the CDC.
A woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 78, while her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer is about 1 in 108, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Ovarian cancer can affect females of all ages and races but is most common in women ages 63 and older and is more common in white women than Black women, according to the ACS.
While early signs of ovarian cancer can be vague, the main symptoms are abdominal pain or pelvic pain, bloating and an increase in urination, according to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News chief medical correspondent and a board-certified OBGYN.
“If these symptoms or others last for more than half the month you want to alert a gynecologist and, again, talk about the fact that it could possibly be ovarian cancer,” Ashton said on “Good Morning America” in June, after Christiane Amanpour, chief international anchor for CNN, announced her own ovarian cancer diagnosis.
It is particularly important for women to pay attention to symptoms of ovarian cancer and speak openly with their doctor because there is currently no reliable way to screen for the disease, according to Ashton.
In some cases, targeted use of pelvic scans and sonograms or a CA-125 blood test may be used to detect ovarian cancer, but additional testing is “not one size fits all and it is not recommended for all women,” explained Ashton.
Treatment for ovarian cancer usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy, according to the CDC.
While there is no known way to prevent ovarian cancer, there are things associated with lowering the risk of getting ovarian cancer, including using birth control for five or more years, having given birth, breastfeeding, having had a hysterectomy, having had your ovaries removed and having had a tubal litigation, according to the CDC.
If you’ve watched Pink‘s documentary All I Know So Far, you know that her two kids, Willow and Jameson, can be a handful sometimes — especially Jameson. But now she claims she’s found a way to get them to take it down a notch.
Pink has partnered with the Calm app to promote its lineup of children’s bedtime stories, read by celebrities like Kate Winslet, Leona Lewis, Anna Kendrick, LeVar Burton and more. She’s done a one-minute voiceover for an ad, in which she says, “Hi, I’m Pink, and I’ve got a bedtime secret that’ll make you think/Once upon a #CalmKids in a land chockful of snooze/Sleep stories help gets your nights back/with calming tales kids get to choose.”
After describing some of the stories that are on offer on the app, Pink concludes, “Sleep stories that entertain, soothe and create laughter/and once the lights are all turned off/It’s sleepily ever after.” Pink’s voice is pretty calming, too, though it’s unclear whether she’ll be reading a book for the app in the future.
“I am SO proud to partner with @Calm to help parents and caregivers everywhere find their sleepily ever after with #CalmKids,” Pink writes on her socials. “Turns out…my kids now look forward to an early bedtime.”
(SALT LAKE CITY) — A massive search is continuing in southern Florida for Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old woman who went missing on a cross-country trip and who authorities confirmed Tuesday as the body discovered on Sunday in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming.
The search for the 23-year-old Laundrie is centered around North Port, Florida, where investigators said Laundrie returned to his home on September 1 without Petito but driving her 2012 Ford Transit.
Laundrie has been named by police as a “person of interest” in Petito’s disappearance. Laundrie has refused to speak to the police and has not been seen since Tuesday, Sept. 14, according to law enforcement officials.
The search for Laundrie is the latest twist in the case that has grabbed national attention as he and Petito had been traveling across the country since June, documenting the trip on social media.
Petito’s parents, who live in Long Island, New York, reported her missing on Sept. 11 after not hearing from her for two weeks.
Sep 22, 12:44 pm
Underwater recovery team dispatched to Carlton Reserve
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Twitter Wednesday that its Underwater Recovery Force team has been dispatched to the Carlton Reserve near North Port, where the search for Laundrie is focused.
The sheriff’s office, one of multiple law enforcement agencies involved in the search, did not elaborate on why the team was needed at the search site.
We continue to respond to requests for mutual aid from neighboring law enforcement agencies & federal partners. To confirm, yes, members of our Sheriff’s Underwater Recovery Force have responded to Carlton Reserve. This in addition to our Emergency Response Team, Air-1 & patrol. pic.twitter.com/LcagDcofLL
“We continue to respond to requests for mutual aid from neighboring law enforcement agencies & federal partners. To confirm, yes, members of our Sheriff’s Underwater Recovery Force have responded to Carlton Reserve,” reads the agency’s tweet.
Sep 22, 12:42 pm
2nd witness corroborates domestic dispute between couple
The Moab, Utah, police department has released a report from a second witness claiming he saw Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie engaged in a domestic dispute in Moab on Aug. 12.
The witness told police he observed a man and a woman, later identified Petito and Laundrie, arguing over a cellphone about 4:30 in the afternoon outside a grocery store in Moab, according to a statement from police.
“They were talking aggressively @ each other & something seemed off. At one point they were sort of fighting over a phone — I think the male took the female’s phone. It appeared that he didn’t want her in the white van. He got into the driver’s seat & she followed him. At one point she was punching him in the arm and/or face & trying to get into the van,” the witness wrote in the police report.
The witness, according to the statement, said the woman eventually climbed over the driver to get into the passenger seat and that she was overheard saying, “Why do you have to be so mean”?
“I wasn’t sure how serious this was — it was hard to tell if it was sort of play fighting, but from my point of view something definitely didn’t seem right. It was as if this guy was trying to leave her, and maybe take her phone? Not sure but wanted to help out,” the witness wrote.
Around the same time, a 911 caller told a Grand County, Utah, Sheriff’s Office dispatcher that he witnessed Laundrie allegedly “slapping” Petito and chasing her up and down a sidewalk hitting her, according to a recording released by the sheriff’s office.
Sep 22, 10:54 am
Search for Brian Laundrie presses on as Petito family plans funeral
As a massive search continued Wednesday for Brian Laundrie in south Florida’s Carlton Reserve, the family of Gabby Petito was making arrangements to bring her remains home to her native New York for a funeral.
A large team of law enforcement officers and police K-9 units resumed their search of the roughly 25,000-acre preserve near North Port, Florida, where Laundrie’s relatives told police he claimed he was headed to when they last spoke to him on September 14.
Photos posted on Twitter Wednesday morning by the North Port Police Department showed officers from multiple agencies plotting areas to search, along with other images of high-water vehicles and search dogs.
Sep 21, 11:44 pm
Search ends for another day with ‘nothing of note’ found
The North Port Police Department said it had ended its search of the Carlton Reserve as darkness closed in with nothing found.
“Search of the Carlton & nearby lands concluded for the evening. Nothing of note,” the police department shared in a tweet. “The current plan is to return Wednesday with a similar operation.”
Search of the Carlton & nearby lands concluded for the evening. Nothing of note. The current plan is to return Wednesday with a similar operation. We join the FBI in asking for continued public assistance by sharing any info 1-800-CALL FBI or https://t.co/vlIagGIoHcpic.twitter.com/5DWopahBI8
Police shared a photo of the search operation’s base in the reserve as well as one of the bloodhounds being used to look for the missing person of interest in conjunction with the death of his girlfriend.
Gabby Petito’s body was officially identified on Tuesday evening after it was found near Grand Teton National Park on Sunday. The Teton County coroner said Petito died via homicide, but did not yet announce a cause of death.
Sarasota police also later debunked a rumor that Laundrie had been taken into custody. It said on Twitter that they had received several tips about him being seen, but none of them panned out.
(LOUISVILLE) — A 16-year-old boy was killed and two other children were hurt in a shooting at a school bus stop in Louisville, Kentucky, Wednesday morning, according to local police.
The three children were waiting for a bus when they were shot in a drive-by at about 6:30 a.m. local time, police said.
One of the injured kids, a 14-year-old boy, is in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The other survivor, a 14-year-old girl, was treated for minor injuries at the scene, police said.
“I had to hold the wound of a little boy and tell him he was going to be OK.” Neighbors enraged over the number of shootings affecting our kids. This one at a bus stop. One student telling me, it’s not a good day to have anxiety. @WHAS11pic.twitter.com/yvvEHCX9jO
Police are looking for the occupants of a grey Jeep they say was in the area at the time of the shooting.
Alert: We’re looking for this vehicle in the area of this morning’s homicide. We need to talk to any occupants who may have information on this.
Grey Jeep license plate with Illinois plate BD91644. Call 574-LMPD. You can remain anonymous. We need your help #LMPD#Louisvillepic.twitter.com/j690CrF2CF
The three victims have not been identified but Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio said they are students at Eastern High School.
The school bus arrived shortly after the “traumatic” slaying, Pollio said, and a bus stop for middle schoolers was close by.
LMPD and JCPS officials are at the scene. Waiting for their response on a bus stop shooting that sent three kids to the hospital around 6:30 this morning. @WHAS11pic.twitter.com/fndpPRI9t4
This is one of our toughest days at @JCPSKY. We have suffered another devastating loss to senseless gun violence. Our hearts go out to the family of the Eastern HS student whose life was ended. We are providing support for the students.
This marked Louisville’s 145th homicide of the year, officials said.
Louisville Metropolitan Police Chief Erika Shields called it a “heinous crime.”
Shields said the city is tackling gun violence and “getting violent felons off the street daily.” However, she added, “the availability of illegal guns is just so widespread.”
Our hearts break this morning with the news of the senseless violence targeting children waiting for a school bus. This is unacceptable. Report those responsible. Contact us (263-6000) or @LMPD (574-LMPD). The safety of our community depends on ALL of us working together. pic.twitter.com/zXPvqcc2oq
(NEW YORK) — In the two weeks sinceGabbyPetitowentmissing while on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend, her story has gained national attention.
Petito’s case has made news headlines and gone viral online, with people everywhere trying to find clues and solve the case themselves. Adding to the intrigue in Petito’s case is the largesocial media footprint sheleftbehind as she documented her travels cross-country with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie.
Officials confirmed Tuesday that a body found over the weekend near Grand Teton National Park belongs to 22-year-old Petito, but the national fascination with the case continues, as authorities search for Laundrie, currently a person of interest in the case.
It is a fascination that families of other missing people, particularly women of color, say they wish was turned to their own loved ones’ cases.
“Everybody who is missing loved ones is saying, ‘Why wasn’t my case done that like?'” said Paula Cosey Hill. “It’s very hard because it takes you back to when your child went missing.”
Cosey Hill’s then-16-year-old daughter, Shemika Cosey, disappeared without a trace near her home in St. Louis, Missouri, just a few days after Christmas in 2008.
She described watching the search for Petito unfold as an “emotional rollercoaster,” since she has both grieved for the Petito family and reflected on what did not happen in the aftermath of her daughter’s disappearance.
“All the questions that weren’t answered with my daughter, I’m checking to see if they’re doing in that case,” said Cosey Hill. “When you report your loved one missing, you hear, ‘We’ll try to get someone on this,’ and they act as if they don’t have enough manpower to do it.”
“But as you can see, they can get enough manpower to do it,” she said. “They just choose which cases they want to do.”
Natalie Wilson, co-founder of the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc., an online search agency that helps search specifically for missing Black and Hispanic children, said minority children who go missing are often classified as runaways, which can lead to less media attention and less help from law enforcement.
Minority adults who go missing are often stereotyped as being involved in crime or violence, poverty and addiction, which takes attention away from their cases too, Wilson said.
“There’s frustration. There’s sadness,” she said of the people she works with who are searching for their missing loved ones. “We are meeting families at the worst points in their lives. They are frustrated because they’re not getting help from law enforcement or they’re frustrated because they’re not getting media coverage.”
“I think oftentimes the media and even law enforcement can show that [minority] lives are not as important,” Wilson said. “We have to remember that these are mothers and daughters and fathers and children that are missing and they are definitely needed and valued in our communities.”
The historic tendency for national attention to gloss over cases of missing people of color was dubbed “missing white woman syndrome” by Gwen Ifill, the late PBS anchor.
Many years later, the term coined by Ifill still applies in the U.S., according to Wilson, who noted the effort to publicize missing persons of color is not meant to divert resources, but to simply “equal the playing field.”
“We’ve been sounding the alarm for close to 14 years that this is an issue and we need to have that conversation, all of us, as to how we can change the narrative,” she said. “We’re not surprised by the publicity or the reaction [to Petito’s disappearance] and we are also hoping and working to keep our missing in the forefront as well.”
Maricris Drouaillet, of Riverside, California, said she too was not surprised by the reaction to Petito’s disappearance, but said it has brought up emotions of “hurt and heartbreak.”
Drouaillet and her family have spent nearly nine months searching for her sister, Maya Millete, a mother of three who disappeared from her home in Chula Vista, California, in January. Millete’s husband was named a person of interest in her disappearance in July.
“Even before Gabby’s case was out there, I felt that maybe if we were white or with money or had names, we probably would have gotten a different approach, more help and support,” said Drouaillet, whose family moved to the U.S. from the Philippines when Millete was 12. “That’s how I feel. That hurts a lot.”
Drouaillet said she and her family have led searches on their own since January, and have created a website and social media accounts to organize resources and call attention to their sister’s missing person case.
“Every missing person deserves to be in a headline,” she said. “We have to put awareness out there and seek help from the public, because a lot of times the public are the ones who help solve the case.”
While 21% of Indigenous people, who are mostly girls, remained missing for 30 days or longer, only 11% of white people remained missing that long, according to the report.
The report also found that 30% of Indigenous missing and murdered people made the news, compared to 51% of white people. When coverage was done on Indigenous victims, it was more likely to “contain violent language, portray the victim in a negative light, and provide less information,” according to the report.
Cara Boyle Chambers, director of the division of victim services in Wyoming’s Attorney General office, said the Petito case has echoed the report’s findings.
“It highlighted exactly what we had pointed out, the disproportionate, very positive response to Gabby’s story versus a lot of other families who don’t have that attention and don’t have that closure that came, in the scheme of things, relatively quickly,” Boyle Chambers said. “We have families that are 20, 30 years of no answers and no remains to bury and no sense of closure.”
Boyle Chambers — who pointed out that two men went missing in June in the same area where Petito was last seen — said officials in Wyoming have worked since the report’s release to improve the collection of missing persons and criminal justice data.
The Petito case has also confirmed the importance of galvanizing media attention, including social media, according to Boyle Chambers.
“I think that is the biggest takeaway too from Gabby’s case, just how important the role of social media and people out there were in helping to locate her,” she said. “The more eyes you have on it, the better, which is why we’re having this whole conversation.”
Wilson, of the Black and Missing Foundation, said individual people can make a difference by sharing alerts about missing people and talking about missing person cases, involving minorities, in particular.
“We all have a responsibility, and that is law enforcement, the media and the community,” she said. “If you just have one tip, it can solve a case.”
(NEW YORK) — National Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month is an annual observance of the remarkable achievements that Americans who identify as Hispanic, Latinx, Latino, and Latina have made throughout history. The celebration runs from September 15 through October 15, and encompasses the national independence days of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chile and Belize — just a snapshot of the many places to which people in the community can trace their roots.
Hispanic, Latinx, Latino, and Latina traditions have made and continue to make an undeniable impact on daily American life, from the food we eat and the music we listen to, to the ways we communicate with one another. During the month, we reflect on the idea that this group’s history, including the ongoing fight for equality and increased representation, is at the heart of American history.
As we honor the community, we also embrace intersectionality and each person’s individual background, identity, and story.
“Good Morning America” and ABC News asked influential people who identify as Hispanic, Latinx, Latino, and Latina to nominate fellow members of the community to create the “GMA” Inspiration List. Many of the people nominated for the list are rising stars whose influence and work could have the power to reshape our world. Others are figures who have made a significant impact but may not have received recognition they deserve.
This is the first “GMA” Inspiration List: Who’s Making Hispanic Latinx History Right Now.
Gloria Estefan nominates Dr. Aileen M. Marty:
“Throughout the years we would talk about the things she was doing, like her impressive work with leprosy or the fact that she was on her way to help contain an Ebola outbreak in another country, and my admiration grew as it was made clear that her true calling, despite the dangers, was to help mankind and make the world a better and safer place.
Despite her incredible accomplishments and impressive resume, she remains a tireless soldier still fighting to protect and serve and has been one of the most trusted, rational and inspirational voices throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as an advisor for our South Florida community and appearing on a myriad of television programs, speaking about how we can better protect ourselves from this horrendous health challenge. I kid with her all the time telling her that what she needs to do is get some sleep, but I know that as long as there is anything that Dr. Aileen Marty can do to help others, she will never rest. She is one of the most altruistic and service minded people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and I feel blessed and privileged to call her my friend.”
Gloria Estefan is an award-winning singer-songwriter, actress, author and activist. Along with breaking chart records and receiving countless awards throughout her career, she also became the first Cuban American singer-songwriter to receive the Kennedy Center Honors in 2017 and she has been honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Marc Anthony nominates Cami:
“In Chile, Cami is a staple female voice who has been praised by many. She is an absolute vocal powerhouse. Her exquisite voice … it’s as if it emanates from every pore of her body. And as a live performer she immediately captivates her audience from the minute she walks on stage. I was blown away from the very first note, when I first saw her.”
Marc Anthony is an award-winning Latin singer-songwriter, actor and producer. He has sold over 12 million albums worldwide and is one of the best-selling salsa artists of all time. Anthony is currently on his Pa’lla Voy U.S. Tour, which runs until December 2021.
Cecilia Vega nominates Sister Norma:
“I was on assignment on the border in Texas earlier this year and I needed to find Sister Norma Pimentel. She is the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and has dedicated her life to helping migrants along the Mexican border. I couldn’t get Sister Norma by phone so I decided to head to a bus station where refugees are known to be dropped off during their dangerous journey north. My plan was to walk block by block in search of Sister Norma. Sure enough, there she was. Right across the street from the bus station, working her cell phone, solving that day’s crisis — one of many.
Sister Norma is on the front lines. She helps the poorest of the poor — people fleeing some of the world’s most dangerous conditions — find shelter, food and comfort once they’ve crossed the border in search of asylum. Sister Norma and her organization have helped more than 100,000 people, offering them something they rarely ever see during their life or death trek: compassion and dignity.”
Cecilia Vega is an ABC News anchor and the network’s chief White House correspondent.
Pitbull nominates Sergio Garcia:
“A teacher changed my life. Her name is Hope Martinez, which one way or another got me involved in education and building schools. I would have never thought that someone that graduated from our high school would be someone that I’m looking at. I’m going, ‘Man, I’m so proud of you.’ And his name is Sergio. Sergio is someone that, basically we’re from the same neighborhood, got pretty much the same story. Got the same passion, same love, same drive, same hustle and we don’t take no for an answer. So to watch him live out his dream — and not only being one of the top breakdancers in the world, soon we’re going to see him in the Olympics — but to be able to have him on tour, and him come out on a couple of shows around the United States of America, it just goes to show you that it comes full circle. So, when I watch him I’m inspired and I’m motivated, because it reminds me of when I was 18 out there trying to get it, trying to figure it out and nobody believed in me — only a select few, which was Hope Martinez, clearly my mother, and [my mentor] Eddie, may he rest in paradise. But those are the people that push me, motivated me and inspired me. To watch Sergio doing the same, it’s mind-blowing. I’m so happy for you Sergio. Congratulations. The world is yours, my friend, and everything in it. Why dream when you can live it? And I know you’re about to knock it out of the park, man. So proud of you, papito. Keep it up. Dale.”
Pitbull, whose given name is Armando Christian Pérez, is a Cuban-American award-winning artist, activist and entrepreneur. The Grammy Award-winning rapper has released countless No. 1 singles, including hits like “Give Me Everything” and “Timber,” and also prides himself on his education advocacy. He is a co-founder of Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM!), a public charter school in Miami, Florida.
Mónica Ramírez nominates Adriana Alejandre:
“We are facing a mental health crisis in our country. We have been reminded of this during the COVID-19 pandemic as we have heard stories of increased anxiety, depression and isolation. This is a problem that is impacting adults, children and people of all races and backgrounds. This is not a new problem in our country, but it is one that has been taboo for too long.
Adriana Alejandre is a Hispanic [person] making history by tackling this issue head-on. She is normalizing conversations about this problem through her social media platforms and the creation of her podcast, “Latinx Therapy.” Adriana is also helping create solutions to address this problem. She launched the Latinx Therapy Network to connect Latinx therapists to develop a community of practice and by developing a directory of Latinx therapists for community members who need support.
Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. Adriana is actively working to de-stigmatize the way that people think and talk about mental health. She is helping people and communities heal in the process.”
Mónica Ramírez is an activist, attorney and the founder of Justice for Migrant Women, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the rights and opportunities of migrant women and their families. Her work specifically addresses promoting gender equality, protecting the rights of immigrants and farmworker women in the workplace and fighting sexual violence.
Pati Jinich nominates Fany Gerson:
“I am delighted to nominate Fany Gerson for the ‘GMA’ Inspiration List, because I believe she has made a mark on the food industry through her relentless work: cooking and sharing so many of the sweet treats that help define much of Mexico’s baking and dessert universe with enthusiasm, hard work, focus on community-building and being so incredibly entrepreneurial. She is making a difference in the world through her work; she starts businesses from the ground up that employ Latinos, give back to the Hispanic community, and help shine a light on so much of how our culinary heritage enriches America.”
Pati Jinich is a chef best known for her Emmy-nominated series “Pati’s Mexican Table,” which has won a James Beard Award.
John Leguizamo nominates Judge Marilyn Zayas and Ben DeJesus:
Judge Marilyn Zayas:
“How inspiring that a little girl from Spanish Harlem fought her way to becoming a twice-elected court of appeals judge in Ohio. Refusing to become a statistic, Judge Marilyn Zayas overcame a traumatic childhood, tough, crime-ridden New York City neighborhoods, and numerous educational obstacles. She is now one of 69 appellate judges in the state of Ohio, the first and only Latinx judge elected to an Ohio Court of Appeals, and the highest ranking Latinx judge in Ohio and its surrounding states.
She was even hand-selected to sit as a visiting judge on the Ohio’s Supreme Court. Never forgetting her own struggles, Judge Zayas prioritizes mentoring and inspiring our youth to dream big and never give up. Through her partnerships with schools and universities, she educates students about the judiciary, shares her personal story, and reassures them that no dream is too big. While blazing the trail for others, Judge Zayas personifies a unique face and voice of the judiciary in a region where Latinos are severely underrepresented.”
Ben DeJesus:
“What I love most about Ben as a storyteller is the passion, purpose and hustle he brings to every piece of content he directs and produces, whether it’s inspiring documentaries about unsung Latinx heroes, digital and television content that enlightens and entertains, or theater productions that he helps bring to life. When I first started out, there weren’t many other people out there telling our Latinx stories, with our flavor and our authenticity. Ben is part of a new wave of Latinx storytellers who are taking the torch and running with it, to make sure that our diverse voices are lifted up and heard.
Visual media is such a powerful medium. It has the power to change the way we look at the world around us. Ben is on a 24/7 mission to get more of our stories out there, because if people are able to see the incredible contributions that Latinx people make and have made to our society, imagine how they would look at our community. And more importantly, imagine how we would look at ourselves.
Many people talk the talk about representation, but Ben is on the front lines every day making sure the door is also open for other Latinx creators and talent to come through too. Any project I’ve ever seen Ben be a part of is full of diverse people from across the spectrum of Latinx, multicultural, LGBTQ, both in front of and behind the scenes. Through both his art and business sense, Ben is one of the people who’s moving the needle in the right direction. Already, Ben has made an impact and has gotten some well-deserved recognition for his work. But I’m even more excited for what’s coming next on his journey.”
Emmy-winning actor John Leguizamo has appeared in series including “Freak” and “ER” as well as films including “Super Mario Bros.,” “To Wong Fu, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar,” “Spawn” and the “Ice Age” franchise.
John Quiñones nominates Jesús “Cimi” Alvarez:
“My nomination is a young man I met just last week while shooting our ‘Hispanic Heritage Hour’ piece in El Paso, Texas. Jesús ‘Cimi’ Alvarez is a former graffiti artist who grew up in Segundo Barrio, one of the poorest areas of El Paso. He’s now a muralist whose art is truly public … on display throughout Texas, California and even in Mexico and Argentina. But, he initially become known for honoring the everyday Chicano population that strengthens the border culture in his hometown. He has painted nearly two dozen murals in El Paso. All of his works are ‘art with a message’ which pay tribute to his Mexican ancestors. He makes me and all of Texas ‘Chicanos’ proud.”
John Quiñones is the host of “What Would You Do?” and a correspondent for ABC News.
Sebastián Yatra nominates Elena Rose:
“Elena Rose is an insane singer and songwriter, and an incredibly talented human. She has an enormous present and future. I remember the first day I met her in the studio. I was so in awe of her talent as a songwriter. I knew I had to write with her, so I asked her to come back tomorrow so we could collaborate. We wrote a song together the next day, which I cannot wait for the world to hear. Elena is one of the most impressive artists I have worked with and I’m excited to showcase her on a forthcoming single.”
Sebastián Yatra is a Colombian singer-songwriter known for hits including “Pareja Del Año,” “Delincuente,” “Chica Ideal” and more. He released his latest single, “Tarde” on Sept. 16 and is set to appear on Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin’s North America tour later this year.
Jimmy Smits nominates Rashaad Ernesto Green and Reinaldo Marcus Green:
“I first met the Green brothers, Rashaad and Reinaldo, in 2002. They were graduate students working on their MFA in film at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Both brothers received scholarships while they were in school from the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts (NHFA), of which I am a co-founder. From the get-go, it was clear that Rashaad and Reinaldo were going to have an impact as film directors. Their storytelling abilities were inspiring.
I remember when Rashaad was making his groundbreaking 2011 film ‘Gun Hill Road,’ he asked if NHFA could present his script — about a coming-of-age trans youth — to another NHFA co-founder, Esai Morales. Rashaad had him pegged to play the father role. Esai loved the script and virtually did it for free. ‘Gun Hill Road’ premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. The film was a touching subject ahead of its time featuring a transgender character played by a transgender actor (Harmony Santana, the first openly transgender actor to be nominated for the Independent Spirit Award).
He was also awarded the ‘Someone to Watch’ award from the Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2020 for his feature ‘Premature.’
In 2018, Reinaldo, the younger brother, wrote and directed, ‘Monsters and Men.’ The film won the Special Jury Award for Outstanding First Feature at Sundance Film Festival. Reinaldo’s newest 2021 film ‘King Richard,’ stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, father of the legendary tennis champions Venus and Serena. Reinaldo is also the director for the six-part documentary series ‘Amend: The Fight for America’ featuring Will Smith, Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative, and Larry Whitmore from Comedy Central.
Both brothers are making their mark, while also supporting the next generation of Latino creators, and both are living out their dream to develop contemporary television and film content that features people of color.”
Actor Jimmy Smits has appeared in series including “L.A. Law” and “NYPD Blue” as well as “The West Wing” and “Sons of Anarchy.” He has also appeared in three “Star Wars” films and this year starred in “In the Heights.”
Joan Smalls nominates Pedro Julio Serrano and Ivana Fred Millán:
“I am in awe of these two amazing people. Pedro Julio Serrano and Ivana Fred Millán put themselves on the line every day in Puerto Rico to stand up and fight for what they believe in, and I couldn’t be more honored to share their stories with others. Ivana and Pedro Julio have been human rights activists for over 20 years in the struggle for LGBTQ+ liberation, as well as HIV prevention and the rights of people living with HIV. They are both spokespeople for Puerto Rico Para Tod@s, an LGBTQ+ social justice organization that has been at the forefront of the human rights struggle in Puerto Rico, including two cases that achieved marriage and gender identity rights for LGBTQ+ people.
Ivana and Pedro Julio are true leaders that are actually looking to help those around them. Their efforts have aided in the approval of three pro-LGBTQ+ laws in Puerto Rico and they have worked with their government on trans initiatives around driver’s licenses, electoral cards, and health care. They have even given training to media outlets on how to improve the representation of LGBTQ+ people, as well as to the Police Academy of Puerto Rico to make sure that trans people are treated correctly and justly under the law, as well as how to correctly implement the hate crime laws and protocols. Ivana and Pedro Julio have raised their voices to demand justice and have supported many families of victims and survivors of hate crime violence. They continue to advocate for pro-LGBTQ+ laws and stand up for their people.
I work in an industry that allows me to interact and engage with all different kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds and it opens me up to worlds I may never have known otherwise, and I am so incredibly grateful for that. But Puerto Rico is my home, it is where my heart is rooted, and I want to see joy, happiness, and equality for all there and everywhere. Today’s world can be a dark, lonely and unforgiving place, but it’s people like Pedro Julio and Ivana that help shine light in the darkness. We need more people in this world who will stand up for the disenfranchised and their rights — human rights. We cannot and will not leave our people to fight alone.”
Model Joan Smalls is known for becoming the first Latina model to represent Estée Lauder cosmetics in a worldwide campaign in 2011 and has broken barriers for those in the fashion world.
Gio Benitez nominates Yoani Sánchez:
“You may not have heard of Yoani Sánchez, but she happens to be one of the bravest people of our time. Just 90 miles south of Florida, Sánchez has been hard at work documenting the stories of Cuban protesters who were arrested or are still missing following the July 11 protests that sparked an international movement with the hashtag #SOSCuba. She founded Cuba’s only independent digital newspaper, 14ymedio. With little to no internet access on the island right now, Cubans can’t read the articles, but these journalists are still finding ways to publish their stories — often investigating and criticizing the communist regime.”
Gio Benitez is ABC News’ transportation correspondent.
Angie Cruz nominates Saraciea J. Fennell:
Saraciea J. Fennell is making history in the Latinx community by creating spaces to share Latinx literature and to spread literacy, both in her own community in the Bronx and beyond. The founder of The Bronx is Reading, Saraciea has hosted The Bronx Book Festival for four years and counting, where she brings together Latinx writers (like me!) and introduces them to her home borough, which has historically been a bookstore desert. And this fall she’s coming out with another platform for Latinx writers, an anthology called ‘WILD TONGUES CAN’T BE TAMED: 15 Voices From the Latinx Diaspora,’ out November 2. The book showcases the richness of the community, exploring everything from Afrolatinidad to her own Garifuna (indigenous Honduran) heritage. I can’t wait to see how she continues to foster and grow the Latinx literary community.”
Author Angie Cruz has penned three novels, including “Soledad” and “Dominicana,” a “GMA” Book Club Pick, and currently teaches writing at the University of Pittsburgh.
Daddy Yankee nominates Jasmine Camacho-Quinn:
“In these uncertain global times, with countless events occurring on my island of Puerto Rico and around the world, the Puerto Rican athlete Jasmine Camacho-Quinn has brought us a sliver of hope, not just for those living in Puerto Rico but [also for] those who have emigrated away. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and won Puerto Rico’s second-ever gold Olympic medal. Many obstacles pushed her back from winning at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but in 2021 nothing stood in her way. Her determination, discipline, and love for her homeland took her not just to accomplish a personal goal, but also froze an entire country that ran alongside her at every race. She wasn’t born or raised in Puerto Rico, but Caribbean blood flows through her veins. To her, being Latino represents joy, festivity, hospitality, and feeling unconditional love and support from your close ones, and that’s why she proudly carries our flag that has rooted into her since childhood. Without doubts, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn’s achievements have generated a positive impact on all women, the youth, and new generations that aim to fulfill their dreams.”
Daddy Yankee, whose given name is Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton singer-songwriter and rapper, who has sold around 30 million records throughout his career. His hit “Despacito,” released in 2017 with singer Luis Fonsi, was a top-selling single of the decade and received the Latin song of the decade award at the 2020 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Natti Natasha nominates Marileidy Paulino:
“I nominate Marileidy Paulino from my birth country, the Dominican Republic, because she is the perfect example of perseverance, faith and discipline. She did not count with all the resources she needed when she decided she wanted to be a track and field athlete, so she practiced barefoot. She’s represented the Dominican Republic in the Olympics, where she’s won multiple medals. She’s not only an athlete, but she is also a corporal in the Dominican Air Force. There too, Marileidy has won various medals, while participating in Dominican Republic’s Military Games. Congratulations Marileidy Paulino: You are the perfect role model for all the girls out there — a true example of what you can become when you make things happen.”
Natti Natasha is an award-winning singer-songwriter from the Dominican Republic. She’s released chart-topping hits with artists like Ozuna, Becky G, Pitbull and Daddy Yankee, and her debut album, “ilumiNATTIi,” released in 2019, went platinum. Her next album, “NattiVidad” will be released on Sept. 24.
Stephanie Ramos nominates Cait Bonet:
“Cait is one of the few certified holistic nutritionists and health coaches in the Latinx community. She originally planned on going into the architecture and design field, like her father (a Latino who started his own interior architecture firm in the ’90s), but when he passed away in 2017 from ALS, Cait discovered that the health and the wellness of the people she loved most became the priority. As a Cuban American, Cait grew up on cafe con leche, Cuban toast, croquetas, a lot of white rice, black beans and picadillo. She says she was never educated on the nutritional importance of consuming a variety of foods every day. As a holistic nutritionist, Cait brings awareness to our Latin community everyday and helps them understand their health plans through her Instagram profile, @cait.bonet. She teaches that overall wellbeing may require some lifestyle changes, but it doesn’t mean you need to lose yourself or who you are in the process. Pa ‘lante!”
Stephanie Ramos is a news correspondent for ABC News.
Maria Cornejo nominates Firelei Báez:
“I think Firelei’s work is beautiful both in technique and color. I love the way she expresses the stories and importance of migration and the Caribbean from a different perspective — not from victimhood, but what the people gave instead, the joy and the soul and color.”
Maria Cornejo is a Chilean-born designer and the founder of Zero + Maria Cornejo, a brand that focuses on responsible design and is mainly locally produced in New York City. She is a founding member of The Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Sustainability Committee.
Christina Milian nominates Zulay Henao:
“I first met Zulay Henao when we filmed the show ‘The Oath’ in Puerto Rico back in 2018. We instantly clicked, and she’s definitely a girl’s girl. She’s a mom just like me, and she really appreciates female energy. When I got home from filming, she sent me a box with some essential self-care items — from crystals to soaps and candles, and she even included a handwritten letter. I really appreciated the personal touch and the positive energy; it was like instant relaxation. The box turned out to be more than just an incredible gift — it was a taste of her new business venture and a sign of what was to come.
I think a lot of women get so caught up in work that we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves, so I love that her brand, Modern Muze, is a minority and female-owned company focused on taking care of women. The mental health aspect also drew me in. It’s very special, very feminine. Almost a sense of restoration. There’s a blog and so much more — it’s really a lifestyle hub for women to feel a sense of community. I nominated Zulay because I believe what she’s doing is important, and it’s important for our community to have these conversations and to check in on each other and lift each other up. I would love to see more of this, and of course, more of Modern Muze. It’s growing and I’m really proud of her!”
Singer and actress Christina Milian, known for the song “Dip it Low,” also appeared in the movie “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” and season 17 of “Dancing With the Stars.”
José Garces nominates Steven Larson:
“Steven is a fantastic person who does a lot of important work. His organization, Puentes de Salud, was one of the inspirations for the Garces Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to ensuring that Philadelphia’s under-served immigrant community has access to health and educational services.
It was through Steven’s assistance that the Garces Foundation was able to get treatment for Felipe, one of my former employees who fell terminally ill and became the first beneficiary of the Garces Foundation.
Steven has been doing amazing work in the community for years and is one of my personal heroes.”
A James Beard Award winner and restauranteur, José Garces is also an Iron Chef.
Wilmer Valderrama nominates Bamby Salcedo:
“Bamby Salcedo is the president and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, a national organization that focuses on addressing the issues of transgender Latinas in the U.S. She is someone I’ve had the pleasure of calling a friend for a while now and I was so honored to have her join me recently for an episode of my podcast ‘Essential Voices with Wilmer Valderrama’ discussing how we can ensure the voices of trans Latinas are listened to and that they are supported as we continue to ride out the pandemic and beyond. Every time I have the pleasure of being in Bamby’s company, I am amazed by her strength and intelligence as well as taking notes on how I can be a better ally. She is a true force in our community and I’m so happy that we get to shine a light on her work that is so essential to our world.”
Actor Wilmer Valderrama has appeared in series including “That 70s Show” and “NCIS” and, most recently, he launched the “Essential Voices” podcast. He also lent his voice to a main character in the upcoming Disney film, “Encanto.”
Alex Perez nominates Sol Flores:
“Sol is currently the deputy governor of Illinois, but before that she spent most of her career at the organization she helped create, La Casa Norte. It is a nonprofit that has grown to help thousands of homeless youth, homeless adults, and homeless families get back on their feet and find their way. The organization helps all who are in need, but has particularly been a beacon of light to the homeless minority and LGBTQ youth. Sol now continues her work on an even bigger scale, overseeing a wide swath of the State of Illinois’ Health and Human Services agencies. Sol is a proud Puerto Rican and takes a particular interest in helping other women and Latinos excel.”
Alex Perez is a national correspondent for ABC News.
Juan Pablo Di Pace nominates Marta Maineri:
“As an artist, nothing speaks louder to me than being given the tools early on in life to understand the value of freedom in creativity. Marta Maineri, born in Argentina in 1950, is a painter, sculptor and teacher. She was my first art teacher. She has taught art to kids in Buenos Aires for years, painted the ‘peace’ murals for the city, and is known for being the ‘painter of hands,’ focusing on the working hands, the spiritual hands and the loving hands of the world. She walks the line of sacred and profane. She painted the ‘Virgin Mary Untier of Knots’ for the inmates at the San Vittore prison in Milan, gifted Pope Francis with the ‘Universal Mary’ for the Vatican in Rome, and also captures the rawness of the human body, with its trials and its pain, throughout her work and vivid portraits. An incredible enabler, a survivor, a woman and an artist. I nominate my mother, Marta Maineri.”
A competitor on season 27 of “Dancing With the Stars,” Juan Pablo Di Pace is also known for his roles in “Dallas” and “Fuller House.”
Elwyn Lopez nominates all Hispanic journalists:
“I nominate all Hispanic journalists, many working tirelessly in their local and national newsrooms to highlight the importance of diversity, shouldering efforts to amplify underrepresented voices as a second full time job. It wasn’t until 2021 that a Latina was named chief White House correspondent. Our Cecilia Vega paving the way for the next generation of storytellers. Representation truly matters.”
Elwyn Lopez is a correspondent for ABC News.
Maria Mazon nominates Marisol Vindiola:
“I’m excited to nominate Marisol Vindiola because of the way she continues to bring together chefs and food artisans from across the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Through her work with culinary festivals, craft beer collaborations, bilingual media and more, she manages to not just promote those of us in the Hispanic community, but do it with a hell of a lot of soul. Marisol was the driving force behind the first-ever partnership between all-female brewers from Arizona and Mexico. With a shared passion for craft beer and the empowerment of women, the beer (named Las Hermanas) was a way for two nations to brew a new beer together. Diplomacy through craft beer is something I can definitely get behind.
Marisol co-coordinated, co-planned, and co-hosted the Délice Network Gathering in Tucson, an international food tourism event that brought together participants from 15 international cities to learn, share and connect over food and culture in the Tucson borderlands.
With even more achievements I don’t have space to mention here, she continues to find ways to bring Mexicans and Arizonans together which makes me so proud to call the Arizona/Mexico borderlands home. Thank you, Marisol, for all the ways you champion Hispanics in our region. I can’t wait to see what you have planned next.”
A contestant on season 18 of “Top Chef” and a James Beard Award semifinalist, Maria Mazon is the owner and executive chef of BOCA Tacos y Tequila in Tucson, Arizona.
Victor Oquendo nominates Ron Magill:
“I’ve looked up to Ron Magill for years, both literally and figuratively. Magill is the communications director for Zoo Miami, a wildlife expert, and award-winning photographer. He’s also a towering six feet, six inches tall. A big man with an even bigger heart for animals.
Magill’s dad left Cuba much like my family did, in hopes of a better life in America. After attending school in Florida, Magill began working as a zookeeper. His love and passion for animals led him to establish the Ron Magill Conservation Endowment. Over the years, the endowment has provided tens of thousands of dollars annually to conservation projects. It is his way of helping to protect animals in the wild.
Magill is a regular guest on a variety of shows, including ‘Good Morning America.’ I’ve probably interviewed Ron a dozen times and I always walk away impressed with his knowledge and respect of the animal kingdom.
What keeps him going is seeing the faces of kids, investing in the next generations to understand the value of protecting wildlife. One of my favorite quotes from Magill is, ‘In the end, it doesn’t matter how much money you have in your bank account or what kind of car you drive or how big your house is. What matters is you made a difference in the life of a child.’ Man, that’s huge.”
