U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro to receive Hispanic Heritage Award for public service

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, speaks at a press conference earlier this year. Credit: Michael Karlis

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro will receive the Public Service Award at the 39th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards in September.

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced the honor this week, citing the San Antonio Democrat’s longstanding commitment to expanding opportunity, strengthening communities and advocating for Latino and immigrant families.

Castro is now in his seventh term in Congress and serves as the highest‑ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. He’s also a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee. Both roles have positioned him as a prominent voice on issues important to Latino voters, ranging from immigration to international diplomacy.

The lawmaker has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Trump administration’s mass deportation program and has repeatedly highlighted alleged abuses at detention facilities used to imprison migrants caught up in the sweep.

In addition, Castro has used his position in the U.S. House to highlight the need for better Latinx representation in the arts, culture and media.

Castro said the award reflects the values instilled by his parents, both longtime community advocates.

“I am proud to represent my hometown, San Antonio, and to join you all in the fight to build out the infrastructure of opportunity,” he said in a statement.

Castro, 51, is a San Antonio native and Stanford‑ and Harvard‑educated attorney who has represented Texas’s 20th Congressional District since 2013. Before his election to Congress, he served five terms in the Texas House.

The awards ceremony will take place Sept. 10 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Castro will be honored alongside Mon Laferte, recipient of the Social Justice Award; Ximena Sariñana, recipient of the Music Award; and the People of Minnesota, who were recognized with the Humanitarian Award.

In a statement, HHF President and CEO Antonio Tijerino praised Castro as a model of community service, noting his advocacy for humane immigration policy and his efforts to elevate Latino representation in the arts, including through annual public nominations to the National Film Registry and National Recording Registry.

The Hispanic Heritage Awards, established by the White House in 1988, remain one of the nation’s highest recognitions “for Latinos, by Latinos.” Castro is the first San Antonio native to receive HHF’s award for Public Service.

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U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro to receive Hispanic Heritage Award for public service

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