{"id":1002700,"date":"2026-08-15T16:27:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T16:27:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1002700\/"},"modified":"2026-08-15T16:27:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T16:27:21","slug":"u-s-rep-joaquin-castro-to-receive-hispanic-heritage-award-for-public-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1002700\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro to receive Hispanic Heritage Award for public service"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, speaks at a press conference earlier this year. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro will receive the Public Service Award\u00a0at the 39th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards in September.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced the honor this week, citing the San Antonio Democrat\u2019s longstanding commitment to expanding opportunity, strengthening communities and advocating for Latino and immigrant families.<\/p>\n

Castro is now in his seventh term in Congress\u00a0and serves as the highest\u2011ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. He\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

The lawmaker has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Trump administration\u2019s mass deportation program and has repeatedly highlighted alleged abuses at detention facilities used to imprison migrants caught up in the sweep. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Castro said the award reflects the values instilled by his parents, both longtime community advocates.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am proud to represent my hometown, San Antonio, and to join you all in the fight to build out the infrastructure of opportunity,\u201d he said in a statement. <\/p>\n

Castro, 51, is a San Antonio native and Stanford\u2011 and Harvard\u2011educated attorney who has represented Texas\u2019s 20th Congressional District since 2013. Before his election to Congress, he served five terms in the Texas House. <\/p>\n

The awards ceremony will take place Sept. 10 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Castro will be honored alongside\u00a0Mon Laferte, recipient of the Social Justice Award;\u00a0Ximena Sari\u00f1ana, recipient of the Music Award; and the\u00a0People of Minnesota, who were recognized with the Humanitarian Award.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Hispanic Heritage Awards, established by the White House in 1988, remain one of the nation\u2019s highest recognitions \u201cfor Latinos, by Latinos.\u201d Castro is the first San Antonio native to receive HHF\u2019s award for Public Service.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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