The program, which focuses on expanding access and inspiring the next generation of female leaders in the entertainment industry, is presented in partnership with Open Society Foundations

MIAMI (JULY 15, 2026) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced the fifth annual Leading Ladies of Entertainment Mentorship Program and Virtual Panel presented by Open Society Foundations, the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for rights, equity and justice.

Paying-it-forward and creating opportunities for future generations are at the heart of the program. Through the Leading Ladies of Entertainment Mentorship Program, aspiring women in music and entertainment receive three months of one-on-one mentorship from Leading Ladies of Entertainment honorees and other trailblazing industry leaders.

Further expanding access to mentorship, the Leading Ladies of Entertainment Virtual Panel, debuting today, is hosted by Dayanara Torres and moderated by current mentees Michelle Sanz and María Paula Mariño. The panel features in-depth conversations with Marcella Araica, Leslie Grace, Paula Kaminsky and Angela “Angie” Martínez. To tune in visit: https://latingram.my/virtualpanel.

“Since the launch of the Leading Ladies of Entertainment Mentorship Program in 2021, we have seen a significant increase in the number of young women pursuing careers in the music and entertainment industries who are seeking mentorship and guidance,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. “In response, the Foundation has remained committed to expanding access to the program and diversifying its roster of mentees to create more one-on-one mentorship opportunities. We have also continued to offer the virtual panel, made possible through the generosity of supporters such as Open Society Foundations. Together, we are helping cultivate the next generation of female leaders in our industry.”

This year’s mentors include:

Leading Ladies of Entertainment Honorees:

• Marcella Araica, award-winning recording and mixing engineer, co-founder of Dream Asylum Studios, member of the Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees and 2017 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Maricarmen “Tuti” Bou, Vice President of Sony Music Entertainment Puerto Rico and 2025 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Lila Downs, multi-Latin GRAMMY®-winning artist, 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree and 2019 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Goyo, Latin GRAMMY® winner, GRAMMY®-nominated artist and 2020 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Paula Kaminsky, President of PK Consultants and 2025 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Angela “Angie” Martínez, entertainment lawyer at AngieLaw and 2020 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Gabriela Martínez, Senior VP of Marketing at Sony Music Latin-Iberia and 2017 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Mayna Nevarez, founder & CEO of Nevarez Communications and 2021 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Delia Orjuela, Head of Creative Música Mexicana at Warner Chappell and 2018 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Luana Pagani, partner & President at Fairwinds Entertainment and 2019 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Diana Rodríguez, CEO and founder of Criteria Entertainment and 2024 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Rozalén, Latin GRAMMY®-nominated singer/songwriter and 2025 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Ana Rosa Santiago, Senior Vice President of Latin Music & LatAm for Universal Music Publishing Group and 2024 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Dayanara Torres, actress, TV/radio host and 2019 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Simone Torres, GRAMMY®-nominated engineer, artist and vocal producer and 2023 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

• Mónica Vélez, Latin GRAMMY®-winning music composer and 2021 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree

Trailblazing Women in the Industry:

• Leslie Grace, Latin GRAMMY®-nominated artist

• Choco Orta, internationally acclaimed actress, percussionist, dancer and singer/songwriter

• Ginny Peirats, Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation

• Lohana Schalken, artistic director and artist manager

The Leading Ladies of Entertainment initiative was created by The Latin Recording Academy® in 2016 to honor and recognize professional and socially conscious women within the arts and entertainment fields who have made significant contributions and inspired the next generation of female leaders. To see the complete list of previous honorees click here.

This important initiative, which began as a recognition program, has evolved into a meaningful platform for raising awareness about gender disparities in the industry while fostering mentorship opportunities for future generations of female leaders through the Leading Ladies of Entertainment Mentorship Program and the Leading Ladies Symposium. For more information on both programs click here.

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ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. In 2024, the Foundation celebrated its 10-year anniversary, and during the last decade, it has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $15 million with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:

The Latin Recording Academy® is an international nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, The Biggest Night in Latin Music®, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.Alberto@grammy.com

This year’s honorees are Alaska, Omar Alfanno, Francisco Céspedes, Lila Downs, Daniela Mercury and Chichí Peralta

Click here for additional images

MIAMI (JUNE 30, 2026) — The Latin Recording Academy® announced today that Alaska, Francisco Céspedes, Lila Downs, Daniela Mercury and Chichí Peralta will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Omar Alfanno will be awarded the Trustees Award, as part of this year’s Special Awards ceremony.

“It is a great privilege to honor these living legends—an exceptional group whose influence transcends generations and genres—who continue to enrich and redefine our musical heritage,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “We are delighted to celebrate their extraordinary careers, along with the recipient of the Latin Music Educator Award, during the 27th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Week.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors performers who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to Latin music and its communities. The Trustees Award is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to Latin music over their careers, in ways other than performance. Both distinctions are voted on by The Latin Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees. The honorees will be celebrated on November 9 during Latin GRAMMY Week in Las Vegas.

For the second consecutive year, the Latin Music Educator Award winner will be honored at the ceremony. This award, presented in partnership with the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®, honors an exceptional educator in the global music community who has made a significant impact by integrating Latin music into their curriculum. As part of the award, the recipient’s school music program will receive a musical instrument donation valued at up to $10,000 to support music education. Submissions for this award are open until August 3, 2026. To apply and view guidelines, click here.

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees:

Alaska

The bewitching strain of electronic pop anchored on majestic melodies and provocative lyrics found in Alaska one of its most iconic trendsetters. As part of the bands Alaska y Dinarama and Fangoria, the singer was always ahead of her time. Born in Mexico City in 1963, Olvido Gara Jova moved to Spain at a young age and began her musical career with Kaka de Luxe, one of the first bands of the Spanish punk movement. In 1979, she founded Alaska y los Pegamoides, which four years later evolved into Alaska y Dinarama. Hits such as “Ni Tú Ni Nadie” (1984) and “A Quién Le Importa” (1986) made history with their extraordinary melodic sophistication – an element that would also appear in the sumptuous synth-pop of Fangoria. Alaska remains active in recording studios and concert halls across Spain and Latin America.

Francisco Céspedes

To discover the musical worldview of Francisco Céspedes entails venturing into a nocturnal soundscape where the elegance of jazz walks hand in hand with the warmth of bolero. Born in Cuba and established in Mexico, Francisco Fabián Céspedes Rodríguez transcends his Latin roots with a cosmopolitan sound that found devoted followers all over the world. He abandoned his initial vocation as a doctor to devote himself to music, and moved to Mexico City in 1992, where he wrote songs for artists like Luis Miguel, and collaborated with Alejandro Sanz and Plácido Domingo. In 1997, his debut album, Vida Loca, established him as an icon of romantic balladry with the melancholy mood of the title track. Since then, he has been nominated for a Latin GRAMMY® several times, and released many albums, including one with Armando Manzanero. He tours regularly in Europe and Latin America, and released an album earlier this year on which he collaborated with the late Pablo Milanés.

Lila Downs

One of the most transcendent ambassadors of Mexican culture, Lila Downs has spent the past thirty years exploring the fertile creative bridge that unites her identity and roots. The daughter of a Mixteca mother and an American father, Ana Lila Downs Sánchez was born in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, in 1968. From her very first album, Ofrenda, she showcased a restless creative personality and visionary talent for experimentation and daring musical fusions. In Downs’ creative universe, her stunning vocal range moves comfortably among the velvety textures of jazz, healing cumbia grooves, and the emotional exuberance of bolero. The winner of six Latin GRAMMYs® and a GRAMMY®, Downs released Cambias Mi Mundo in 2026, an album that finds her at a transformative creative peak.

Daniela Mercury

Daniela Mercury began her career revolutionizing the Brazilian music scene. During her inaugural performance in São Paulo in 1992, she literally shook the foundation of the building, forcing the event to be momentarily interrupted. A pioneer of the new Brazilian genre of axé, the singer and dancer from Salvador, Bahia, brought her powerful voice and precise movements to stages all over the world. Her song “O Canto Da Cidade” became a Brazilian music anthem that has endured for over three decades. With more than 20 million records sold and 26 albums – including the masterpiece Feijão Com Arroz (1998) – her innovative fusion of styles is informed by an expansive mosaic of rhythms and colors. Throughout her career she has continued to expand the limits of her sound while offering memorable concerts, including the live album Balé Mulato, which garnered a Latin GRAMMY in 2007.

Chichí Peralta

Chichí Peralta — musician, singer/songwriter, composer, arranger and producer — is one of the most influential figures in contemporary music from the Dominican Republic. Born in Santo Domingo, he discovered percussion at the age of four, beginning a career that has spanned over four decades, marked by innovation and artist versatility. The founder of Chichí Peralta & Son Familia, he developed a unique sound that blends tradition, modernity and Caribbean identity, enriching Latin American music and showcasing Dominican culture on international stages across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The winner of a Latin GRAMMY in 2001, Peralta has recorded two of his productions with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road and amassed a discography that reflects his ongoing artistic quest, while contributing to shaping future generations of musicians.

2026 Trustees Award Honoree:

Omar Alfanno

The composer of timeless classics of Latin music such as “El Gran Varón,” “A Puro Dolor,” “Y Hubo Alguien” and “Amores Como El Nuestro,” Omar Alfanno transformed deeply human narratives into songs that are an essential part of the Latin American songbook. Born in Santiago de Veraguas, Panama, in 1957, his songs have been recorded by more than 500 artists, including Gilberto Santa Rosa, Jerry Rivera, Marc Anthony and Shakira. His work contributed to defining the sound of contemporary tropical music, while his narratives and melodic sensibility have served as a reference point for many composers over the past five decades. A member of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, and winner of a Latin GRAMMY, Alfanno continues to hone his craft, guiding new talent and promoting musical education among young people with limited financial means in Panama through the Fundación Omar Alfanno.

Alex Hadad will serve as executive producer of the event, working under the direction of The Latin Recording Academy’s production team led by Ayleen Figueras.

For the latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at LatinGRAMMY.com. Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), X (@LatinGRAMMYs) or Instagram (@LatinGRAMMYs), and join the conversation using our official hashtag #LatinGRAMMY on all popular social media platforms.

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ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:

The Latin Recording Academy® is an international nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, The Biggest Night in Latin Music®, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Iveliesse Malavé

ive@grammy.com

Four talented music institutions, nonprofit organizations, musicologists and researchers will receive a total of $20,000 for research and preservation of Latin music

Deadline to apply is August 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET

MIAMI (JUNE 18, 2026) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced that applications are now open for its 2026 Latin Music Research and Preservation Grant Program. This program provides grants to support music institutions, nonprofit organizations, musicologists and researchers worldwide who are committed to preserving and advancing the legacy of Latin music through research and archival initiatives.

This year, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation will award a total of four grants as follows:

• Two (2) Research Grants for a maximum amount of $5,000 each, funding one project focused on historical research, folklore and anthropology of a Latin music genre.

• Two (2) Preservation Grants for a maximum of $5,000 each, supporting one project aiming to archive and preserve Latin music heritage.

“The research and preservation of Latin music is essential to honoring its cultural impact and these grants ensure future generations remain connected to the stories, traditions and communities that shaped it,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation.

Since its inception in 2015, the program has awarded more than $285,000 in grants to support projects, one of which received both a Latin GRAMMY® and GRAMMY®.

To apply, view guidelines, and learn about past project winners please click here (the materials can be submitted in English, Spanish or Portuguese). The deadline to apply is Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. If you have any additional questions, please email LGCF@grammy.com and/or visit http://www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.org/en.

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ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. For over a decade, the Foundation has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $15 million with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.alberto@grammy.com

The program expands access to music education through a donation of instruments to two local schools

Click here to download photos

Credit: Gabriel Aponte/Getty Images for the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA (MAY 15, 2026) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®, in partnership with Latin GRAMMY® winner and GRAMMY® nominee Silvestre Dangond, hosted a Latin GRAMMY In The Schools™ program in Bogotá, on Thursday, May 14. The program included a donation of musical instruments to two local schools—Colegio Enrique Olaya Herrera and Fundación Sendero de Acordeones de Riohacha—and students participated in a meet and greet and conversation with Dangond and accordion player, José Juan Camilo.

Dangond continues to support the growth and development of vallenato and previously sponsored two Latin Music Research and Preservation Grants for the Foundation dedicated to funding the folkloric music genre from Colombia.

“I am so proud to be able to support emerging young talent, especially in a country like Colombia, where music is a fundamental part of our identity,” said Dangond. “I see myself reflected in these students—in their dreams, in their passion—and I hope this experience reminds them that, with dedication and a love for music, anything is possible.”

“We thank Silvestre Dangond for his partnership and continued support of our shared mission to nurture future Latin music creators,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. “His generosity today created what we hope is an experience that these students will never forget and further ensures the legacy of Latin music.”

Latin GRAMMY In The Schools is an educational program that inspires students ages five-to-18 through music education and mentorship. The program informs and connects music students with professionals in the Latin music industry, supporting educational music departments that face financial limitations. The Foundation invites renowned musicians, performing artists, and sound engineers to share their personal stories and experiences with students, highlighting the effort it takes to overcome career obstacles. The goal is for students to learn to optimize the educational opportunities presented to them, giving them an advantage and strong academic preparation to be able to compete in the music industry.

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ABOUT SILVESTRE DANGOND:

Silvestre Dangond is a world-renowned artist from Colombia, who is especially known for globalizing the vallenato genre. In his nearly 25 years in the industry, Dangond has won multiple Latin GRAMMYs®, including Best Cumbia/Vallenato Album in 2025 for his latest LP El Último Baile, which also earned him a GRAMMY® nomination. Dangond is preparing for his fourth Estadio El Campín show in less than two years in Bogotá, where he will present “El Baile de Todos Tour,” an international production poised to mark another major milestone in his musical journey. With confirmed dates in key markets such as Argentina, Peru, Chile, Spain, and other cities across Europe, Dangond is bringing vallenato to increasingly wider audiences and solidifying himself as one of the leading figures in contemporary Latin music. He has collaborated with artists including Nicky Jam, Natti Natasha, Carín León, Emilia, Sebastián Yatra, Fonseca and Carlos Vives, and he often works with initiatives in support of the next generation of vallenato artists.

ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. For over a decade, the Foundation has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $15 million with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors.For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.alberto@grammy.com