Gloria Estefan, Alex Rodriguez mark Latino impact on media

LOS ANGELES -- Gloria Estefan, Alex Rodriguez and Eva Longoria will be among the participants in a monthlong online celebration of Latino contributions to television.

The Paley Center for Media's tribute to the work of actors, journalists and other notable Latinos begins today and will be held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic. It's the first such event by Paley to coincide with Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

The inaugural celebration will feature "conversations and events that spotlight critically acclaimed, groundbreaking, and culturally influential Hispanic personalities and rising stars who demonstrate the power of the community" and its cultural impact, the center said in its announcement Tuesday.

Maureen J. Reidy, the center's president and CEO, called it "a must-see celebration for the whole family that informs, educates, and entertains."

A bilingual component with education programs, interactive trivia and other elements is available at paleycenter.org through Oct. 15.

Among the highlights of the event:

• "A Tribute to Hispanic Achievements on Television," 7 p.m. today on Yahoo Entertainment. Estefan, Longoria, Edward James Olmos, Jimmy Smits and George Lopez are among those participating, with Soledad O'Brien as moderator.
• "Alex Rodriguez in Conversation," 7 p.m. Thursday, Yahoo Entertainment and Yahoo Sports. The baseball great discusses his career in and out of sports, with Natalie Morales as moderator.
• "Telemundo's 'La Reina del Sur': A Conversation with the Stars," Oct. 2, Yahoo Entertainment and Yahoo en Espanol. Series lead Kate del Castillo and cast members Isabella Sierra and Alejandro Calva join in a Spanish- and English-language panel about the hit telenovela and its upcoming third season.
• "Hispanic Voices in Media," 7 p.m. Oct. 8, Yahoo News. Journalists Ana Cabrera, Ilia Calderon, Jose Diaz-Balart, Tom Llamas and Juan Williams discuss TV's role in informing Hispanic Americans and issues including politics, the pandemic and immigration. Mariana Atencio is the moderator.