Hispanic Heritage Awards Now Streaming On PBS, With Oscar D’León, Mon Laferte And Eladio Carrión Among Honorees
The 39th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards is bringing Latino star power, cultural pride and community recognition to streaming audiences, with the 2026 special now available on PBS.org and the PBS app following its October 2 television premiere. Hosted by comedian Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, the ceremony features headline performers Los Tigres del Norte alongside this year’s celebrated honorees.
Recorded September 10 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, the event marked the first time the Hispanic Heritage Foundation took its signature awards ceremony outside Washington, D.C. The move also placed the evening’s Humanitarian Award recipients — the People of Minnesota — at the center of the celebration. The foundation recognized their compassion, resilience and efforts to support communities during crisis.
Venezuelan music icon Oscar D’León received the Legend Award, while Mon Laferte earned the Social Justice Award, Eladio Carrión received the Inspira Award and Ximena Sariñana was honored with the Music Award. Laferte, Carrión and Sariñana also perform in the broadcast, giving the special a musical range that connects established traditions with contemporary voices.
The honorees’ remarks carried that connection beyond the stage. D’León dedicated his recognition to his collaborators, audiences and beloved Venezuela. Laferte spoke about dignity, immigrants and feminism; Sariñana reflected on shared culture’s ability to bring strangers together; and Carrión encouraged people to contribute to their communities through everyday acts of support.
For entertainment audiences, the lineup offers a compelling cross-generational draw. Its broader editorial message is equally clear: cultural influence includes what artists give back, the identities they celebrate and the communities they help make visible.
Established by the White House in 1988 to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, the awards have previously recognized figures including Rita Moreno, Gloria Estefan, Bad Bunny, Celia Cruz and Salma Hayek. This year’s edition continues that tradition while giving community service a prominent place alongside artistic achievement.
The 39th Hispanic Heritage Awards is now streaming at PBS.org and on the PBS app.
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