Power, Glamour & A Miami Takeover: Lele Pons, Leslie Grace Lead ¡HOLA!’s Latina Powerhouse 100 Gala in Miami
Disney’s Rita Ferro, designer Silvia Tcherassi and entertainment star Lele Pons were among the honorees as the second annual celebration brought music, industry influence and a new “Latina Powerhouse Day” to the Arsht Center.
MIAMI — The red carpet delivered the star power. The stage made the bigger statement.
¡HOLA! Américas brought its second annual Latina Powerhouse 100 Gala to the Ziff Ballet Opera House at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center on November 2, gathering women whose influence stretches from Hollywood and global advertising to fashion, philanthropy and the arts.
With Leslie Grace, Lele Pons, Adamari López, Ariadna Gutiérrez, Melissa Ortiz and Mariana Treviño among the notable guests, the evening offered plenty of celebrity wattage. Its central theme, “The Hispanic Legacy: Inspiring America’s Future,” gave that glamour a broader purpose: recognizing the women helping determine what audiences watch, which stories get told and where cultural influence becomes business power.
Andrea Meza, Dayanara Torres and Boris Izaguirre shared hosting duties, bringing pageant pedigree and television polish to an evening built around both established names and emerging talent. Meza and Torres, both former Miss Universe winners, joined the Venezuelan presenter and author at the helm of the celebration. (hola.com)
Among the evening’s headline recipients was Rita Ferro, Disney’s global president of advertising, who received the Legacy of Excellence Award. Her inclusion alongside performers and designers underscored the gala’s expansive view of influence: the executives shaping the business belong in the same conversation as the stars commanding the spotlight.
Pons received the Entertainment Vanguard Award, recognizing a career that has moved across digital content, music and mainstream entertainment. Designer Silvia Tcherassi received the Fashion Legacy Award, while art publisher and cultural advocate Celia Sredni de Birbragher was recognized with the Cultural Vanguard Award.
CHECK OUT THE FASHIONS ON THE RED CARPET (Photos courtesy of : ¡HOLA! Américas)
Camila Fernandez Dayanara Torres Adamari Lopez Leslie Grace Ariadna Gutierrez Natalia Jimenez Adrienne Arsht Lele Pons Rodner Figueroa MORIAH
Philanthropist and author Jean Shafiroff received the Latina de Corazón Award. The Adrienne Arsht Center, serving as both the evening’s setting and one of its honorees, received the Hispanic Arts & Culture Legacy Honor.
The musical program gave the celebration the scale of a variety spectacular. The Latina Powerhouse Big Band anchored a lineup that included Natalia Jiménez, Camila Fernández, María José and Leslie Grace, bringing together Spanish-language pop, Mexican musical tradition and contemporary bachata.
Erika Ender, the Panamanian songwriter whose credits include “Despacito,” joined a roster that also featured Cuban vocalist Aymée Nuviola and Venezuelan singer Nella. Ela Taubert and Joaquina represented a newer generation of Latin singer-songwriters, while Mexican-American artist MŌRIAH brought her connection to country music into the mix.
Flamenco dancer and choreographer Siudy Garrido and jazz vocalist and pianist Nicole Zuraitis further widened the program’s artistic reach. Across its performers, the evening treated Hispanic culture as a living, evolving force with room for multiple generations, genres and traditions.
The guest list extended that range, with Johann Vera and Rodner Figueroa also among those attending.
One of the night’s defining moments came when Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins presented an official city proclamation declaring November 2 “Latina Powerhouse Day.” Presented to Nagidmy Márquez Acosta, chief content officer of ¡HOLA! Américas, the recognition gave the celebration a civic dimension, connecting its message of representation to the city hosting it.
For Miami, the setting felt particularly apt. This is a city where Latin entertainment, international business, fashion and the arts routinely share an audience—and often a dinner table.
The gala brought those worlds onto one stage. Its strongest editorial statement was in the breadth of the women being recognized: a Disney executive, a digital entertainment star, a fashion designer and a champion of Latin American art all helping shape the same cultural future.
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