The Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs, in partnership with Hola Iowa publication, is paying tribute to 20 influential Latinos through its new project dubbed as "Latinos You Should Know."

This collaboration involves an issue of Hola Iowa publication that will highlight the 2020 works of the said Latinos.

It will be an entire issue exclusively devoted to the 20 influential Latino people.

Commission chair Caleb Knutson said the idea occurred to him while he was attending the Latino Political Network gala last year.

He added that "there were all these amazing people" from which, he continued that 50 percent of them he had never even known about.

Knutson, who is also the chair of the project, also said he wondered why he has not heard of these people's stories.

'Pioneers' in the Community

The piece, according to Knutson, will include a section featuring "pioneers in the Latino community."

These pioneers, whom the project's chair described, are the people "who helped the Latino community" become what it at present. 

Another section will highlight the community's young "Latinx leaders."

This particular part of the issue, Knutson said is intended "for the 'up and comers'." 

Meanwhile, according to Hola Iowa publisher Tar Macias, the publishing firm has been in search of a partner for quite some time to initiate a project like this.

The commission, Matias elaborated, will be the right partner to develop a project like this that will "identify Latinos in the entire state, who are making a difference" in their community.

Macias added that the issue featuring influential Latinos is slated for release in either October 2020 or early 2021.

But the publisher said they will start accepting nominations soon.

2020 Iowa Latino Hall of Fame Nominations

Recently, the commission, through the Iowa Department of Human Rights, announced that it was already accepting nominations for the 2020 Iowa Latino Hall of Fame.

A lot of outstanding Latinos and Latinas have helped in shaping Iowa.

More so, a lot of Latino leaders continue contributing to the state's progress and the citizens' improvement of quality of life through their skills and talents.

To acknowledge and honor the efforts of these achievers and to serve as examples for the future Latinx leaders, the Iowa Commission, introduced the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame in 2017, intending to guarantee that the initiatives of Latino leaders are worthily acknowledged and celebrated.

The influential Latinx leaders deserving to be nominated for the 2020 Hall of Fame or "Latinos You Should Know" include social and political activists, educators, writers, scientists, and community and spiritual leaders, among others.

These people epitomize the Latinos and Latinas, whose contributions have helped shape not just Iowa and the United States, but also the whole world.

Their inclusion in any of the two recognitions will increase their contributions' visibility to the industry they work for, communities they belong to, and the Latinos' current status in Iowa.

For the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame, inductees are recognized at a special ceremony each year, specifically during the celebration of the "National Latino Heritage Month" happening from September 15 until October 15.

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