Vanessa Guillen
(Photo : Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

The year 2020 has negatively impacted Latinos due to the global pandemic and other uncertain and unexpected events. Here are some of the well-known members of the community that we lost in 2020.

Indeed, it has been a year of grief and loss for Latinos as many of the well-known members in the community who have contributed a lot passed away. However, in the spirit of remembrance and not sadness, here are some Latinos who are worthy to be remembered and recognized, according to NBC News:

Rudolfo Anaya

If there is one person that almost all Chicanos knew that would be Rudolfo Anaya. He is called the "Godfather" of Chicano literature and is known for his novel "Bless Me, Ultima" in 1972. This novel follows the relationship between a young boy and a healer who comes to live with his family. 

This has become one of the most acclaimed works in the Chicano literary canon when U.S. Latinos were rarely depicted in mainstream fiction. In fact, this novel was adapted into a play, an opera, and a film because of the popularity it brought and has inspired generations of Latino writers.

Naya Rivera 

Naya Rivera is one of the Latina actresses who made stardom in the entertainment industry. The Latino community was shocked after news broke out that the Latina actress died after she drowned in July. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, "As a Latina, it's rare to have rich, complex characters reflect us in media. Naya worked hard to give that gift to so many."

Naya Rivera started to build her career in the entertainment industry since she was a child but her biggest role on TV was in Glee that ran from 2009-2015. Rivera also an advocate for the LGBTQ community, for immigrants, and for women's rights, earned three American Latino Media Arts Awards for her acting and singing.

Vanessa Guillen 

She was a U.S. Army soldier. Vanessa Guillen, a daughter of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in the Houston area. She was an athlete during her high school days and she joined the U.S. Army graduation. 

A news broke out in April that Vanessa Guillen went missing from Fort Hood, Texas, where she was stationed. Meanwhile, her family launched a public campaign to draw attention to their daughter's case after saw as a lack of response by the Army.

Patrick Hidalgo

Patrick Hidalgo is one of the Latinos who served Obama's administration. He was the youngest of five in a Cuban American family and was known as an entrepreneur and political organizer with degrees from Georgetown, MIT, and Harvard.

He was appointed to positions in the Obama White House after working as Obama's Hispanic vote director in Florida in 2008. Following it, he later served as an adviser during the administration's historic opening of relations with Cuba.

It was first reported that he died due to a heart attack but his family believed that he died from the infectious and deadly COVID-19.