Just a week after the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), expressed outrage about the "constant omission of Latino artists from Kennedy Center Honorees," a coalition of 30 national Latino organizations, has written to Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein to express its outrage at Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser's use of profanity to one of its member leaders, Felix Sanchez, Chairman of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts.

Allegedly, in a telephone call nearly two weeks ago between Sanchez and Kaiser concerning the 10th consecutive year without a Latino Kennedy Center Honoree, Kaiser told Sanchez to "f---k yourself" and hung up on him. In letters sent last week, NHFA and NHLA called on Kennedy Center executives to replace the current producers of the Kennedy Center Honors. 

The organizations also have asked President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to stop participating in Kennedy Center Honor ceremonies until the matter is adequately resolved.

NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguìa said there is no excuse for Kaiser's outburst and it should not and cannot be tolerated. 

"He profoundly disrespected our colleague Felix Sanchez and the Latino community, a community that merits inclusion and fairness, not insults, when it comes to one of the nation's highest cultural honors," Murguìa said. "At the very least, Kaiser owes Mr. Sanchez and our community a sincere apology and it is our hope that the Kennedy Center will take disciplinary action in light of such unacceptable behavior." 

In an interview with the Washington Post, Kaiser did not retreat from what he said were his strong feelings in response to Sanchez's criticism.

"I've spent much of the last 20 years working with organizations of color in this country - African American, Latino, Asian American, Native American. . . . This is a real part of who I am, and so when someone insinuates that I am a racist, it gets me extremely upset."

Chairman of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda Hector Sanchez said the Kennedy Center was approached to engage in a constructive dialogue regarding the underrepresentation of Latinos, and was met with derision, expletives, and an unwillingness to even discuss potential solutions. 

"The fact that Latino artists have been locked out of the Kennedy Center Honors for more than one-third of a century is condemnable," Sanchez said. "And using profanity to escape responsibility is despicable. It is only because of the Kennedy Center's refusal to engage in substantive conversation regarding these issues that the NHLA is taking these steps."

For the 33rd year, none of the Kennedy nominees are Latino artists. 

Out of 170 people that have received the award only 2 have been Latinos. The only two Latinos to have received the award are Placido Domingo in 200 and Chita Rivera in 2002.