Hispanic and Latina/o/e/x Guide
The Adelante Employee Resource Group has provided a guide filled with educational and cultural resources for anyone wanting to learn more about Hispanic and Latina/o/e/x cultures
Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash
Pioneers of Change
Change does not come easily. Click on the links below to learn about the pioneers of change in American history from the military to fashion and the arts and beyond.
Activism and Civil Rights
- Emma “X” González (Activist & Gun Control Advocate)A survivor of the February 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Fashion and Arts
Film, Television, and Theater
- Cheech Marin(Chicano Actor, director, writer, musician, Chicano art collector, exhibitor, and humanitarian)
Literature and Journalism
- Gwen Ifill (Journalist)First Afro-Latina will host a prominent political talk show on national television.
Politics and Government
- Joseph M. Hernandez (Fmr. Brigadier General & U.S. Congressman)was the First Hispanic elected to the U.S. Congress.
- Octaviano Larrazolo (Fmr. U.S. Senator & Governor)was the first Hispanic elected to the U.S. Senate.
- Robert Menéndez (U.S. Senator)U.S. Supreme Court) Was the First Hispanic and third woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Music
- Desi Arnaz (Musician & Actor)was the first major Latino television star.
- Richie Valenswas one of the first Mexican American Latino Rock-and-Roll stars.
- Selena Quintanillais Known as the 'Queen of Tejano Music.'
- Jenni Riverawas a Mexican American singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She was known as the Queen of Banda (best-selling Banda singer of all time), “La Diva de las Bandas.”
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
- Antonia Novello (U.S. Surgeon General)was the first Hispanic woman to serve as United States Surgeon General.
- Ellen Ochoa (Astronaut)The first Mexican American Latina to become an astronaut.
- France Cordova (Astrophysicist)Became the youngest person and first woman named chief scientist at NASA.
- Franklin Chang-Diaz (Astronaut)The first Hispanic astronaut
- Helen Rodriguez-Trias (Physician & Activist)First Latina president of the American Public Health Association
Sports
- Scott Gomez (Hockey Player)was the first Mexican-American to play in the National Hockey League (NHL).
U.S. Military
- Angel Mendez (U.S. Marine)Navy Cross Recipient
- Carmen Contreras-Bozak (U.S. Army)The first Hispanic to serve in the U.S. Women's Army Corps.
- Christina M. Alvarado (U.S. Navy)The first nurse to command the Naval Reserve Expeditionary Medical Facility “Dallas One,” the first nurse of Hispanic heritage to be selected to the rank of rear admiral (one star) in the Nurse Corps, and the first Hispanic female to achieve the rank of Rear Admiral Upper Half (two stars).
- David Glasgow Farragut (U.S. Navy)was the first Hispanic officer to be given the rank of admiral in the United States Navy.
- Harold Gonsalves (U.S. Marines)was the only Latino Marine to earn the Medal of Honor during World War II.
- Horacio Rivero, Jr. (U.S. Navy)was the first Puerto Rican and Hispanic four-star admiral and the second Hispanic to hold that rank in the modern United States Navy after the American Civil War Admiral David Glasgow Farragut.
- Joe P. Martínez (U.S. Army)The first Medal of Honor awarded to a Hispanic American in World War II.
- Kathlene Contres (U.S. Navy)was the highest-ranking Hispanic-American woman officer in the U.S. Navy until her retirement in 2010 after 30 years of service.
- Loreta Janeta Velazquezis known for disguising herself as a man and serving as a Confederate officer and spy during the American Civil War.
- Louis Caldera (U.S. Army)Former U.S. Secretary of the Army
- Richard Cavazos (U.S. Army)was the first Latino brigadier general in the U.S. Army and the first Latino to be promoted to four-star general.