¿Quién es?

Susie Castillo

Susie Castillo’s new film, “Underdog,” is set to open in theaters August 3. Castillo plays Diana Flores in the movie. In 2003, Castillo became the third Latina ever to become Miss USA, prompting People en Español to name her one of the “25 Most Beautiful People.”

Born in Methuen, Mass., Castillo is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, and speaks Spanish fluently.

She currently resides in New York, where she spends much of her spare time supporting her favorite charities and organizations and is the first spokesperson for the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps cultivate young Latino leaders.

Renán Almendárez Coello

Charismatic radio host Renán Almendárez Coello is one of the most successful and popular Hispanic radio hosts in the country. He is heard on Los Angeles’ KLAX 97.9 La Raza Monday through Friday from 4:00 AM to 11:00 AM, radio’s primetime “drive time.”

Almendárez Coello, better known as “El Cucuy,” immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s and was inspired by the American Dream. “My dreams for a better life brought me to this country from my native Honduras, and I knew from the beginning that it would be a lonely path,” he says. “Any success I have in my life I owe to my listeners for seeing me as a friend to whom they can relate. No matter how successful I become, however, I will always remember my roots as an immigrant and will champion any just cause to help fellow immigrants.”

Last year, Almendárez Coello initiated the “Votos Por América” campaign with the goal of getting one million Hispanics registered to vote in the general elections. Most recently, he was one of the leaders of the “Dreams Across America” caravan that traveled across the country to Washington, D.C. in order to show Congress the importance of immigration to the country.

Angélica Vale

Actress Angélica Vale’s final appearance starring in Univision’s telenovela “La Fea Más Bella” made history by reaching an estimated audience of over 9 million people.

The last episode of “La Fea Más Bella” was a special two-hour finale that beat all other broadcast networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and the CW, not only for that period, but for the entire prime time night as “El Show de Cristina” featured Vale and the cast for an extra hour after the finale, and her fans stayed tuned in.

The actress’s charm, the superb quality of the Televisa Production, and Univision’s undisputed power drove the network to its number one ranking for the entire evening among the industry’s most coveted demographics.

According to the Nielsen Station Index preliminary, Univision was powered to number one in ratings in the U.S. among all adults aged 18-34 and 18-49, and not just Hispanics.

Eduardo Barón

Sarasota magazine highlights Hispanic publisher Luis Eduardo Barón as one of “The 100 most powerful people in town” in their summer issue. Barón, publisher of La Guía magazine and 7 Días newspaper, was selected along with such personalities as best-selling author Stephen King, famous TV personality Jerry Springer, congressman Vern Buchanan, real estate mogul Michael Saunders, and other religious, civic, government, and business leaders.

Barón was a TV producer in Colombia before arriving in Sarasota, Fla. eight years ago to begin La Guía in July 2000. La Guía was considered the best Spanish language publication in the U.S. for four consecutive years, according to the National Association of Hispanic Publications. In 2002, Barón launched 7 Días, the Hispanic newspaper with the largest distribution in the Tampa Bay area. In 2005, Ford Motor Co. and AOL Latino selected Barón as one of the top five “Visionarios” in the country. The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce named his business the “Minority Business of the Year” in 2006.

Barón, 48, considers being one of the 100 a great recognition of his work for the Hispanic community. “I am proud to be in the list, not for me, but for my community,” he says.