Hispanic Heritage Month is a momentous occasion to celebrate, and TikTok is proud to champion Latino creators and heritage, on and off platform, year-round by elevating our voices through programs that support the community to make a real world impact. The platform is a leader in amplifying our culture and supporting our people.

Last week TikTok recognized a group of Latinx TikTok Trailblazers, and also provided grants to a select few to assist them in turning their dream projects into reality or supporting those already in existence. In addition the platform hosted an intimate dinner honoring Latino creators that we at HOMBRE were fortunate to attend. More details on that later this week.

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations at TikTok came to life with the announcement of both, the 2022 Latinx TikTok Trailblazers and the recipients of the TikTok Latinx Creatives Grant, in partnership with MACRO and UnbeliEVAble, along with their 2022 “Es una Cosa Latina” programming to amplify and honor Latinx cultural traditions across TikTok and beyond.

The power of our community comes from the diverse voices who are driving culture, influence and joy across the Latinx community and beyond. TikTok has unveiled their third cohort of Latinx TikTok Trailblazers, the next generation of Latinx trendsetters and digital entertainment leaders nominated by the community for their creativity, passion and authenticity.
Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, these 2022 Trailblazers will share their stories through creator spotlights on the @TikTokCreators, @TikTok and the newly launched @CasaTikTok channels.

2022 Latinx TikTok Trailblazers

The 2022 Latinx TikTok Trailblazers are:

• @benulus (Tuscon, AZ) – Berenice Castro, also known as “Benulus,” is a fashion stylist with an affinity for maximalist and vintage fashion. She is unapologetically authentic and encourages others to wear clothes that make them feel their best. Her infectious smile, magnetic personality and energy radiate off the screen and are the key accessories in how she approaches fashion.

• @christianjmaldonado (Greensboro, NC) – Christian Maldonado is a first-generation Salvadoran and Guatemalan creator. He combines music with humor while amplifying his Latin community and culture. His comedic content also spotlights real-world issues such as pay transparency, unhealthy work environments and immigration, in an effort to educate the public.

• @curlsbydaviana (Miami, FL) – Daviana Mercedes believes that hair is a big part of people’s identities. Throughout her more than six-year natural hair journey, she has acquired the skills and knowledge to show people of color how to care for and love their textured hair.

• @daniklaric (Miami, FL) – Dani Klaric is a Mexican interior decorator known for her whimsical and eclectic decor style. She specializes in residential and commercial spaces and documents her love for design and cinematography on TikTok.

• @denisemmercedes (New Jersey) – Denise Mercedes is a Dominican entrepreneur and creator. She is the founder of #becauseitsmybody, a body-positive campaign that celebrates all bodies, and the founder of #stylenotsize, a movement that showcases that all body types can look good in the same outfits.

• @emilyuuribe (Los Angeles, CA) – Emily Uribe shares her passion for entertainment and media on TikTok by showcasing her knowledge of film and pop culture. She also uses her platform to share her love for sketch comedy and acting.

• @gabeadams (Salt Lake, UT) – Gabe Adams is a makeup influencer who uses his platform to show the different parts of his life — including living without limbs and being adopted from Brazil by a Utah-based family.

• @laxtoluxury (Los Angeles, CA) – Michelle González is an Argentine-American travel creator and expert who shares travel tips on luxury flights, properties, and experiences. In just over two years on TikTok, she has established herself as an expert on both travel tips and aspirational travel, gaining an audience of over 1M followers.

• @mrgrandeofficial (Los Angeles, CA) – Mikey Angelo is a songwriter and rapper who provides the internet with musical comedy through a combination of Gen Z raps and witty songs, captivating his 2M+ followers. 

• @nanajoe19 (Visalia, CA) –  Originally from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Alejandra Tapia is a home chef best known for packing lunches and pushing the boundaries of creativity in her kitchen. She enjoys experimenting with food and adding a special twist to her traditional recipes for the new generation to enjoy.

• @thenoezepeda (Salinas, CA) – Noe Zepeda creates content that represents both his Latino and LGBTQ+ identities. On TikTok he has continued to pursue his love for acting — including creating and starring in his own Telenovela on the platform, and coining the term #TikTokNovela.

Another important initiative of TikTok is the TikTok Latinx Creatives Grant. The program was created through partnership with powerhouse community champions MACRO and UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, following the success of the 2021 TikTok Latinx Creatives creator incubator last year.

The 10 grant recipients were chosen after pitching TikTok, MACRO and UnbeliEVAble Entertainment an idea for their dream creative project, whether it be in the form of a book, movie, TV show, radio show, or other content medium. Selected creators will each be receiving $50,000 and two, personalized coaching sessions from MACRO and UnbeliEVAble Entertainment to help bring their pitches to life.

 2022 TikTok Latinx Creatives Grant recipients:

Here are the 2022 TikTok Latinx Creatives Grant recipients:

• @chaoticforager, Gabrielle Cerberville (Kalamazoo, MI): Gabrielle is a wild food educator, mycologist, permaculturist, and interdisciplinary artist. She believes ethics and hope are the keys to supporting a sustainable future. On TikTok, she shares her knowledge of edible plants and fungi, including the importance of ecological awareness and land knowledge.

• @drlesliegonzalez, Leslie Gonzalez (Chicago, IL): Dr. Gonzalez is a physician who shares the latest on health-focused products, public health issues, and encourages others to pursue a career in healthcare on TikTok. She is also passionate about representation and creates her content in English and Spanish.

• @franciscolikethecity, Francisco Cardozo (New York, NY): Francisco is a Venezuelan writer and actor who graduated as a Playwright from the Center of Latin American Studies Romulo Gallegos.  Francisco has gained popularity on TikTok by creating funny content about his experience as a gay Latino man living in the Big Apple.

• @ijorgealvarez, Jorge Alvarez (Bergen County, NJ): Jorge is a creator, advocate, and strategist who destigmatizes mental health and encourages challenging conversations on TikTok by creating content that cultivates space for collective reflection, unlearning limiting beliefs, and breaking generational cycles. Through sharing his lived experiences as a Latinx man, he sparks dialogue that is both vulnerable and thought-provoking.

• @morethancleaning, Ileana Cabrera (Pacoima, CA): lleana is a wife, mother of three, and Latina house cleaner who showcases her passion, experience, and desire to succeed on TikTok. She has built a large following by sharing interesting and quirky cleaning tips, and showing that her work is so much more than just cleaning.

• @myundocumentedass, Miguel “Che” Dalmau (Blackwood, NJ): Miguel “Che” is a stand-up comedian, writer, podcaster, and TikTok creator who uses his platform to talk about his experience growing up undocumented in the United States. Through his art, Miguel hopes to inspire other undocumented people to share their stories and educate those on the undocumented experience.

• @ollin.nyc, Jonathan Perez (New York, NY): Jonathan runs Ollin, a restaurant in NYC where authentic Mexican food and culture meet — they serve unforgettable authentic Mexican food and have also grown a large audience on TikTok. Ollin is also a mom-and-pop restaurant that is Latinx and Queer-owned, where all are welcome.

• @rockrollg, Herchell Carrasco (Orange, CA): Herchell began tattooing out of his kitchen and became one of the most in-demand celebrity tattoo artists in California. On TikTok he showcases his art and culture while entertaining and inspiring his community to chase their dreams.

• @thefirstgenmentor, Giovanna Gonzalez (Chicago, IL): Giovanna is a TikTok creator, financial educator, speaker, and up-and-coming author. In June 2021, she quit her corporate job in investment management to pursue her true passion: teaching financial literacy to young adults. She uses her platform to share relatable and jargon-free financial education and career advice to the First Gen and Latinx community.

• @username_af, Jose Luis Cisneros-Carlos (Fort Worth, TX): Luis combines his love for automobiles and problem solving through videos on TikTok. He uses his platform to entertain and teach others how to work on their cars.

  

TikTok LIVE Programming:
TikTok has an exciting lineup of themed LIVEs coming up, including #Rompiendo series on @musicontiktok with a LIVE with Maluma on September 28.

Also a global livestream featuring performances by @ferxxo444 and @snowthaproduct on October 8.
Throughout the month they’ll also be  featuring @camilo, @grupofirme, and more to spotlight Latin musicians.
TikTok will also have an in-app hub with LIVE information, Trailblazer spotlights, video content from the community, music playlists and small businesses, all from the Hispanic community.
You can follow @tiktok and @tiktoklive_us for more info on the programming and LIVE schedule lineup.

Recognizing TikTok’s Internal Latinx Community with SOMOS:
In addition to celebrating the Latin community on TikTok, they will also recognize their own community of Latinx employees at TikTok who are blazing trails and celebrating the everlasting impact of the community year-round. SOMOS, TikTok’s employee resource group (ERG), empowers their internal Latin community through company initiatives and supporting causes that foster inclusion, allyship and education across TikTok’s employee base. This year, our SOMOS family will spotlight employees who are driving and making an impact across the company and hold a virtual career event to elevate the professional growth of Latinx employees at the organization.