HBO Latino premiered its much -anticipated ‘Habla y Vota’ one- hour special on Friday, September 16. The program will continue to air in English with Spanish subtitles across all of the channel’s platforms including HBO NOW, HBO GO and HBO On Demand, as well as affiliate portals. In this latest iteration of the famed Habla series, Habla y Vota shares compelling and inspiring stories from Latino celebrities and personalities – including Jorge Ramos, Prince Royce among them – about the impact of voting on their lives and in our community. The program’s premiere event was held at Ellis Island.

“Habla y Vota has captured the art of storytelling in a very personal and potent way. Our amazing celebrities and inspiring personalities have shared intimate tales about their childhood that clearly demonstrate the impact and power of voting. Our hope is that viewers are inspired by their fascinating stories and make their voices heard in the upcoming presidential election,” said Lucinda Martinez, SVP, Multicultural Marketing at HBO.

Stories on ‘Habla y Vota’ include:

Raised in a small town in Texas, where the majority of the Latino voice is conservative, writer, comedian and actor Cristela Alonzo shares her experiences growing up in an immigrant household and hopes to disprove allegations that Latinos come to the U.S. to take advantage of the system.

Julissa Arce came to the U.S. on a tourist visa. Though she overstayed her visa, she went on to have a successful career on Wall Street. Julissa, author of “My (Underground) American Dream” is currently a speaker and social justice advocate. She discusses the impact a vote can make on the lives of millions of immigrants.

Broadcast journalist and Telemundo TV personality, Maria Celeste Arraras, discusses the reasons for inactivity by Latino voters and highlights the potential impact the Hispanic community could have in America by participating and voting.

New York-native and host of The Real, Adrienne Bailon, embraces her Latino heritage and reminds us that by voting, we honor those immigrants who have made sacrifices in order to live in this country.

Voto Latino President & CEO Maria Teresa Kumar is a political activist and an influential figure in the Latino community. She understands the need for education and civic engagement among young voters and discusses the untapped power of the Latino vote.

Professor and author, Frances Negron-Muntaner , studies a variety of issues affecting the Latino community, particularly how Latinos are represented in the media. In Habla y Vota, Frances discusses contributions by Hispanics and their impact on today’s society.

Author, journalist and Univision news anchor Jorge Ramos, is a Mexican immigrant. He discusses the importance of the Latino vote in representing and supporting America’s multiculturalism and addresses the persistent issues of discrimination and racism.

Bronx-native, singer and songwriter Prince Royce talks about the importance of inclusiveness and encourages young Latinos to find their voice and to use it in the upcoming elections.

Other featured talent includes Lalo Alcaraz, Jose Arellano, J.W. Cortes, Gabe Gonzalez, Ivana Mena, Jeimy Osorio, and Armando Riesco .

Model Jazmin Ivy Rodriguez at the HBO ‘Habla y Vota’ Premiere held in Ellis Island

Launched in 2003, Habla captures the U.S. Latino experience of biculturalism, bilingualism, immigration and more, through funny, poignant and honest stories from notable celebrities, recognized professionals and every day Latinos. Habla was created and directed by Alberto Ferreras and produced by Trina Bardusco, from Latino Media Works.

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