WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — CHCI Chair Rep. Rubén Hinojosa announced today that President Barack Obama will address the largest Latino gala in the country at CHCI’s 37th Annual Awards Gala on Thursday, October 2, 2014 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.  This marks five of the past seven years President Obama has addressed the CHCI Gala, going back to when he was a presidential candidate in 2008.

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“CHCI is proud to once again welcome President Obama to our 37th Annual Awards Gala on October 2nd,” said Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, CHCI Chair.  “His attendance reflects his ongoing commitment to the Latino community and to the future Latino and Latina leaders that CHCI works so hard to develop each year.”

CHCI’s 37th Annual Awards Gala, themed “Building Our Future, Together” will convene the nation’s largest and most prestigious gathering of Hispanic nonpartisan, public, and private sector leaders. The evening’s festivities will include the presentation of the CHCI Medallion of Excellence awards to journalist José Díaz-Balart and labor activist Eliseo Medina.  The CHCI Chair’s Medallion Award will be presented to Juliet V. Garcia, Ph.D., President of the University of Texas at Brownsville.

Chicago NBC 5 News Today anchor Zoraida Sambolin will serve as celebrity host for the gala ceremony and legendary East Los Angeles Chicano rock band Los Lobos will perform at the gala entertainment finale.  The multiple Grammy Award-winning band celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2014.

Each year, the CHCI Annual Awards Gala is the hallmark event during Hispanic Heritage Month in Washington, D.C., and serves as the unifying event for the Hispanic-American community. Proceeds from the Gala benefit CHCI’s award-winning leadership development programs which include: Ready to Lead (R2L^®), R2L^® NextGen, the Congressional Internship Program (CIP), the Public Policy Fellowship Program (PPF), and the Graduate Fellowship Program (GFP).

About CHCI
CHCI is the premier Hispanic nonprofit and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) leadership development organization in the country that educates, empowers, and connects Latino youth by providing leadership development programs and educational services. CHCI directly impacts the lives of more than 1,600 students and young professionals each year through its fellowships, congressional internships, scholarships, Ready to Lead (R2L^®) college readiness program, and R2L NextGen program.  The CHCI Board of Directors is comprised of Hispanic members of Congress, nonprofit, union and corporate leaders. Visit www.chci.org, or join us on Facebook (@CHCIDC), Twitter (@chci) #CHCIHHM, LinkedIn, and YouTube.  CHCI’s Hispanic Heritage Month events are available via live stream at hhm.chci.org.