Eva Longoria was honored with the Premio Vida y Legado (Life and Legacy Award) at Carlos Eric Lopez’s fourth annual Día de Muertos Gala and used her speech as an opportunity to encourage the Latinx community to “vote for your community” in the upcoming election.
The 49-year-old actress and business owner started her four-minute speech by emphasizing the Latinx community’s impact on the country.
“I always say power is not given it’s taken, and to see a room like this, just shows that we are finally taking our power,” Eva said in her speech as she looked out to the crowd, mainly filled with Latinos. “Not only in this industry but in society and the world. In this industry what we do matters, and I know it’s hard in the environment that we’re listening to right now, it’s hard to go, is what we’re doing making a difference? Is us being in a TV show, us being in a movie? And it does. It starts with our industry, and you know while people in Washington makes laws, we change culture.”
The “Flamin’ Hot” director went on to emphasize why it’s important Latinos continue to see themselves reflected on screen.
“You can’t change laws until you change culture, and I think what we do is so important and that culture won’t change unless we see different images of ourselves on the big screen, on the little screen,” she said. “We have to see ourselves reflected back…it’s important because what we do influences how other people see us, but more importantly it influences our community on how they see themselves. So, what we do matters and it’s important.”
Eva then got political in her speech, seemingly taking a dig at comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s remarks at former President Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, where he took a dig at Puerto Rico, calling it a “floating island of garbage.”
“I just want to remind you guys, I don’t know if you know, there’s an election. We cannot let anyone call us rapists, we cannot let anybody call us criminals, we cannot let anyone call us invaders or people who poison this country,” she said. “We cannot and we definitely won’t let anyone call us a floating island of garbage, so let’s show them who we are.”
Before walking off the stage, Eva had one final message for the audience, telling them to “to vote for your heritage, vote for your community, vote all of the ancestors whose shoulders we all stand on. Vote for them.”
Ahead of the gala, Eva told Access Hollywood it was special to be given the award by “my community, my friends, my chosen family.”
“To see Carlos grow this event from somebody’s backyard to Paramount Studios is really wild to witness,” she told Access. But it’s a really fun night and it’s not celebrating me, it’s celebrating all of us because we’re all in this together so it makes it a very special night for sure.”
As for why Carlos Eric Lopez chose Eva to be the recipient of the Premio Vida y Legado, he told Access it’s because she is “the true icon of Latinidad.”
@accesshollywood #EvaLongoria, #WilmerValderrama and more remember those they love on Dia De Muertos 🤍 #Holiday ♬ original sound – Access Hollywood
“Not only is she a force within the industry, whether it is entertainment, business, or political activism, she is someone who reaches her hand out and she grabs us one by one,” he said. “Not only is she the star who shines in front of the camera, but she’s not afraid to hold the camera and to let all the other Latinos shine as well.”
The Día de Muertos Gala also featured Isabela Merced who presented the Abuelita Award to her tía Gloria Rojas on behalf of her late abuela. Eugenio Caballero also received the inaugural Cempasúchil Award (Marigold Award).