Planned Parenthood Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with Inaugural Invencibles Awards

Held on National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day
Honorees included Rep. Nanette Barragán, (D-CA-44), Rep. Norma Torres, (D-CA-35), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, among others

Washington, DC — Last night, in honor of the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, Planned Parenthood Federation of America celebrated its first-ever Invencibles Awards to honor powerful Latinx leaders for their contributions to reproductive health, rights, and justice. Named after Planned Parenthood’s first-ever Spanish-language social media campaign to empower Latinas across the U.S., Invencibles, the awards honored Congressional Hispanic Caucus members, national partners, and community leaders. 

Honorees Rep. Nanette Barragán, (D-CA-44), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Rep. Norma Torres, (D-CA-35)

Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

“We are thrilled to host our inaugural Invencibles Awards this Hispanic Heritage Month. Our awardees are Latinx leaders who have taken great steps to protect and expand access to reproductive health care, and to stand in solidarity with Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood is proud to stand with the vast and diverse Latinx community who make up our patients, our fearless providers and staff, our Latinx organizers and Promotoras, our fierce partners and supporters. Without their leadership, the movement towards equity and equality for Latinx folks could never have come this far. ”

The awards also commemorated National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day, observed annually on October 15 and Planned Parenthood’s crucial role in providing HIV prevention tools, information and education, and testing for Latinx communities. Currently, one-fifth of people with HIV in the US are Latino and as of 2017, nearly a quarter of Planned Parenthood patients were Latino — more than 560,000 people. Planned Parenthood health centers provide more than 740,000 HIV tests and many health centers offer HIV prevention tools like PrEP, a daily pill that can help prevent HIV, and PEP, a series of pills you can take after you’ve been exposed to HIV that lowers your chances of getting it.

2019 Invencibles Award Honorees

This year’s recipients of the Invencibles Award include:

• The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, Invencible Partner Award
• Congressional Champions of Reproductive Health, Invencible Champion Awards:
  • Rep. Nanette Barragán, (D-CA-44), the first-ever Latina to represent the district 
  • Rep. Norma Torres, (D-CA-35)
  • Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34)
• Veronica Garza, Invencible Promotora Award
• Lili Navarette, Invencible Raíz Advocate Award 
• Carla Naranjo, Invencible Youth Award 

Statement from Rachel Moreno, Vice President, Brand & Culture, Planned Parenthood Federation of America: 

“In this pivotal moment for our community, in the face of constant attacks on our ability to access our most basic rights, we are proud to celebrate those within our community standing up to fight back as Invencibles leaders. We are determined to celebrate and acknowledge the resiliency of our people. That’s why alongside our Invencibles awards we have launched Es Mío, Yo Decido  — our rallying cry, a galvanizing voice to claim what is ours. We are proud, unapologetic, and empowered to make decisions about our own bodies, our lives, and our futures. We will make sure everyone, from the state house to the White House, hears our voices and sees our resolve to control our own bodies. Now is the time to unite as a community and create a world where we all have the opportunity to live full and healthy lives.”

The Invencibles Awards, follow the launch of Planned Parenthood’s Es Mío, Yo Decido campaign, the digital Spanish-language awareness campaign, companion to the English-language #BansOffMyBody campaign, fight against attacks on sexual and reproductive health care and boldly declare that our bodies, our lives, and our futures are our own. The campaign, which launched with a six-figure digital ad buy exclusively in Spanish, previewed with an on-the-ground activation of more than 2,000 people at People en Espanol’s Festival earlier this month.

Es Mío, Yo Decido is centered around the pride and needs Latinx community, which is often most affected by restrictions on reproductive health and freedom. The campaign will encourage people to join together, and with Planned Parenthood, take action and fight back. The campaign encourages Latinx people across the U.S. to sign the #EsMío petition. Visit www.EsMioYoDecido.org to learn more about restrictions to abortion access around the country or text ESMIO to 22422, for ways you can join el movimiento and take action.

PPFA Latinx Staff and 2019 Invencible Honorees

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.