Jay Wheeler

Musical Artist

Jay Wheeler is a reggaeton musical artist originally from Puerto Rico, whose popularity rose in 2016 after a singing video went viral. He signed with Dynamic Records in 2018 and has since released five studio albums. He’s worked with an array of producers, toured around the world, and was honored as The Rising Artist at the National Puerto Rican Parade. Inspired by his own stories, Wheeler’s creative and ever-evolving reggaeton music represents his Hispanic pride. His most well-known track is “La Curiosidad”.

Brenda Equihua

Fashion Designer

Brenda Equihua is a Los Angeles-based fashion designer, whose color-rich garments have grown more and more popular in the last five years. Inspired by the outfits she saw her mom wearing as a kid, partnered with her natural entrepreneurial spirit, Equihua has built a brand that celebrates authenticity and identity. From imported textiles to evocative imagery, Equihua’s designs are steeped in Latino storytelling and serve as artifacts of today’s culture. Bad Bunny has been seen wearing an Equihua piece.

Marissa Chibás & Bobby Soto

Director & Lead Actor & Producer

Marissa Chibás is a Cuban-American writer and director whose film projects have seen the screens of Anthology Film Archive, The Segal Center in NYC, and Pasadena Film Festival. She teamed up with actor and producer Bobby Soto — well known for his work in Eva Longoria’s Flamin’ Hot and Netflix’s Narcos — to re-image the play, “Cloud Tectonics”, written by José Rivera. In collaboration with their creative team, Chibás and Soto explore the inherent magic of Latino storytelling on stage and in real life.

Armando de la Torre, Sr. | Armando de la Torre, Jr.

Founders, Guisados

The father-and-son duo Armando de la Torre, Sr., and Armando de la Torre, Jr., opened the first Guisados restaurant in Boyle Heights in 2010. Their unique stewed taco recipes caught the attention of Angelinos all over, and their restaurant expanded across the city. Now, with nearly 100 employees, the de la Torre family business both cultivates community and preserves their Mexican heritage within the Los Angeles culinary scene.