Organizers of the annual Hispanicize 2017 event announced today that award-winning singer, Jencarlos Canela, will headline the fourth annual Positive Impact Awards (PIA), presented by Prudential Financial, Inc. The program distinguishes everyday Hispanic Americans who work altruistically to create a difference in their communities.
Musician, songwriter, composer and actor, Jencarlos Canela is an internationally recognized artist born and raised in Miami, FL. His singles and greatest hits “Amor Quédate”, “Bajito”, “Baby” and “Pa Que Me Invitan” have had a constant presence on top of the charts in C.A and Puerto Rico, reaching number one on Billboard and earning him multiple platinum and diamond records. In 2013, Jencarlos was signed as an exclusive talent for Universal Music Records, releasing his third record production, “JEN.” As an actor, Jencarlos has been part of numerous productions, both in English and Spanish.
“It is a privilege to have a mega talent such as Jencarlos Canela headlining the Positive Impact Awards gala,” said Katherine Johnson-Gunn, Co-Founder & Partner of Hispanicize. “Jencarlos not only stands out for his prolific career as an artist, but also for his own personal commitment to the betterment of communities throughout the Americas through his own philanthropic efforts.”
Always interested in great causes, Jencarlos became the voice of the Department of Families in Puerto Rico for children adoption in 2010. Later, he also became the voice and image of Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, helping to raise awareness and funds for local children hospitals. Additionally, for more than 10 years, Jencarlos has dedicated his efforts to La Liga Contra el Cáncer and has been a spokesman for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation dedicated to find treatment and cure for paralysis. Jencarlos is also the only Hispanic American figure to represent the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which helps refugees in more than 43 countries around the world.
“It is an honor to be part of a night that recognizes and honors the philanthropic work of heroes that are a part of our community,” said Jencarlos. “When our friends from the media and everyone as a community come together to support events like this one, we are motivating others to invest their time and energy to build a reality in which us and our loved ones are unified, work towards progress and constantly evolve.”
The Positive Impact Awards gala will take place at 6:30 pm on April 4, 2017 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami, FL.
This year, the Hispanicize Positive Impact Awards are honoring Luis Gutierrez, Dante Alvarado-Leon, Roxane Hara, and Felipe Pinzón, four individuals who are bringing tides of change through community revitalization, STEM programs, professional empowerment and financial education initiatives, respectively.