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Check out the Latinos that made TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020

From Pioneers, Artists, Leaders, Titans, and Icons, Latinx representation is present in this year’s most influential collection.

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What a year it has been. A tough one. A sad one. One that’s also felt far from a reality of justice and inclusivity. However, TIME has given a glimpse of hope for those who have long awaited to see a reflection in leaders. 

Here are the Latinx icons that made this year’s list of most influential.

Gabriella Camara  

She’s a Mexican Chef that’s leading the food industry. TIME called her the leading culinary diplomat through spirit and practice. Camara runs two restaurants that are widely known: Contramar in Mexico City and Cala in San Francisco. Additionally, she is an adviser for Mexican President Andres Manuél López Obrador. 

Selena Gomez 

A third generation Mexican-American, Gomez is known for her singing and acting, The ‘Hands To Myself,’ singer has also used her platform to advocate for social justice. 

Using her platforms, she’s championed voting and supported the Black Lives Matter movement. Additionally, in 2019, she was the executive producer of the Netflix original docu-series Living Undocumented. 

J Balvin  

The Colombian artist is known for his colorful albums, and  has spoken openly about his mental health problems. On Instagram he regularly shares his struggle with anxiety and lets other know that they are not alone. He’s also made more than a few splashes with his music, which is mainly reggaeton.

Jair Bolsonaro 

While not a positive addition to the list, the Brazilian president has been involved in a number of corruption allegations and leading a country with one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in the world — 137,000 as of Sept. 23 to be exact.

Nemonte Nenquimo 

An Ecuadorian Indigenous activist, she is the president of the Waorani of Pastaza and a co-founder of the Ceibo Alliance. Nenquimo has used her voice to advocate for her community where her family still lives against private and government-backed intrusions. 

The lawsuit she brought against Ecuador’s government was a landmark ruling that protected the Waorani’s ancestral homelands from immediate destruction for oil exploration and set a precedent for protecting Native American lands that could have hemispheric consequences. 

Bonnie Castillo  

This Latina is the executive director of the National Nurses United and the California Nurses Association. In the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Castillo was a major voice calling out the lack of personal protective equipment and fought to have it provided immediately. Castillo also fought layoffs and pay cuts for nurses, the frontline workers most affected by the pandemic.

Felipe Neto 

He’s a Brazilian digital influencer originally from Rio de Janeiro that has used his platform on social media since 2018 to defy President Jair Bolsonaro and empowered anti-fascists against his government.. 

Sister Norma Pimentel  

She’s the Executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and has advocated for migrants seeking asylum in the United States at the Texas border with Mexico for the past 30 years. 

Though not all the representatives are influential for the good work they’ve done, overall the representation shows that the Latinx population are more than just immigrants, we makeup the story of those who are influenced by us. TIME’s future lists will hopefully continue to expand that story. 

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