The sixth annual celebration of America’s Hispanic Heritage — the 2021 AL DÍA Archetypes event — will see 10 outstanding Hispanic professionals be honored with the 2021 Ambassador Manuel Torres Award.

The honorees will be distinguished across 10 categories. They are: public service, non-profit, education, corporate, entrepreneurship, sports, performing arts, philanthropy, media and health.

This year, the honoree in the sports category will be Alejandro Bedoya, Philadelphia Union captain and midfielder. He has been with the team since Aug. 2016.

Prior to joining the Philadelphia Union, Bedoya spent nearly eight years playing soccer in Europe for Swedish club Örebro SK, Scottish clubs Rangers and Helsingborgs IF and French team FC Nantes.  

Bedoya is of Colombian descent and was born in New Jersey before his family moved him to where he was raised in Weston, Florida. He is a third-generation professional soccer player, as his father played professionally in Colombia with Millionarios and his grandfather played for Deportes Quindío. 

In addition to his play on the field, Bedoya has also been very outspoken off the field. In 2019, during a Philadelphia Union game, Bedoya shouted into a sideline microphone, calling on Congress to do something to end gun violence.

This was in reaction to two separate mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, where nearly 30 total people were killed and more than 40 were injured. 

During Hispanic Heritage Month in September, he will be honored as the 2021 AL DÍA Archetype: Ambassador Manuel Torres Award in the category of sports. He will join Damian Rivera, Nathalie Rayes and Noe Ortega as four of 10 honorees at this year’s event. 

More honorees will be announced in the coming days ahead. 

The 2021 AL DÍA Archetype Hispanic Heritage Gala & Awards Ceremony is set for Friday, Sept. 24, 2021 at the Union League of Philadelphia. To reserve your seat at the premier celebration of America's Hispanic Heritage, click here.