From the Editor

As we approach Hispanic Heritage Month, taking place September 15 through October 15, one can’t help but ruminate over the course of the celebration and how it has changed. From a week-long celebration commissioned by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, to today’s month-long commemoration established by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, much has changed, yet in other ways much has remained the same. Issues of national importance such as immigration, health care and worker rights that topped the agendas of Latinos in the past remain at the forefront of policy reformers today. On the flip side, change is apparent everywhere as some of the barriers that existed for Latinos in the past have fallen, or at least begun to fall. With this in mind, Hispanic sought out agents of change, to borrow a phrase from President Barack Obama. In our annual celebration of achievement, we speak with Latinos who took a look around, and in some way altered the landscape. From the writer who uses her pen to bring truths to audiences with her plays to the doctor teaching a new generation of medics to treat those without means, each person has opened our eyes to new possibilities (p. 48). Also in this issue we speak to director Robert Rodriguez in his Austin studios and discuss his close-knit movie muses (p. 38). We also take a look around the country to the places we admire in our annual list of the Top 10 Cities for Hispanics (p. 44). Paulina Rubio comes back with a new album and new philosophy (p. 62), Maria Marin offers up some inspiration (p. 70), we highlight what’s on TV this fall (p. 56), and more. Enjoy!

Marissa Rodriguez
Editor