Quickly, what do Hilda Solis, George Lopez, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Teresa Romero, or Albert Fraijo Jr. have in common? Of course, easy, they are all Latino. They are figures of public reach and recognition. They are outstanding in the fields in which they operate. They have contributed significantly to the community, each in their own specialization.

The similarities don't end there, because all five will be honored with the Aztec Award, an event that the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF) will hold in its 57th year on Friday, October 24, at the Hilton Beverly Hills.

In turn, the winners are honored by the nature of the organization that honors them.

Of course, there is also much that defines, differs, and separates them.

This year is different, because if in previous years the MAOF awards were a testament to the community's progress, in recent years they have been a boost for those who perform a test of endurance in times of unprecedented attack.

The Winners

But if we look back since MAOF was founded in 1963, the picture changes. We have made enormous progress. This was a marginalized, relegated community, which for many was not even considered American but was instead subjected to racial persecution. A persecution against which they lacked the necessary elements of organization and awareness to be, as they are today, an integral part of the American project.

This is reflected in the identity of the Aztec Prize winners in previous years. For example, in the 50th edition in 2017, the list included Esteban Torres, one of the first Latino congressmen from California, serving from 1983 to 1999. The following year, it was the turn of Fernando J. Guerra, a well-known professor of political science and Chicano and Latino studies at Loyola Marymount University. Other awardees in recent years include Mexican-American astronaut and current University of California Regent Jose M. Hernandez, as well as actor and producer Esai Morales and Major League Baseball player Adrian Gonzalez. Last year, MAOF recognized the president and CEO of AltaMed Health Services,Castulo de la Rocha.

The five honorees in 2025

Hilda Solis is much more than the Los Angeles County Supervisor, one of the most powerful positions in the state. This Los Angeles native, daughter of a Nicaraguan mother and a Mexican father, has represented the people in elected positions for decades. She served in the California Assembly, the State Senate; in Congress representing the San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles; later heading the U.S. Department of Labor under President Barack Obama; and, since 2014, the Board of Supervisors. Her extensive service to the community will not end there.

There is comedian and actor George Lopez, named by Time Magazine as one of the 25 most influential Latinos in the country, one of the first to star in a comedy series on television, who throughout 36 films and 27 TV shows maintained his East Los Angeles roots as the basis of his comedy material, without hiding the cultural clashes within and outside the community.

Professional boxer "Canelo" Alvarez, from Guadalajara, Jalisco, one of the most notable boxers in the history of Mexican boxing, world champion in four categories and by five world organizations, and for years considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. "Canelo" is an idol of the masses.

Teresa Romero, a union leader who dedicated her life to workers and has been the president of the United Farm Workers union since 2018, the union of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, which led legendary struggles. She has stood out for her personal work and for what it means to Latino families: the importance of organizing. Today and always, against adversity, exercising resistance.

And Albert Fraijo, the founder of Somos, a law firm organized with a social context, and before that an expert in real estate transactions and land use, and before that a lawyer at one of the largest firms in the country. This son of a Mexican worker who raised him and five siblings in San Gabriel is the man of the future, who seeks opportunities to help groups like the street vendors of Los Angeles.

Now we understand that the five complement each other, that they form a mirror of our community, a facet that constitutes a reason for us to congratulate ourselves, feel proud and strengthen our decision to continue moving forward.

A mirror that reflects the progress of the community

Although each one shows a different edge in the civic work, it would seem that those responsible for the selection of the awardees understood that these five complete together a picture of a fighting, hardworking group, who search and search to get ahead despite the adversity that is surrounding us at this very moment.

And so it is every year: the Aztec Awards recognize Latino leaders in business, education, public service, and community—people whose work reflects MAOF's mission: to uplift and empower families.

With nearly 60 years of history, MAOF continues to be a meeting point for leadership and community action. MAOF's Aztec Awards celebrate those who keep that legacy of service and commitment to Latino families alive.

The Aztec Awards tell us how Latino leadership has evolved. And it's important that they be highlighted today, because MAOF is among those community organizations that carry out their work silently, in a struggle spanning generations, eras. Because when educational, employment, and development opportunities are created for working families, we must remember that the results are not immediate and will take years, decades, and decades.

MAOF is a non-profit organization that has provided social services to the most needy Latino and other communities in California since 1963. It seeks to improve their socioeconomic status while preserving their cultural heritage and offers job training, education, financial education, and senior services programs.