Discovery en Español Pays Tribute to Everyday Hispanic Heroes during Hispanic Heritage Month 2007

“Discovery en Español, the leading provider of high-quality, real-world Spanish-language programming, will celebrate this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month by taking the time to salute ordinary Hispanic men and women leading exceptional lives. These are not famous individuals, but rather, remarkable men and women whose lives have impacted others, individuals who serve as a positive example and who should make all Hispanics proud.

“To commemorate this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, Discovery en Español will recognize some of our unsung “Super Heroes’ by telling their unique stories. This exclusive on-air campaign not only honors those individuals but also inspires, uplifts, and showcases the contributions that Hispanics make in their communities each and every day,” said Luis Silberwasser, senior vice president and general manager of Discovery Networks U.S. Hispanic Group.

All of the Super Hero vignettes are 30 seconds in length. The first 20 seconds consist of a comic book type animation that highlights the characteristics that make the individual extraordinary. At the end, the comic strip dissolves to the real person, the Super Hero being featured.

What’s more, to celebrate the intrinsic Super Hero abilities that lay within many of our Hispanic brothers and sisters – the four spots end with the following message:

“Like all Hispanics, this person has wonderful characteristics that make him or her an extraordinary human being”.

Here are some of the heroes that will be featured:

– Mamá Tamales: Sandra Romero – Owner of Mama’s Hot Tamales Café, a job training restaurant at the center of a neighborhood revitalization effort. She has helped more than 1,000 low-income Latinos become successful entrepreneurs.

– Doctor Marvel: Harold Fernandez – Coming from an impoverished Colombian neighborhood, he went on to study at Harvard and Princeton, becoming one of the most renowned heart surgeons in the New York area. He is credited with saving more than 6,500 lives.

– The Guardian Angel: Juan Martin Rivera – A member of the reserve of the Guardian Angels who has assisted thousands of homeless people and has carried out the vital job of fighting gang violence and reducing crime rates.

– Luchador Incansable: Gerardo Reyes – Hard working fruit collector who spends an average of 14 hours a day in the fields and is also a key member of CIW (Coalition of Immokalee Workers), a community-based worker organization that has helped thousands of farmers to receive better benefits and salaries.

In addition to the inspiring stories that highlight the contributions of U.S. Hispanics, Discovery en Español will also air programming that showcases some of the best of our heritage, explores our roots and the civilizations that mark our history during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Here are just some of the specials that will premiere on the network.

The Virgin of Guadalupe: Between Faith and Reason
The Virgin of Guadalupe began forging Mexico’s mestizo culture when she is said to have spoken to Juan Diego in 1531. The Brown Madonna called for a church to be built in her name. According to the legend, Juan Diego convinced the archbishop to build the church by opening his cape and unveiling the Virgin’s portrait. Veiled in mystery, the image has kept the luminous pink color of her robe. The portrait has not been discolored despite being exposed for 116 years. In 1979, studies of the image’s left eye showed the figure of a seated man who believers say is Juan Diego. This program focuses on the scientific research conducted throughout the years and on the mysteries that have befuddled so many for so long. Sunday 9/16 8:00 PM ET.

Red Queen: A Mayan Mystery
Possibly the Nefertiti of the Mayan world, but nobody knows for sure who she is. However, her grave and the manner in which she was buried indicate that she was a high-ranking member of the court. The absence of any hieroglyphics on her tomb has had archaeologists puzzled for over a decade and suggests a deliberate attempt at erasing her identity. Much more than an archaeological film, this 90-minute special will act as a detective story, making use of forensic science and criminology, to reveal the extraordinary story of a woman who may have died because her very existence challenged a regime. Sunday 9/16 9:00 PM ET.

Mysteries of the Yucatán
Cenotes is the entrance to a web of subterranean passages that were, thousand of years ago, at the bottom of the sea. Today, they are flooded by crystal clear waters keeping underneath treasures, secrets and mysteries. This documentary joins the audacious research team that travels through a long maze of subaquatic caverns and galleries unveiling the mysteries that have been underwater for thousands of years. Sunday 9/23 9:00 PM ET.

Secrets of the Moche
The treasures from the Sipan tombs have been compared in splendor to those of Tutankhamen. The Moche was one of the most advanced and sophisticated civilizations of Pre-Columbian times. Its art represented in ceramic, goldsmith, jewels, mural painting as well as works of architecture is no lees than magnificent. Seven hundred years before the Incas conquered Peru, the Moche civilization mysteriously disappeared. This program explores this mysterious disappearance. Sunday 9/23 10:00 PM ET.

In addition, some of the specially planned programming will also tout the survivalist in all Hispanics via two programs that recount exceptional stories of courage in the face of life and death trials in Discovery en Español’s Trapped (Atrapados) and Survivors: Voices of a Tragedy (Atrapados: Sunday 9/30 9:00 PM ET & Survivors: Voices of a Tragedy: Sunday 9/30 10:00 PM ET).

Finally, some of this special month’s programming line-up will also bring back two extraordinary specials that explored the illegal immigration dilemma like never before – Emmy Award nominated Objetivo: El Norte and documentary Viviendo en las Sombras (Sunday, October 7 at 9:00 PM ET & Sunday, October 7 at 10:00 PM ET respectively).

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually from September 15 through October 15. It is a time to recognize the country’s Hispanics (now estimated at close to 40 million) and the amazing and diverse cultural heritages.

About Discovery en Español
The premiere Spanish-language network dedicated to offering the finest in quality programming in the areas of science & technology, world culture & history, nature & wildlife and real-life dramas. With original shows made specifically for U.S. Hispanics and the best programming from Latin America, Discovery en Español is entertainment that stimulates, informs and empowers, giving viewers a fascinating look at the incredible, varied and always surprising real world.”

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