ABC to Air Special "Soul of a Nation: Corazón de América – Celebrating Hispanic Culture" on September 17th

ABC’s Soul of a Nation series continues with a new special in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Corazón de América – Celebrating Hispanic Culture is hosted by Benjamin Bratt and premieres on ABC on September 17th.

(ABC News)

What’s Happening:

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, ABC News’ Soul of a Nation series returns with the special Corazón de América – Celebrating Hispanic Culture.
The special will honor and highlight the achievements of the more than 60 million people who claim Latino and Hispanic heritage in the United States.
Benjamin Bratt and his brother Peter Bratt host and direct the one-hour special, respectively.
The special explores the depth and beauty of the Hispanic community through stories focusing on:
- Civil rights
- Colorism
- Language
- Food
- Sports
- Music
- And more
Soul of a Nation Presents: Corazón de América – Celebrating Hispanic Culture airs Friday, September 17th (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC and will be available the next day on demand and on Hulu.

Corazón de América – Celebrating Hispanic Culture Highlights:

Actor John Leguizamo opens the show with a stirring original monologue.
Chief White House correspondent Cecilia Vega sits down with 91-year-old civil rights legend Dolores Huerta as she continues her fight for equality and delves into what she sees for the future of workers’ rights and civil rights in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial reckoning of the past year.
The View co-host Sunny Hostin moves from the Soul of a Nation kitchen to the Bronx to enjoy cafecito with a dynamic group of Latino thought leaders and activists to discuss the often unspoken reality of colorism that affects Latinos.
From the Olympics to practically every major league sport, the past year has been one where top Latino and Latina athletes have led their franchises to huge victories. In a co-production with ABC News’ Nightline, correspondent Stephanie Ramos dives into the impact Latinos have on sports, featuring interviews with boxer Canelo Álvarez, MLB legend David “Big Papi” Ortiz and the United States Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.
ABC News anchor and Texas native John Quiñones introduces viewers to the residents that make El Paso shine and spotlights the resilience of the city.
National Correspondent Alex Perez showcases the work Latinos are doing to reclaim their identity through language, including an east Los Angeles charter school seeing a significant increase in graduation rates after adapting to teaching the school’s curriculum in English, Spanish and Nahuatl, the ancient language of the Aztecs.
Transportation Correspondent Gio Benitez interviews record-setting Reggaeton singer and songwriter Ozuna before he closes out the show from the famed Nuyorican Poets Café with his song “La Funka.”

Creative Team:

Soul of a Nation Presents: Corazón de América – Celebrating Hispanic Culture is executive produced by Catherine McKenzie and Dax Tejera.
Peter Bratt is director, and Marie Nelson is the series creator of Soul of a Nation and senior vice president of Integrated Content Strategy at ABC News.