Impacto Award

The inaugural Impacto Award will be presented at The DEI Awards Reception (Alexander, Impacto, and Spirit Awards Recognition at Midyear Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona on January 31, 2025 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm UTC. Register for ABA Midyear Meeting.

About the Award

The ABA Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities seeks to honor the wide-ranging impact of efforts by individuals and organizations to remove the significant legal, socio-economic, linguistic, and other barriers to social justice and civic engagement facing Latinos in the United States.  

Purpose of the Impacto Award

Given the ABA’s objective of producing an enlightened, responsible public committed to social justice and democratic principles, it is vital that the ABA recognize the impact of such efforts by individuals and organizations committed to that work. This is particularly important for the Hispanic community, which continues to experience significant barriers to equal justice and civic engagement in the United States. The Impacto Award recognizes the accomplishments of individuals and organizations that either demonstrate a lifetime of positive impact on the Latino community or show great promise and a clear plan to building a world of possibilities for the Latino community.

Criteria

1. the nominee—without regard to nationality or membership in the ABA or the legal profession—may be an individual or organization with a demonstrated commitment to removing legal, socio-economic, linguistic, and other barriers to social justice or civic engagement for the Hispanic community;
2. the nominee’s body of work must be expressed through activism, advocacy, legal services, research and analysis, or other related means;
3. the nominee’s body of work must produce a significant and positive impact for the Hispanic community; and
4. the nominee (absent contingencies such as exile, detention, or restriction on travel due to the circumstances justifying the award) must be present in person to receive the award when it is presented.
5. Nomination Form
   

There is no requirement that the above criteria be weighed equally.  No preference is given to a nominee’s lifetime body of work over a single significant event or case.

Nomination Process

The ABA Hispanic Commission invites nominations of individuals or organizations for the Impacto Award from ABA members and entities, outside organizations, and others in the legal profession and community, along with other concerned stakeholders (e.g., educators, business leaders, and state, local, and diversity bar associations).

1. Nomination Form (required for each nominee; nominees who are not selected may be considered the following year)
2. Nominee's Resume or Biography
3. Narrative on Nominee’s Accomplishments (no more than five pages)
4. Letters of Support (no more than three letters of support)

Before you submit your nomination:

• Ensure that your nomination form is completed and send all required materials via email to [email protected] by the close of business on November 8^th, 2024.
• Include the Nominee's & Nominator’s names in the subject line.
• Understand that the nomination form and supporting materials constitute the sole basis for the nomination for the Impacto Award.

Sponsorship Opportunities

The Hispanic Commission’s Impacto Award will be completely funded by its program support fund and through the Commission’s external fundraising efforts. No general revenue dollars will fund any aspect of the award.
Impacto Sponsorship form here.