In April 2024, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation celebrated 10 years of empowering the next generation of Latin music creators. Established in 2014 by The Latin Recording Academy, the Foundation has become a global leader in music education, supporting aspiring Latin music creators from 34 countries through its diverse scholarship and grant programs.
Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over 400 scholarships (Prodigy, Gifted Tuition and Tuition Assistance) and 46 grants for Latin Music Research and Preservation — a testament to the organization's mission to advance Latin music and its culture through education.
In pursuit of this goal, the Foundation has donated over $10 million to students, schools, music programs, researchers, and other professionals through its various initiatives. These range from scholarship and grant programs to events that bring music into classrooms, enabling the Foundation to invest $1.7 million in over 70 music education programs across the United States, Latin America and Spain.
"I'm proud of our impact on the students through our scholarship and educational programs," says Raquel 'Rocky' Egusquiza, Executive Director for the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. "Each student's success reflects our work. Seeing their growth and contributions to the music industry reminds me of the daily importance of our mission and the lasting change of our purpose."
In this exclusive interview, Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Executive Director Raquel "Rocky" Egusquiza recounts the Foundation's impact on the lives and careers of Latin music creators over the past decade. She also discusses the Foundation's future programs and projects in countries like Colombia and Mexico, sharing stories that testify to the Foundation's impact.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
The Latin GRAMMY Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary. While many success stories exist, could you highlight the most noteworthy accomplishments in the past decade?
Over the past decade, we've invested over $10 million in scholarships, musical instruments, educational programs, and grants, with 427 scholarships awarded. What's most impressive is that we boast a 90 percent graduation and college completion rate, far exceeding the national average of 60 percent.
We can accomplish that because of the wraparound services we offer to our scholarship recipients: mentoring, access to the industry, and opportunities to engage through learning labs, meeting industry professionals, and learning from them firsthand, enabling them to complete college and succeed after graduation.
A notable story is the young Colombian musician Nicolle Horbath, the 2018 Carlos Vives Scholarship recipient also known as the Prodigy Scholarship. This year, her debut EP, De Magia Imperfecta, received two Latin GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best Singer-Songwriter Album. Her story is a testament to the holistic approach of our programming and its role in developing the next generation of Latin music creators.
She recently joined Colombian superstar Juanes on his NPR Tiny Desk Concert, celebrating Latin Heritage Month. We can provide these opportunities to our scholarship recipients and alumni through the members of The Latin Recording Academy, which sets our program apart.
How did the idea of having a Latin music star co-sponsoring this scholarship come about?
The Foundation has been fortunate that many successful Latin music artists have collaborated with us during the past decade, wanting to pay it forward by providing opportunities to the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarship and mentoring. Through our affiliation with The Latin Recording Academy, we have access to its members who've contributed their time, talent, and treasure to us at the Foundation.
The idea of involving a Latin music artist not only provides funding but also offers scholarship recipients vital mentorship and opportunities for access to the music industry. It's more than a scholarship because, with that level of access to the industry, they can create relationships with Latin music artists and members of The Latin Recording Academy.
Does the support for the Prodigy Scholarship winner go beyond funding their studies?
We have a scholarship ceremony annually, and the artist joins the students. That's where the students and artists forge that relationship. The artist also joins us in informing the scholarship recipient that they've won the scholarship.
From that moment, when we have the initial conversation, and the artist and the student first meet, they share their passion, music. From there, they participate in the scholarship ceremony together. Every artist and scholarship recipient's relationship is different, but all of them have forged a special relationship, and the artist has provided them with mentorship or different access and opportunities.
For example, Nicolle opened a concert for Carlos Vives. We have had scholarship recipients who participated in conversations through Learning Labs or our other programming who have been able to meet with the artist. They've done Sound Checks, gone backstage, and met with them when setting up for an acoustic performance, for example, with The Latin Recording Academy.
The extent of the support varies, but all the artists have been wonderful in making themselves available to share their knowledge with the scholarship recipients and to mentor them throughout their path and journey.
The Foundation has donated over $10 million to support Latin music education and preservation. Can you share an especially impactful story of how these scholarships have changed someone's life or career?
There are countless impactful stories of how our scholarships have transformed lives. I mentioned earlier Nicolle Horbath, our 2018 scholarship recipient. Numerous stories exist, just like hers.
Leo Luna Roblejo, the 2024 Sebastián Yatra scholarship recipient, has had a remarkable career. He performed on the Latin GRAMMY-nominated album Vereda Tropical and he is now a member of Miami's New Deco Ensemble, so he continues to make his mark in the Latin music world with the Foundation's support.
Valentina García was our 2021 Sofia Carson scholarship winner, and while she excels at Berklee College of Music, she's already performed at prestigious events like the Ídolos Latino Concert. She was also the first in her family to go to college.
Luis Anselmi, a Venezuelan Cuatro player, received our Tuition Assistance scholarship and has built a successful career in Canada while mentoring current scholarship recipients.
I vividly remember reading a scholarship application from one student who described how music was her escape and solace while living in her country. It allowed her to overcome challenges. Each of their stories and successes reminds us of the power that music has to empower communities and individuals.
The Foundation awards three types of scholarships: Prodigy, Gifted Tuition, and Tuition Assistance. How has the Foundation's scholarship program evolved since its inception, and what are your goals for its future?
We are always looking at the landscape and how to evolve. Although the program has grown significantly since its inception, we've remained committed to awarding Prodigy, Gifted Tuition and Tuition Assistance Scholarships.
With over 2,000 applications from 34 countries, we can only award 44 scholarships annually, making a yearly investment of $1.1 million. The need is clear, and we're committed to increasing our scholarship investment to help meet this demand.
Next year, we're introducing our Legacy Scholarships beginning with the Paco de Lucia Legacy Scholarship to be awarded, honoring late Latin music icons and their lasting influence.
Listening to our scholarship recipients as they give us feedback is essential. We continue to evolve our program and current demands. Next year, we envision launching a new pathways program to support further Latin music students, expanding our impact meaningfully.
Can you expand on this?
We are exploring more vocational training, upskilling opportunities, and continuing education certifications. We aspire to support diverse career aspirations within the music industry to ensure all students succeed.
Not every scholarship recipient will become a Latin music creator, but what they learn through music prepares them for life. They learn social-emotional learning skills, how to work in a team and the perseverance and dedication involved in the study of music. Those are skills that are going to make you successful no matter what you do in life.
Can you describe a pivotal moment or decision in the Foundation's history that significantly altered its trajectory or expanded its scope?
The Foundation's growth has been steady and intentional. It's been driven by the continuous support of the music creators who dedicate their time, talent, and platform to elevating the work that we're doing.
A pivotal moment could be when Nicky Jam performed alongside our scholarship recipients on stage at the 2022 Latin GRAMMY Awards, an incredible opportunity for those scholarship recipients who were able to participate. That significantly increased awareness of our mission and highlighted our impact to a larger audience. As we further align with The Latin Recording Academy and its programming, we must continue raising awareness about our programs and their impact.
Last year, we kicked off Latin GRAMMY Week with a Latin GRAMMY In The Schools event with 2023 Person of the Year Laura Pausini, at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música Francisco Guerrero in Seville.
Going forward, The Latin Recording Academy will launch Latin GRAMMY Week by initiating a Latin GRAMMY In The Schools program alongside the Person of the Year. This year, Carlos Vives will visit the Miami Senior High School; it will be an amazing experience for everyone present, especially for the students who will learn from him and honor Carlos’ career and accomplishments.
This year, the Foundation received 2,000 submissions from 34 countries. How does the Foundation ensure the programs stay relevant and impactful in diverse cultures?
We prioritize building solid partnerships on the ground in each community we serve. Those local collaborations allow us to take our expertise in the music industry while bringing in the local community to do what they do best in their footprint. As we work with our local partners, we meet each other halfway, combining our expertise with their local knowledge and creating a more meaningful impact in those local communities.
We've visited schools and music institutions across Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, ,Spain, the United States, and many more. We've hosted nearly 70 educational programs and impacted over 3 million music students in person and virtually. It’s an honor for the Foundation to create those educational opportunities for the next generation of Latin music creators globally.
The Foundation also awards grants for music preservation and research. One of those grants will preserve part of Celia Cruz’s legacy this year. Can you tell us about the Foundation's efforts on these fronts? How do these initiatives help maintain the rich heritage of Latin music?
Our grants program does play a vital role in preserving and enhancing the rich heritage of Latin music. It's focused on supporting projects that include historical research, folklore, and music anthropology, providing much-needed financial support to researchers, musicologists and institutions.
The research and preservation efforts allow students and academics to learn about diverse Latin music genres. They also provide resources for in-depth study and preservation of Latin music traditions that otherwise would be at risk of being forgotten.
As part of our 10th anniversary, we were fortunate to offer two grant programs this year. We had the annual program and a special 10th-anniversary program with the support of PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos, which allowed us to provide additional grants at a higher monetary value.
You mentioned that the Celia Cruz Foundation was one of the recipients of one of this year’s grants. The funds will help preserve Celia Cruz's legacy, as she would have celebrated 100 years next year. It's an example of the importance of honoring and protecting the contributions of iconic Latin artists so that our younger generations can also learn and tap into their wisdom.
How has the Foundation responded historically, or is it reacting right now to the changing landscape in the music industry?
As I mentioned, we are exploring launching a pathways program that examines alternative routes, vocational training, and upskilling that will support young Latin music creators as they consider the diversity of music and their career aspirations within the industry.
Providing resources for alternative careers and industry-relevant training helps meet the needs of the next generation, who are looking at additional learning besides a traditional four-year college degree.
We're also launching an Emerging Artists Program with Berklee College of Music, which will provide intensive training to aspiring musicians in various aspects of the music business, including songwriting, stage performance production, and more.
By expanding our partnerships and programs, we expand our reach and impact.
How does the Foundation contribute to tackling gender disparity in the music industry through programs like Leading Ladies of Entertainment Connect TogetHER mentorship?
The Leading Ladies of Entertainment Connect TogetHER Mentorship program tackles gender disparity by providing young women with the guidance, support, and industry connections to succeed.
Mentees are paired with former Leading Ladies of Entertainment honorees, who offer personalized one-on-one sessions to the mentees over three months. They share their experiences, insights, and advice. The program empowers the next generation of female leaders to learn from those who paved the way for them.
We're looking to expand the initiative in 2025 beyond the mentorship program to ensure that we're bringing these Leading Ladies together to offer insights, give advice and share their experiences with larger audiences of women, bringing together women and partners in the industry to expand that reach, that learning, and that support system for women helping one another.
Looking ahead, what are the Foundation's goals for the next decade?
Our vision is to be a global champion for music education and empower communities through Latin music and culture.
Our primary goals for the next decade are centered on increasing our revenue so that we can offer more scholarships and more grants and raise awareness about the great work that we're doing.
We strive to grow our impact and stay relevant in the ever-evolving Latin music industry by sharing the stories and successes of our scholarship recipients and grant winners.
How do you envision the Foundation expanding its reach and influence in the international Latin music community over the coming years?
The Foundation has an incredible international footprint. We're aligning with The Latin Recording Academy's international expansion, partnering with them as they grow abroad.
We are discussing expanding our Latin GRAMMY In The Schools program abroad. We've offered the program in several Latin American countries and want to continue growing it.
Also, we will be expanding educational programs to Mexico and Colombia over the next two years, providing more opportunities for young talent across Latin America. This honors our commitment to nurturing the next generation of Latin music creators globally.