Eva Longoria will host a series of Latino-themed events to celebrate President Barack Obama’s inauguration on January 20.
The former Desperate Housewives star, a co-chair of Obama’s inauguration festivities who admitted she was “in tears” when Obama was re-elected , has helped to organize a gathering of top Latino entertainers to perform at “Latino Inaugural 2013: In Performance at the Kennedy Center”.
Eva Longoria will be joined at the tribute performance by George Lopez, Mario Lopez, Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno. Other performers will include Melanie Griffith, Jose Feliciano, New York City’s Ballet Hispanico, Coro de Ninos de San Juan (the San Juan Children’s Choir), and others.
In a statement announcing details of the event , Eva Longoria said she hoped the inaugural salute would encourage Latino voters to engage more with Washington and national poitics:
“Latinos played a critical role in this year’s elections and helped tip the scales in President Obama’s victory. But we are not waiting another four years to make an impact on our country’s future. What better way to establish our presence at these inaugural celebrations than by showcasing the beauty and diversity of our culture at the nation’s premier performing arts center?”
Tickets for the event went on sale Tuesday at the Kennedy Center box office, starting at $300 for the live performance. It is currently unclear whether Obama himself will attend.
The Latino inaugural gathering comes after Latino voters played a significant role in keeping Obama in the White House. 71 percent voted for the president, while Republican candidate Mitt Romney registered only 27 percent of the Latino vote.
Amongst Hispanic voters, support for Romney was lower than any presidential candidate for 16 years, leading many Republicans to argue that a new approach to Latino voters was required.
Eva Longoria was a highly vocal supporter of Obama throughout last year’s presidential campaign. Speaking shortly after his victory on November 6, the actress said:
“It was a huge night for a lot of people. For women […] A huge night for the LGBT [community] that showed up for the president. And of course it was a huge night for Latinos, and I was very happy to be a part of that.”
The star also took to her Twitter account to celebrate with fans:
Amazing speech by @ barackobama re-elected for his 2nd term! America is and can be united for the greater good of all Americans!
— Eva Longoria (@EvaLongoria) November 7, 2012