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The Cover Girl
Before she was known to us simply as Gloria on the hit series "Modern Family," Vergara escaped the unrest in Colombia, battled thyroid cancer and built herself a successful career in the entertainment industry as a single working mother. In 2014, Forbes ranked the CoverGirl the 32nd most powerful women in the world.
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The Star
Actress Rita Moreno first won over audiences on Broadway in Bernstein and Sondheim's "West Side Story," where she took the leading female role of Maria. Since her stage debut, she has gone on to become one of the very few people to EGOT (win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and a Tony), and became the first Hispanic performer to do so.
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The Style Icon
The '70s fashionista is known for many feats: perfecting the art of the plunging neckline, being BFFs with Andy Warhol, wearing a blazer to her wedding and marrying Mick Jagger while doing so. But the former actress is also known for her notable work as a social and human rights activist, using her influence as a Good Will Ambassador and member of the Leadership Council of Amnesty International USA.
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The Activist
While we fell in love with her materialistic Gabby on "Desperate Housewives," actress Eva Longoria is constantly reminding us she's more than a pretty face in the real world. Named Philanthropist of the Year by the Hollywood Reporter for her work with Padres Contra El Cancer (Parents Against Cancer), a nonprofit that seeks to improve the lives of Latino children with cancer, Longoria is a very politically active celebrity who spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, and more recently, initiated the Latina Victory Project to raise funds for Latina candidates.
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The Voice
Dubbed "The Queen of Tejano music," Selena was the best-selling Latin artist of the 1990s, boasting 14 top ten singles and seven No. 1 hits.
At the peak of her success, Selena stressed community involvement, visiting local schools to stress the importance of education and volunteering time to organizations like D.A.R.E. Selena's life was tragically cut short, when, at the age of 23, she was murdered by the president of her fan club.
