HOPE x JCI Podcast Wins MarCom Platinum Award - Helen Torres, CEO of HOPE, Featured on JCI’s Civic Encounter to Discuss Leadership and Advocacy

[November, 2025] JCI Worldwide is proud to announce that its Season 2 Civic Encounter podcast episode featuring an in-depth interview with Helen Torres, Chief Executive Officer of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)®, has been honored with a Platinum MarCom Award for 2025, recognizing outstanding achievement in Educational Podcast Episode.

Produced by JCI, Civic Encounter spotlights changemakers, civic leaders, and communicators shaping the future of democracy, media, and public affairs. Connected through JCI Senior Advisor, Steve Crosby, Torres partnered with JCI to tell the story of her career and remarkable journey to leading HOPE, a nonprofit that has become a cornerstone for Latina leadership and civic engagement in California.

“I came to HOPE, and the reason I stayed at HOPE is that it answered a nagging need that I needed to fulfill. That was ensuring that my mother's experience was not going to be the experience of other women. As I spend my time on this earth, I ensure that I’m showing up and doing something of value. Every leader gets to define what that value is, what you're solving, and how you're building community,” Helen shared with Civic Encounter.

In the award-winning episode, titled “Leadership, Legacy, and Latina Power: A Conversation with Helen Torres,” hosts Georgia Lewis and Simi Situ speak with Torres about her path from volunteer to statewide leader. She reflects on the formative experiences that inspired her advocacy and discusses how HOPE’s leadership programs have empowered more than 2,000 Latina graduates now serving in over 1,800 leadership roles across the state and nation. The conversation also explores HOPE’s 2025 California Equity in Maternal Health Report, produced in partnership with Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), which sheds light on persistent disparities in healthcare and calls for intersectional and data-driven reform.

The episode captures Torres’s vision for the next generation of Latina leaders, offering a number of lessons in mentorship, inclusion, and civic courage. The MarCom Platinum Award recognizes the episode’s educational value and narrative impact, highlighting JCI’s commitment to platforming the diverse voices that contribute to Los Angeles and California’s activism and legislation.

JCI Worldwide extends its gratitude to Helen Torres and the HOPE team for their partnership and leadership. The full episode is available to stream on all major podcast platforms.

About HOPE

Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)® is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to ensuring political and economic parity for Latinas through leadership, advocacy, and education to benefit all communities and the status of women. For more information, visit www.latinas.org. 

About JCI Worldwide

JCI Worldwide is an award-winning boutique PR, public affairs, and strategic communications firm based in Santa Monica. We specialize in creating tailored, innovative strategies that help our clients navigate the evolving media and political landscape.

For more information, visit www.jcipr.com or follow us on social media for updates on our Educational Series.