Obama Will Honor Gloria & Emilio Estefan With The Presidential Medal of Freedom

Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio are two of 17 Americans set to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. The Cuban-American couple were included amongst a list of other artists, athletes, public servants, and leaders who will be presented with the award at the White House, Tuesday (Nov. 24).

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“I look forward to presenting these 17 distinguished Americans with our nation’s highest civilian honor,” Obama said in a press release from the Obama Adminstration. “From public servants who helped us meet defining challenges of our time to artists who expanded our imaginations, from leaders who have made our union more perfect to athletes who have inspired millions of fans, these men and women have enriched our lives and helped define our shared experience as Americans.”

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Other famous names including the late Yogi Berra, Shirley Chisholm, Steven Spielberg, and theater composer Stephen Sondheim. The Estafans can add their new honor to their growing list of achievements this year, including their new play On Your Feet! and their work on Tommy Motolla’s HBO documentary The Latin Explosion: A New America.
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The Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.