Mexican actress Salma Hayek dedicated the award she received from the Congressional Hispanic Institute to illegal immigrant, according to Breitbart. The 47-year-old star also dedicated the recognition to Hispanic women, "especially single mothers, and to illegal immigrant "Dreamers" who came to the United States as children.
"Every time you come to D.C., it's intense," said Hayek at the gala, where she was presented with the Medallion of Excellence in the Arts and Entertainment, reported the Washington Post. "If you come during a government shutdown, it's a little more intense."
"If I could change one thing, it's for people not to look at us as if we have come to this country to take, because we have come to this country and built this country in many ways," said Hayek of Hispanic immigrants.
According to Breitbart, the star also warned opponents of comprehensive immigration reform that the cost of their food may increase if Hispanics left the country. "I wonder if [critics of reform efforts] would be willing to pay for the price of what the food would cost if we all left."
The "Grown Ups 2" star dedicated the award to those who have "risked their lives in order to search for a brighter future," to Latino women, "especially to single mothers," and to "Dreamers," the young, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, who she defined as "the true inspiration for all of us."
Hayek was honored for her work as an actress ("Desesperado," "Frida"), a director ("The Maldonado Miracle") and as a producer (English version of Colombian telenovela "Ugly Betty").
The star has been involved in several social crusades, including fighting for the vanished women of Juarez in Mexico, fighting domestic violence, promoting opportunities for Latino artists in the entertainment industry(including her production company, Ventanarosa Productions, that she founded in 1999 to create opportunities for Hispanic in front of and behind the camera), seeking vaccines for pregnant women, raising AIDS awareness, according to the Washington Post.
"Maybe you can have more efficiency if you focus only on one thing," said the actress, who couldn't decide on one social crusade to talk about. "But at the same time, how can you, if you care? You cannot only care about one thing. Maybe I'm not that organized."