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Ever think your textbooks in la escuela aren’t covering our full historia? We are continuing to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month by flippin’ the script and spotlighting Latinos who are worthy of a history lesson of their own.

This week is dedicated to las mujeres...

Lesson #1: Why should you know Cuban-American professional basketball player/reporter Rebecca Lobo?

Answer: This 34-year-old all-star was one of the first Latinas to take the basketball court professionally when she was drafted to the WNBA in their inaugural year, 1997. As one of the WNBA's original players after leading the University of Connecticut to an NCAA Championship in 1995, Rebecca Lobo was assigned to the New York Liberty in January 1997 - but not before winning the gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics for women’s basketball as part of the dream team.

Lesson #2: What makes her an amazing athlete?

Answer: During the her WNBA career she played five seasons, winning All-WNBA second-team honors in 1997, before closing out her career in Houston and Connecticut. Off the court, Lobo is active in supporting breast cancer research and awareness as well as the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Children's Miracle Network and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Lesson #3: Favorite quote regarding being a female in a male-dominated industry:

There's nothing masculine about being competitive. There's nothing masculine about trying to be the best at everything you do, nor is there anything wrong with it. I don't know why a female athlete has to defend her femininity just because she chooses to play sports.

Lesson #4: Where can you see her in action now?

Answer: Although an injury to her knee tried to shatter her career, she quickly made a new one as a sports commentator. You can still catch her on the court as a reporter for ESPN with a focus on women's college basketball and WNBA games.

We are unleashing our pride with other must-read profiles throughout the month. Be sure to dump your notebooks because these lessons only require corazón!

Tags Children's Miracle Network, ESPN, NCAA, New York Liberty, Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Rebecca Lobo, University of Connecticut, WNBA

We're inviting you to a FIN DE SEMANA ENTERO of SPANISH-ONLY SHOWS.  Given it's Hispanic Heritage Month, speaking in our mother tongue has never been hotter.

MTV Tr3s 'Se Habla Español" weekend extravaganza is packing in twenty-four hours of Spanish-only programming, including concerts and music videos en español, and classic MTV shows with subtitles. Now you and abuelita can bond over eps of  Beavis & Butt-Head , Celebrity Deathmatch and Daria over a nice bowl of palomitas de maíz. Adding a Latin twist to MTV classics like this is already blowing our minds..

Soy el Gran Cornholio!  Eh heh, heh.

Wait, it gets better! We are looking for images to use throughout shows during our latin-lovin' weekend and that's where you come in.

From now until October 3rd, submit a picture of anything you see with the phrase "Se Habla Español" and your photo could surface on air during our weekend celebration of all things Spanish.   So, go track down signs from lawyer's offices, street signs, moving vehicles or graffiti and send snaps of 'em to us at sehablaespanol@mtvtr3s.com. You might catch tus fotos while you are watching your favorite MTV Tr3s shows.

Tune into "Se Habla Espanol" starting on October 11 @ 2pm EST on MTV Tr3s.

Photos via Hunhee and Peter Walsh

Tags Add new tag, Beavis & Butt-Head, Celebrity Deathmatch, Daria, MTV Tr3s, Se Habla Espanol

We have witnessed their blazin' chemistry on-stage, but Shakira and Alejandro Sanz are retiring "La Tortura" by performing for the ALAS cause...

The duo joined forces with artists like Paulina Rubio and Calle 13 earlier this year for the ALAS concert series, but their passion for social change in Latin America goes beyond la música. Shaki and Alejandro joined a live panel discussion, which included the presidents of Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador, Panama and Paraguay at Columbia University on Wednesday to represent for more than 50 percent of children in the region who never have the opportunity to escape poverty.

Shakira firmly stated:

He who is born poor dies poor and that must change. If a child doesn't receive the necessary nourishment and education, he will never have a dignified life. Regrettably, he will be marginalized in poverty forever.

According to ALAS' reports, an estimated 32 million of niños are born into poverty in Latin America. Sanz added to the discussion by urging serious change in the near future:

If we win your personal commitment today, we will have opened the future of Latin America.

Oye, Shaki and Alejandro can't do it on their own. Help support the ALAS cause and make a difference ahora! [Associated Press]

Tags ALAS, Alejandro Sanz, Shakira

While the tabloids feast on fake feuds and romance rumors, Selena Gomez continues to weave a new mold of a Disney star prodigy one movie, tune, and dance step at a time.

The 16-year-old has already made history as the first Latina to star in her own Disney channel series "Wizards of Waverly Place," but the actress isn't simply sitting back and letting stardom get to her head. Besides advocating for an environmental cause as the spokes-person for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the proud Texan is also educating teens about the importance of voting in the political campaign UR Votes Count. We recently got the chance to talk to la estrella exclusively about her Mexican heritage, her new movie "Another Cinderella Story" and yes...that burnin' Nick Jonas question! Check the entire entrevista below the jump!

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Tags Another Cinderella Story, Disney, Hispanic Heritage Month, Jonas, Nick Jonas, Selena Gomez

Ever think your textbooks in la escuela aren’t covering our full historia? We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage month by flippin’ the script and spotlighting Latinos who are worthy of a history lesson of their own. We started our series last week with a Blogamole profile on literary luminary Junot Díaz. This week it seems only right to continue with a star that he helped inspire: Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Lesson #1: Why should you know Puerto Rican writer/actor/composer Lin-Manuel Miranda?

Answer: The 28-year-old New York native put the lives of ordinary Latinos on the mainstream map when his hip hop and salsa-infused Broadway musical In the Heights won a Tony award for best play this year.

Lesson #2: What makes him a groundbreaking actor/composer?

Answer: Diversity is his game. Growing up among a close-knit Puerto Rican family has inspired his work as a fresh-voiced writer, composer and performer. He is also innovative, fusing hip-hop, storytelling, improv and musical theater together to get his message across a diverse audience.

Lesson #3: On what sparked his inspiration for In The Heights:

I was like Nina in the show, away from home for the first time; it was my sophomore year in college. I lived in a Latino house at Wesleyan university which means I lived with eight other Latino kids... we all sort of clung to each other in this otherwise predominantly "white" liberal university. From there I just started writing. I wanted to write the kind of show I'd want to be in. The Capeman was about gang members in the fifties and West Side Story was about gang members in the fifties and I wanted to see if I could write a Latino show that wasn't about gang members in the fifties. So, I just started writing about what I knew.

Lesson #4: What's next?

Answer: Besides playing the character of Usnavi in In the Heights through the remainder of the year, Lin is also hard at work on composing some songs for an upcoming album. When he has a break from Broadway next year, we’re sure he’ll be up to something else… stay tuned!

Quieres más Lin? Check out what else he had to say about taking over Broadway aquí in our exclusive entrevista with Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Photo via Walter McBride/ Retna

Tags Capeman, In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Wesleyan University, WEstside Story

"La Charanga" isn't the only tune Crooked Stilo has been singing to. These fellas have been praising their roots and the Salvadorian anthem since they came on the scene in the 90s. Fast-forwarding to a new millennium filled with undeniable success and endless possibilities; these brothers are as humble and firmly rooted in their culture as they were when they first hit the scene! In honor of Hispanic Heritage month, we got a chance to chat exclusively with the duo about how they represent for nuestra gente and how they keep la cultura alive. Read the entire interview right below the hood!

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It's that time of year again...

Es verdad, Latinos are all the rage on MTV Tr3s. However, from September 15- October 16, everyone is trying for a piece of la acción Latina. We decided to shake things up a bit this Hispanic Heritage month and spotlight Latinos that are changing the world, and the non-Latinos they've inspired.

You've seen Anglos trying to get a piece of the Latin sabor. Remember when Beyoncé was featured on the cover of People En Español, and when she sang "Beautiful Liar" with Shaki? What about Kim Kardashian? She may have the J. Lo booty down, and her hermano might be dating a Latina, but she's still a Wanna Be. And just because Aubrey O'day sports a Spanish language tattoo doesn't give her a pass either!

We all know someone who wants Latino cred. MTV Tr3s spotlights those wanna bes in pop culture today in the special "Top Tr3ce Wanna Be Latinos." Watch as real Latinos Carlos Mencia, Lin-Manuel Miranda, George Lopez, Ingrid Hoffman, Anjelah Johnson, Vida Guerra, and Adrienne Bailon (Cheetah Girls) help viewers score the “Latino-ness” of the wanna bes!

Catch "Top Tr3ce Wanna Be Latinos" when it airs tonight on MTV Tr3s @ 10pm.

Any other "wanna bes" we missed? Díganos!

Tags Adrienne Bailon, Anjelah Johnson, Beyonce, Carlos Mencia, Cheetah Girls, George Lopez, Hispanic Heritage Month, Ingrid Hoffman, J. Lo, Junot Diaz, Kim Kardashian, Lin-Manuel Miranda, MTV Tr3s, People En Espanol, Vida Guerra

Ever think your textbooks in la escuela aren't covering our full historia? We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage month by flippin' the script and spotlighting Latinos who are worthy of a history lesson of their own.

Lesson #1: Why should you know Dominican-American writer Junot Diaz?

Answer: A pro at depicting our bodega dreams and barrio struggles, Junot Diaz has earned his spot as one of the top 20 writers of the 21st century. In 2008, the Dominicano won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his book "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao."

Lesson #2: What makes him a groundbreaking author?

Answer: Growing up in a single-parent household of five in New Jersey, Junot quickly learned the saying, 'No todo es color de rosas.' His narratives have been known to weave raw and real life experiences into page-turning masterpieces. Besides being known for his acclaimed novel "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," Junot is also recognized for a series of short stories, including his first published novel "Drown."

Lesson #3: Favorite quote about his writing style:

It’s like having this huge, wonderful, gorgeous, rich, ripe, delicious mango hanging over your desk. But because you’ve been trained that mangoes are not the kind of food that one eats at a desk, you just willfully ignore them. How could you ignore such wonderful interconnections?

Lesson #4: Why should you read his books?

Answer: Whether you are looking to get schooled in street-smarts or seeking to relate to a realistic perspective of la vida, Diaz has got you covered.

We are unleashing our pride with other must-read profiles throughout the month. Be sure to dump your notebooks because these lessons only require corazón!

Photo via Getty Images

Tags Books, Dominicans, Hispanic Heritage, Junot Diaz, Latinos, Literature

Despite the bad rap (no pun intended) hip hop gets; you can always count on Russell Simmons to use it as a force for positive social change. The entrepreneur, who is very politically active in this election season (he made it abundantly clear at the VMAs with his pro-Obama statements), never shies away from speaking on the issues.

In between his VMA cameo, and a recent showing at NYC Fashion Week for his collection Argyleculture, the multitasking mogul held a press conference to introduce "Get Your House Right," a program intended to alleviate the mortgage crisis, in particular for minorities. The movement stems from Russell's pro-social Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and relates to his “Get Your Money Right” initiative, where artists and experts unite to educate youth on financial literacy.

The Center for Responsible Lending reports that home foreclosures soared nationally by 75 percent in 2007 and the trend is continuing today. If this keeps up it is projected that Latinos alone will stand to lose $98 billion. With some help from hip hop, mortgage experts and lenders, Russell hopes to help the cause. Here's what he and the authorities behind "Get Your House Right" had to say:

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Tags "Get Your Money Right", 50 Cent, Barack Obama, Center for Responsible Lending, Diddy, Eminem, Get Your House Right, Hip Hop Summit Action Network, Jay Z, Ludacris, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Profession, Puffy, Russell Simmons