The Chicano Hollywood Film Festival has named Oscar-nominated makeup artist and character designer Ken Diaz as the inaugural recipient of its Community Impact Legacy Award, presented by Pure Flix Familia, the upcoming Spanish-language and bilingual faith and family entertainment destination from Great American Media. The award, announced during the festival's Closing Night Awards Ceremony, recognizes individuals whose lives exemplify faith, servant leadership, and a lifelong commitment to strengthening families and communities.
Diaz's career spans decades, with acclaimed work on films such as Blood In Blood Out, American Me, and Training Day. But it was his personal journey of faith and his dedication to community service that made him the unanimous choice for this honor. In 1991, Diaz was shot in the leg after confronting young gang members spray-painting graffiti beneath a Los Angeles freeway overpass. During his recovery, a friend prayed with him and introduced him to Jesus Christ, sparking a spiritual transformation that reshaped his life and career.
Following his recovery, Diaz became involved in a church in Pico Rivera, where he worked alongside former gang members who shared dramatic presentations based on their own lives. Their stories revealed the violence and consequences of gang culture but also the hope found through faith, forgiveness, and redemption. That encounter profoundly influenced Diaz's perspective, enabling him to bring authenticity and humanity to his film work, portraying gang life not as something to glorify but as a reflection of broken lives that can be transformed.
Today, Diaz continues his commitment to service through his work with Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program. He serves on the Advisory Board of Homeboy Media, the organization's film and media initiative dedicated to creating pathways into the entertainment industry for formerly gang-involved and formerly incarcerated individuals. Through Homeboy Media, Diaz is helping develop filmmaking programs that provide career training and job placement for roles both in front of and behind the camera.
Johnny Murillo, founder of the Chicano Hollywood Film Festival, praised Diaz's legacy: "Ken Diaz has spent a lifetime creating unforgettable characters on-screen, but his greatest legacy is the lives he has touched off-screen. His story reflects the values this award was created to recognize faith, redemption, service and a commitment to helping others discover hope and purpose."
Denise Crayne, Chief Financial Officer of Great American Media, added: "The Community Impact Legacy Award, presented by Pure Flix Familia, recognizes people who use their gifts to make a lasting difference in the lives of others. Ken's remarkable career speaks for itself, but what makes him truly deserving of this honor is the way he has invested his faith, influence and compassion in the lives of others."
The award reflects Pure Flix Familia's mission to celebrate individuals whose lives demonstrate the power of faith, service, and authentic storytelling to strengthen families and communities. As Diaz continues to mentor young artists and create opportunities for those rebuilding their lives, his impact extends far beyond the screen, embodying the spirit of the Community Impact Legacy Award.
