Behind The ScenesSportsCenter

ESPN Features unit producer honored by Imagen Awards nomination, event

Isaiah Bird and his mentor Miguel Rodriguez are the subjects of the SC Featured segment “No Excuses." (Lauren Stowell/ESPN)
Isaiah Bird and his mentor Miguel Rodriguez are the subjects of the SC Featured segment “No Excuses.” (Lauren Stowell/ESPN)

EDITOR’S NOTE: ESPN celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15. For sports coverage in Spanish, visit ESPNdeportes.com.

The old Hollywood cliché of “it’s an honor just to be nominated” could have applied, but ESPN Features Unit producer Lauren Stowell felt honor beyond that at a recent event in Beverly Hills, Calif.

ESPN Feature Unit producers Lauren Stowell (left) and Lizette Castaneda were on the red carpet at the Imagen Awards in Beverly Hills earlier this month. (Photo courtesy Lauren Stowell)
ESPN Feature Unit producers Lauren Stowell (left) and Lizette Castaneda were on the red carpet at the Imagen Awards in Beverly Hills earlier this month. (Photo courtesy Lauren Stowell)

Joined by fellow producer Lizette Castaneda, Stowell represented ESPN at the 31st annual Imagen Awards, the only Latino entertainment awards event dedicated to honoring the positive portrayal and creative excellence of Latinos and Latino cultures in television and film.

In 2015, SportsCenter aired the SC Featured segment “No Excuses,” produced by Stowell, which told the story of seven-year-old wrestler Isaiah Bird, who was born without legs, and the unique bond he had with his coach and mentor, Miguel Rodriguez. A longer documentary, which delved deeper into Rodriguez’ backstory, was also produced in Spanish for ESPN Deportes and SportsCenter Reportajes Especiales.

The focus on the strong Latino character of Rodriguez, who immigrated to Long Island, N.Y., from Venezuela when he was 16, led to the nomination of the feature for an Imagen Award in the category of Best Documentary for Film of Television.

In 2014, ESPN won its first Imagen Award for the SC Featured piece “Mendota.” While “No Excuses” didn’t win this year, the disappointment didn’t linger with Stowell.

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“It was an incredible experience to be at an awards ceremony that was recognizing and honoring content and stories with strong Latino central characters that are not related directly to sports,” she said.

“Being recognized among the networks and series that were there was a huge honor because it shows the diversity of what we’re doing,” she said. “Obviously we’re a sports network, but it goes much further than that.”

The feature was produced in English and Spanish versions.

“That was something we were all proud of from the beginning,” she said. “I speak some Spanish, but not fluently, and just because I’m not of Hispanic descent doesn’t mean that as a producer I can’t identify, pursue and execute stories where you have strong Latino characters.

“I think it’s a good example of the melting pot that is America and how we’re able to come together, and for me to be part of a ceremony where the majority of the producers were Latino is a great example of how Hispanic heritage is American heritage, and it doesn’t matter where you come from.”

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