She’s one of the leading telenovela producers in Latin America… And, now Carla Estrada is being recognized in the City of Angels for her industry impact.

The Mexican telenovela producer was honored on Friday by the city of Los Angeles for her audiovisual work and her support of the Hispanic community in the United States.

“The city council’s tribute to Carla Estrada is at the same time for the entire Hispanic community, because for people who speak both English and Spanish in Los Angeles, she has taken our culture to the next level with her telenovelas,” said Jose Huizar, councilman for Los Angeles’ 14th District.

After receiving the honor, Estrada said she was accepting the recognition “in the name of all Latinos who, with effort and dedication, have been able to survive here in the United States.”

“Through my work, what I’ve sent them on television is a little of their native land, a bit of its colors, its flavors, and I join them in the faraway love they have for so many relatives, for so many people they cannot have near them,” she said.

Estrada, who once appeared on People En Español‘s list of The 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the world, has worked as an executive producer on more than 20 telenovelas, as well as other entertainment programs for Televisa in her more than 30-year career.

Notable among her productions are 1987’s Quinceañera starring Adela Noriega and Ernesto Laguardia, 1993’s Los Parientes Pobres with Lucero and Laguardia, 2003’s Amor Real and 2009’s Sortilegio.

Amor Real shocked the world by having higher ratings than all of the other television shows in America; placing Univision ahead of American networks like NBC and ABC.

“When I started working on the production of shows in Mexico 35 years ago, only men were in charge of production and direction,” Estrada recalled.

“But the biggest obstacle I had were the women, because many of them refused to take orders from another woman, and they made me cry and want to throw in the towel…but I didn’t leave, which is why I’m the first woman telenovela producer in Mexico,” said Estrada, who saw the Mexican government place a statue of her in one of Mexico City’s most important parks back in 2005.