Rubén Blades to receive Harvard Arts Medal on April 30
Rubén Blades, LL.M. ’85, the musician at the forefront of the ’70s salsa movement in New York who has also left deep marks in acting and politics, will be honored with the 2020 Harvard Arts Medal at a spring ceremony that kicks off the Arts First festival. “Rubén Blades has infused the many aspects of his remarkable career with deep humanity and passionate intensity,” said President Larry Bacow, who will present the medal at Sanders Theatre on April 30. “He is a phenomenal musician, a talented actor, and a devoted public servant, and we look forward to welcoming him back to campus and to celebrating his manifold achievements in the arts.” “The arc of Rubén Blades’ dynamic career is truly amazing,” said Jack Megan, director of the Office for the Arts at Harvard. “He is an extraordinary musical artist — one of the most influential salsa musicians of the late 20th and...