Final answer:
Gloria Estefan sparked the Latin explosion transforming America with her breakthrough success in the 1980s, popularizing Latin music and culture in the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of the Latin explosion transforming America, the individual who sparked this cultural movement was Gloria Estefan. With her breakthrough success in the 1980s, Estefan popularized Latin music and culture in the United States, opening doors for other Latin artists to follow. Her fusion of Latin and American sounds helped establish a new wave of Latin music that continues to have a lasting impact today.