The National Hispanic Media Coalition is running a campaign to educate Hollywood leaders about the economic value of Latino audiences and the need to have more Latinos in senior positions at all levels of entertainment. There is.
NHMC, a nearly 40-year-old Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization led by Brenda Victoria Castillo, has published a 32-page guide designed to be a roadmap for the entertainment industry. Actor Diego Luna is one of several prominent Latino talents supporting NHMC's efforts. Castillo plans to visit executives in the media and entertainment industry to press them about the lack of progress for Latinos, especially in the executive ranks.
Castillo has been on the ground as an advocate for many years and believes there are significant misconceptions about the Latino community.
“I personally facilitate customized private sessions for top executives,” says Castillo. variety. “In other words, create a safe space for them to ask questions that they may be a little afraid to ask. We're here to ask you to join us in creating positive change in our industry.”
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NHMC's guide reveals persistent issues in front of the camera for Latinx actors and behind the camera for other creators. It also addresses the dire lack of Latinx representation in decision-making roles at major networks and studios. Luna, the star of films such as “Rogue One'' and “I Tu Mama También,'' draws on his own experience to say that even though the production of TV series and movies has increased significantly, They argue that Latinos have been unfairly excluded from opportunities. The world in recent years.
Luna hopes this guide will help those in power recognize this disconnect. The guide also has a section that addresses confusion surrounding the terms “Latino” and “Latinx” or “Latinx.”
“The idea is to inform executives and people who are trying to incorporate this information how to approach different identities within the community,” Luna said. variety. “It's not all doom and gloom. It shows where we've been successful, where we've won and what's been successful.”
Luna says she has been fortunate to have a variety of creative opportunities, which have only expanded as her career has progressed. She currently co-stars with Pedro Pascal in the HBO drama series The Last of Us, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. NHMC's guide cites statistics from the UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report that show less than 5% of lead actors in TV series in the 2021-22 season were Latinx.
“In this new season, I was sitting with a young actress, Isabella Merced, and she was appalled by the fact that she was in the same room with four Latinx actors the other day,” Luna said. “And no one was playing the bad guy. Everyone was playing really complex characters with real depth.”
This guide provides examples of racist tropes and stereotypes that persist against Latinx characters in mainstream film and television. Top of that list is portraying Latino characters as gang members, drug cartel leaders, and criminals. Second place features Latinos in “roles with limited or no lines.” Third place goes to “Characters who play a service, subordination, or subservient role.''
The guide also utilizes industry ratings and box office data to highlight the importance of Latino audiences.
“Latinos are avid media consumers, buying more movie tickets and subscribing to more online streaming services and video-on-demand than any other group. The audience is there, and It’s time for the industry to catch up,” says the guide. “We need more authenticity in storytelling, more representation from the screen to the writers’ room, and a commitment from the industry to learn and do better. Through original storytelling, we need more There are endless opportunities to grow your audience and positively impact the lives of your community.”
Castillo is well aware that NHMC is not the first advocacy group to submit a report to entertainment leaders in pursuit of progress. But the urgency is acute as the United States faces political and cultural turmoil over issues of diversity and inclusion, immigration policy, and alarming levels of racial violence.
“Decisions made in Washington, D.C., impact entertainment in Hollywood, and how Hollywood portrays my community determines how we are perceived by the public. It's a vicious cycle. One of the reasons I'm releasing it now is because this is an election year. And they dehumanized my community. They dehumanized not only my community, but all immigrants. It took away their humanity.”
Castillo, Luna and others feel that now is the time to promote education, as the entertainment industry itself is in the midst of dramatic change.
“I just want to sit down with the people at the top who are making the decisions,” Castillo said. “I'm really excited about this media guide. I think we can break through.”