Beverly Hills, CA – Patience has its limits and for the Hollywood studio executives, time is up. Not since the golden age of the 40/50’s have Latinos faces graced the big screen in leading roles. Roles that can lead to Oscar nominations. For the past twenty-six years, Latinos have been asking for more representation in film. Now the NHMC is leading the charge in demanding Latinos, who are 18% of the U.S. population, however represent 24 percent of all movie ticket buyers, be represented. “Enough is Enough” read one of the signs carried at a demonstration held on February 5th while the Oscars® nominee luncheon was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
National Hispanic Media Coalition’s (NHMC) Action Network held its first of two demonstrations targeting studio film executives attending the very visible Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences events. The demonstrations launch a national campaign protesting the chronic underrepresentation of Latinos in on-screen and behind-the-camera roles in motion pictures. A second demonstration is scheduled for Saturday, March 3, time and location yet to be announced. The NHMC Action Network represents independent writers and producers, and casting, production and entertainment marketing companies.
“This is not about the film Academy,” said Alex Nogales, President and CEO of the NHMC. “They’re doing a good job of bringing in people of color. The issue is the continued lack of representation of Latinos in film,” Nogales affirms. “Latinos remain the most underrepresented minority in the industry. Enough is enough. It’s time to end whitewashing and put Latinos in front of and behind the camera.”
By targeting the very important and visible Academy events, we’re publicly serving notice to the motion picture executives that we’re not asking for equity anymore. Latinos, who have waited patiently for Hollywood to do what is right, they say, are now demanding it.
According to studies conducted by the USC Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism, from 2007 to 2016:
Only 3.1% Hispanics appeared in films from 2007 – 2016;
From 2007 – 2016, in 900 popular films, as examined by USC Annenberg, only one Latina directed one of the films; and
Of the top 100 films in 2016, 72 had no Latinas.
Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who participated in the demonstration, said, “Demographics show that Latinos make up 56 million plus in the country, yet films in this country fail to represent the true composition of the U.S. And then when you do have Latina roles their character tends to be overly sexualized. Our children need better images of themselves and invisibility doesn’t do justice to our artists or our community.”
Santiago Pozo, founder and chief executive officer, Arenas Entertainment, added, “The Hollywood business model is broken. It is a systemic problem in our industry that keeps Latinos invisible. To exclude the alpha consumer in front and behind the camera does enormous damage to the development of our community, the prosperity of our industry, and the health of our nation. It is obvious that we critically need Latino and Latina executives in positions of real power to bring the lens of diversity and inclusion to the entertainment business.”
Marissa Herrera, NHMC Action Network member, producer, and third generation Mexican-American, said, “I am taking a leadership role in this movement to shed light on a historical problem — the huge inequity of opportunities for Latinos in Hollywood. It’s not a ‘Latino issue,’ it is an industry issue, which can only be addressed by Latinos also being at the table as executives, directors, writers, producers, and actors to greenlight and tell our own authentic and beautiful stories.”
Additional speakers included Moctesuma Esparza, chief executive officer and producer (Selena, Gerrysburg), Maya Cinemas and Tom Saenz, president and general counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
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