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Hispanic and Latine Representation in the Media By Mary Zheng
Representation matters, and most people agree. But the American media industry has been boldly resistant to this commitment in its treatment of the Hispanic and Latine communities over the past decade. A report released in 2021 found that only 12% of workers in the media are Hispanic, while they make up 19% of the American population. Hollywood, in particular, has grossly underrepresented and misrepresented the Hispanic community. As the image-defining, narrative-creating institution, it wields the power to shape people’s perception of the world. By seldomly starring Hispanic and Latine actors and only starring them in roles that fit certain cultural stereotypes, it perpetuates a narrow and dehumanizing characterization of the community and thus exacerbates existing ethnic inequalities. In addition to creating biases, underrepresentation of the Hispanic and Latine communities in the media silences voices essential to building diversity. There are 62 million Hispanic and Latine people in America, and they all tell different stories about their lives. These experiences influence the American public and educate them on the vibrant cultures that are often overlooked and generalized. The media’s decision to exclude these experiences from the mainstream narrative creates a homogeneous representation of society that trivializes those who have been historically marginalized. Not only does this exclusive representation reject the Hispanic and Latine community from access to resources in the media industry and beyond, but it also instills in the community internalized discrimination “because who we see thriving in the world teaches us how to see ourselves,” concludes America Ferrare in a TED Talk on her Latina experience in the film industry. To solve the problem of underrepresentation in the media, we need to first acknowledge the importance of on-screen representation. Representation matters because it creates presence, and presence means possibility: the possibility to be seen,
Congressman Joaquin Castro and his brother Julian, former San Antonio Mayor and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, speak to the crowd during a “Stand with Uvalde” call to action rally in Travis Park. Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News
America Ferrera speaks at TED2019: Bigger Than Us. April 15 - 19, 2019, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED
to be recognized, to realize a dream. It is the simplest way to tell someone they are not alone; just through the power of presence, children are privy to professions they never thought to be feasible. Now, we might ask: how can we increase Hispanic and Latine representation in the media? The immediate response might be simple: film industries should star more Hispanic and Latine actors. But this will not happen overnight, and it should not fall victim to tokenism. True representation comes with concrete improvements in the power of a marginalized group, and that power often lies in those who build the narrative: directors, producers, scriptwriters... As Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas articulates in an interview with NPR, “One of the ways that you begin to fix that problem of inaccurate representation is by including more Latinos and Latinas as C-suite executives, as showrunners and writers.” Strengthening Hispanic and Latine representation is a marathon, not a sprint. While it can be tempting for powerful institutions to brush off the problem with ostensibly efficient solutions, many of these so-called “solutions’’ are no more than bandaids on bullet wounds. A more feasible option might be rooted in the systems on which the country stands, and an important part of that system is education. School plays a crucial role in shaping our worldviews; a school that supports marginalized identities makes students feel seen and recognized, and thus fosters a space inclusive of more voices. Representation can be national, but it can also start local. Seeing a more diverse high school musical cast is one way to encourage Hispanic and Latine students and other students of color to participate in the media industry. While there might be less excitement in a high school theater workshop than in a Hollywood blockbuster production, representation matters equally across the board—there is no need to cast a POC side character just for the sake of meeting diversity requirements.
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