[vc_row][vc_column][nd_options_spacer nd_options_height="30"][vc_column_text]January 26, 2023[/vc_column_text][nd_options_spacer nd_options_height="15"][vc_column_text]A Statement from Brenda Victoria Castillo, President & CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC)[/vc_column_text][nd_options_spacer nd_options_height="15"][vc_column_text]As we begin 2023 we have already seen companies – in every sector – reevaluate and gut their DEI departments in the face of layoffs and financial headwinds. In the blink of an eye, the progress we’ve made in representation and inclusion since the passing of George Floyd threatens to be a case of “one step forward, two steps back” for underrepresented communities seeking progress.
As the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) releases our policy priorities for 2023, we have one message we’re sending to companies across the country: representation is not a trend that politicians and companies can adopt to bolster their public image. Representation is the key to ensuring that our communities can live and thrive. It is Latino leadership in the government and in corporations, which guarantees equitable access to crucial services like broadband. It is the empowerment and the protection of historically and intentionally marginalized communities in company policies and practices like content moderation. It is committing to real change so that our communities no longer suffer the worst consequences of issues like a lack of data privacy and security. Representation is the rule, not the exception.
For more than 37 years, NHMC has advocated for this crucial representation in the media and tech world encompassing everything from increasing the number of Latinos in writers’ rooms and on screens, to ensuring that tech policies take the needs of our communities into account. Though we have seen progress, we are tired of securing a win only to see it chipped away as Latino representation falls out of the spotlight. Worse still, we are tired of bad actors who gain popularity, profits, and power at the expense of our communities’ safety and wellbeing. We must work towards a world where Latino inclusion is a permanent fixture in the private and public spheres.
In 2023, NHMC will do this by focusing on equity and access, accountability, and the leadership to ownership pipeline. In order to achieve true equity, we must identify the barriers to access that plague Latino communities concerning media and politics, and eliminate them. Securing equitable broadband access and net neutrality will ensure an accessible society for all. To guarantee that the right to these opportunities is not infringed upon, elected officials, executives, and government agencies must be held accountable for their harmful actions. Fighting for platform accountability and safeguarding data privacy will protect Latinos from actions that jeopardize our community’s well being. NHMC plans to go beyond solely reducing harm, Latinos deserve to thrive. Increased Latino representation across industries and spheres will generate the lasting social impact that we need.
We are not the exception.
We are the rule![/vc_column_text][nd_options_spacer nd_options_height="15"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][nd_options_spacer nd_options_height="45"][/vc_column][/vc_row]
