RELEASE: ACADEMY AWARDS TO BE TARGETED BY NATIONAL HISPANIC MEDIA COALITION ACTION NETWORK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 23, 2018
ACADEMY AWARDS TO BE TARGETED
BY NATIONAL HISPANIC MEDIA COALITION ACTION NETWORK
#HireUSLatinos
Feb. 5 and March 3 demonstrations launch nationwide campaign
protesting "institutionalized racism" against Latinos by major movie studios
PASADENA, CALIF., Jan. 23, 2018 - The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) Action Network today announced it will hold two demonstrations targeting the 2018 Academy Awards® that will launch a national campaign protesting the chronic underrepresentation of Latinos in on-screen and behind-the-camera roles in motion pictures.
The 20-member NHMC Action Network represents independent writers, producers, and actors and casting, production and entertainment marketing companies.
During a news conference held at its Pasadena, Calif. headquarters, the organization disclosed that:
- Its first demonstration will be held on Monday, February 5, at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences' honorees luncheon, which will be held at a time and location to be announced.
- A second demonstration is scheduled for Saturday, March 3, also at a time and location to be announced.
"Institutionalized Racism"
"Hollywood continues to be challenged by gender and ethnic diversity," said Alex Nogales, NHMC president and chief executive officer. "Our upcoming demonstrations are only the first of what will become increasingly aggressive wake-up calls to Hollywood studios to end institutionalized racism against Latinos. By targeting the Academy Awards, we're serving notice to the motion picture industry that we're not asking for equity anymore. We're demanding it."
"For years the success of the major film studios has been won on the backs of U.S. Latinos who represent 23 percent of all movie ticket buyers and 18 percent of the U.S. population," said Nogales. "Yet, on- and off-screen and in the narratives Hollywood's movies tell, Latinos remain the most underrepresented minority in the industry. Enough is enough. It's time to end the whitewashing and put Latinos in front of and behind the camera."
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 the 900 most popular film, a Latina directed only one of those films; and
- Of the top 100 films in 2016, 72 had no Latinas.
Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who participated in the news conference, 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.," said former Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina. "And then when you do have Latina roles their character tends to be overly sexualized."
For interviews, please contact Clarissa Corona, at
communications@nhmc.org or at 213.718.0732.
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The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is the media watchdog for the Latino community, ensuring that we are fairly and consistently represented in news and entertainment and that our voices are heard over the airwaves and on the internet.
We exist to challenge executives and influencers throughout the entertainment and news industry to eliminate barriers for Latinos to express themselves and be heard through every type of medium. NHMC works to bring decision-makers to the table to open new opportunities for Latinos to create, contribute and consume programming that is inclusive, free from bias and hate rhetoric, affordable and culturally relevant.
