FOGHORN ISSUE 4 FINAL

10 11
THURSDAY
SEPT 28.
2023
¡YA BASTA!: WE NEED MORE LATINES IN MEDIA
INÉS VENTURA is a sophomore
media studies major.
“Basta,” my favorite word in
Spanish, perfectly encapsulates a
very frustrated and fiery “enough.” It
is a word best used when “enough”
just isn’t enough to translate how
badly you’ve reached your wits’ end.
As a Latine woman, that’s exactly
how I feel about the continued lack
of appropriate Latine representation
in mainstream film and television.
Ethnic representation
has received more attention in
recent years than ever before. Our
118th congress is the most racially
and ethnically diverse ever, spring
2022 had the most diverse models
in fashion history, and as of 2021,
people of color held 47% of entrylevel
positions within the federal
labor workforce. We’re seeing real action taking place to correct the
ways in which underrepresented groups have previously been denied
opportunities to hold space.
This has been seen within the media sphere of film and
television. According to UCLA’s annual Hollywood Diversity report,
people of color accounted for one third of lead roles in 2022’s top
streaming films. Although more representation is happening across
the media industry, there’s still a lack of it for Latine people. Despite
the Latines accounting for 19% of the U.S. population, making us the
largest ethnic minority in the country, representation in the media
industry workforce increased by only 1% in the last decade, from 11%
to 12%, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Media portrayals need to keep up with the momentum at which we’re
moving. The lack of growth within our sector of the media has left
little opportunity to create new content that accurately reflects what
it means to be Latine.
There is a huge disconnect present between what is perceived as
Latine heritage, and what it actually stands for. This is most apparent
in the films and shows that resurface with every Hispanic Heritage
Month. Every year, streaming services suggest a collection of Latinecentered
content, but these titles still center outdated narratives
and character representations that continue to reinforce harmful
stereotypes and misconceptions. “Miss Bala” follows Gina Rodiguez’s
character Gloria Fuentes being thrown into a drug ring after spending
just one night in Tijuana. To add insult to injury, she falls in love with
the main drug lord, who continuously puts her life in danger. The cult
classic “Scarface” shows Al Pacino, who is not Latine, playing a Cuban
immigrant who meets his demise after taking over a drug cartel in
1980’s Miami. Even if a film or show has Latine characters, they are
often portrayed in drug-affiliated drama, as female characters who play
into the “spicy Latina” trope, or as Latine youth struggling with gangrelated
violence. Netflix’s “On My Block” shows a group of East LA
teenagers grappling with gang violence on top of the socio-economic
struggles they face in their predominantly Latine community.
In the cases where a Latine success story is appropriately
highlighted, it’s often a story that’s been recycled so much that it
becomes oversaturated with how often it is used as an example for
positive representation — news flash: there are more Mexican artists
than Frida Kahlo. Latine heritage continues into the present, so why
are we sticking to the same old stories?
This is due in part to the fact that Hispanics and Latines account
for only 4% of media management positions and 12% of the overall
media workforce, as found in a 2021 study by the the Government
Accountability Office. The small number of Latine media contributors
is even more concerning when compared to the high amount of
consumers Latines account for. The Alliance for Inclusive and
Multicultural Marketing found that two-thirds of Hispanic households
watch TV and movies online, with 70% of those households subscribed
to Netflix and other popular streaming services. This gap is where
Latines are becoming invisible. Representation matters, not only
because it affects how other people see us, but how we see ourselves
too. We need stories that reflect how we’re succeeding despite the
struggles that are played out in the films and shows that are supposed
to represent us.
According to a 2022 report from the Latino Donor Collaborative,
which highlights the ways in which Latines are thriving, the U.S.
Latine gross domestic product was $2.8 trillion in 2020. If Latines
were a standalone economy, it would be the 5th largest in the world.
Latine high school graduation rates increased from 69% to 90% over a
10 year span, and there has been a 37% increase in how many graduates
enroll in post-secondary institutions. There is so much success within
the Latine community to celebrate, and there will continue to be.
It’s time to swap stereotypical narratives for Latine success
stories. With this year’s Hollywood strike putting the industry’s future
in question, we need to make sure that Latine writers and actors are
part of whatever solution will bring about the fairness and equity we’ve
been waiting for.
As a growing generation of media consumers and contributors, we
hold a special power that decides what types of stories we want told in
the future. We should all be calling “basta” on what’s going on in the
media so that we can create space for positive narratives that inspire
and promote visibility for Latines.
OPINION
“Scarface” (1983), starring Al Pachino as Tony Montana, was criticized by the
Miami City Commissioner at the time for a negative portrayal of Cuban refugees.
Screenshot courtesy of @mafia.movie.empire on Instagram.
Gloria Fuentes (Gina Rodriguez) gets entangled in Lino Esparza’s (Ismael Cruz
Cordova) gang in the controversial movie “Miss Bala” (2019). Screenshot courtesy of
@missbalamovie on Instagram.
Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits earned her international
renown for their bold colors and moving expressionism. Screenshot
courtesy of @filmdeprived on Instagram.
Oscar Diaz (Julio Macias) confronts Ruby Martinez (Jason Genao)
in season 2, episode 2 of “On My Block.” Screenshot courtesy of
@onmyblocknetflix on Instagram.
OPINION