Emilio Estefan, the prominent Latino music producer, expressed his thoughts on improving the lack of Latinx representation in showbiz. He said Latinos needed to stay true to their identities.
“I feel proud that I didn’t have to change my last name I didn’t have to change my sound because people liked it. We bring something a little bit different and that’s what makes America” he expressed.
Estefan is Cuban-American, and he’s married to superstar singer Gloria Estefan, who’s also had a successful music career. He’s won 19 Grammys, and President Barack Obama awarded Emilio and Gloria the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
According to a new report by the Latino Donor Collaborative, although Latinxs are a driving force in the American economy, their representation is still lacking in the media.
In 2022, only 3.1% of lead actors in TV shows are Latinx people, with the percentage of representation in films being just as grim. However, before the pandemic forced theaters to close, Latinxs bought 29% (equivalent to $2.9 billion) of all box office tickets sold in 2019.
The report also found that there’s a lack of representation, and the scarce representation is often stereotypical. Some roles include undocumented immigrants, orphans, criminals, and poor and uneducated people.
“The unfortunate reality is that Latino representation in mainstream entertainment in the United States continues to be very small and has not significantly improved in the last five years,” the report read.
Recent Comments