Los Angeles Commits to More Latinx Representation in Hollywood

Mayor Eric Garcetti Commits to Doubling Latinx Representation by 2030

Eric Garcetti, the mayor of Los Angeles, Califorina, has announced a new initiative to increase Latinx representation in Hollywood.

The initiative, titled LA Collab, was co-founded by Garcetti, Beatriz Avecedo (formerly of the MiTú network), and Ivette Rodriguez, the president of AEM (a Latinx-focused communications firm). With the support of many high-profile individuals and funding from industry strongholds, LA Collab hopes to double Latinx representation in Hollywood within a decade.

According to a USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative survey released last August, Latinx actors account for only 3 percent of lead or co-lead roles in Hollywood productions. On top of that, Latinx actors only account for 4.5 percent of all speaking roles in total. Latinx people make up over 18 percent of the entire U.S. population and a quarter of the domestic box office. Those statistics are woefully uneven.

LA Collab hopes to counteract these statistics through community outreach and collaboration with industry executives. They hope to put Latinx creators in contact with producers, filmmakers, and showrunners that will commit to offering experience and representation.

As per his official statement, Garcetti announces:

“The Latinx community is a growing force across LA’s economy, and our trademark industry should tap into that diverse pool of talent in our own backyard. On big screens or small, in front of the camera or behind it, our studios, actors, directors, and producers inspire the world with the power of their creativity and imagination — and LA Collab will help bring new voices and dynamic storytellers into the fold by including and empowering the next generation of Latinx leaders.”

Pledging Support

Many big names have committed to the LA Collab initiative. WarnerMedia and Endeavor Content have pledged proof-of-concept and finance deals, respectively. Production houses from Bad Robot to Blumhouse Productions promise support, as do organizations from the Sundance Institute to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.

Individual filmmakers, such as Eva Longoria, have also come out in support.

“I started my own production company to create content from our community, and I became a director/producer to be in a position to hire people who look like me,” Longoria said in a recent statement. “With LA Collab, I want to open the door for many more Latinx creators and fuel the emergence of a better entertainment industry that elevates and celebrates the diversity and richness of my culture.”

In Step with Others

LA Collab follows in the footsteps of a similar commitment Garcetti made in early 2018, called the Evolve Entertainment Fund. The EEF, which was announced alongside director Ava DuVernay and producer Dan Lin, will work to give members of underserved communities more opportunity both in front of and behind the camera.

At a time when representation is at the forefront of the wider cultural zeitgeist—particularly with missed opportunities to award Latinx actors—this announcement is a step in the right direction. Time and dedication will tell if this commitment will hold.

Leave your thoughts on Mayor Eric Garcetti Committing to Doubling Latinx Representation by 2030 (via The Wrap) and this article below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more movie news can visit our Movie News Page, our Movie News Twitter Page, our Movie News Facebook Page, and our Movie News Pinterest Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Flipboard.