“Hear every story. Hear every voice.”
Each month we highlight a community program that aligns with the values of SoulVision Magazine. We believe engaging with one’s community is critical to fostering positive change in the world.
For our April issue, we highlight the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), considered by many as the leading media advocate for the American Latino community. NHMC works to increase representation of Latino creatives in local television affiliates, national news and entertainment networks, while promoting telecommunications policies that allow Latinos to create, contribute and consume programming which is inclusive, free from bias and hate rhetoric, affordable and culturally relevant.
In addition, NHMC is a big supporter of youth and assists emerging Latino leaders to succeed in their respective fields. NHMC also helps them find their voices in an almost all-white industry, and creates legal fellowships and TV writing programs to further their careers. NHMC’s community radio station in Los Angeles gives support to those voices who would not have the opportunity otherwise. Essentially, NHMC is a powerhouse for Latino creators and innovators in the industry.
NHMC’s influence on the industry spans far and wide. Their grassroots campaign for renewing the Netflix show, One Day at a Time, for a third season was a success. This past Oscar season, they voiced their disapproval of the Oscars for not including the late actress Vanessa Marquez in their “In Memoriam” segment. Marquez was tragically killed by police officers in her home in August 2018.
In 2017, NHMC filed a lawsuit, along with other companies and advocacy groups, against the FCC for rolling back Obama-era rules on net neutrality – the idea that internet service providers should not discriminate or block users from access to other service providers.
In 2018, NHMC led a national boycott against Paramount Pictures for what it believed was an ongoing and egregious lack of inclusivity in its films. Soon after the protests, Paramount announced a historic initiative to improve diversity of the creative process in all its projects.
Given Latinos hold $1.5 trillion dollars in purchasing power and are 18% of the U.S. population, Alex believes that studios should produce more diverse films since it “makes good business sense.” There is a need for all of us to support Latino creators as they tell their own stories and diminish negative stereotypes that have historically and continually hurt the community.
To find out how you can give your support to NHMC, visit their website nhmc.org.
