Hispanic Heritage Month is over. It doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate those Latino characters who give light in the name of diversity. They thrive while working in an industry that its heavily dominated by white men.
In the media, Latino people make an 18% of the population. However, only form 5.3% of shared broadcast roles in TV through 2018-19 season, according to the UCLA “Hollywood Diversity Report” in 2020.
Additionally, on the big screen, it seems to have a resembling representation. Thus Latino people only make up 4.6% of movie roles in 2019.
Here are four shows or movies that showcase Latino characters and their strengths.
1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse:
It is an animated movie released in 2018. Portraying a character named Miles Morales, a kid of Puerto-Rican descent living in New York. He struggles to live up to his father’s expectations. He adjusts to prep school, and while visiting his uncle Aaron Davis, he is bitten by a radioactive spider. This gives Miles similar powers to Spider-Man.
2. On My Block (Netflix):
Originally premiering on Netflix back in 2017, One Day at a Time is a sitcom based on the 1975 series with the same name. It featured a Cuban-American family, where it focused on an army veteran mother suffering from PTSD. She lives with her kids and Cuban mother, played by Rita Moreno. The series touches on the subjects of mental illness, sexism, homophobia, immigration, gender identity. Furthermore, it highlights the racism Latinos face in the United States.
