NHMC helps Latinx screenwriters shape our own narrative

The ongoing underrepresentation of Latinos in the media industry remains a consistent reality, but one organization is helping to increase the visibility for Latino talent to have an opportunity in Hollywood. 

The media industry’s reputation revolves around the lack of representation among Latinos despite the fact Latinos make up almost 19% of the population of the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is the women-led non-profit organization whose mission is to support and help Latinos earn a spot in the media industry. NHMC’s mission is achieved through their civil rights, media advocacy work, and developing writers’ programs. These programs provide opportunity and support for Latino talent to be discovered, shared, and heard through the media industry as aspiring writers.

“NHMC is a 37-year-old civil rights organization and we started in broadcasting and moved into television and radio in the past,” Felicia Mora the Special Events and Programs Director said. “Essentially what we are doing to combat this issue, is to make sure that we hold industry executives, corporations, anyone in a position of power especially with decision making capabilities accountable for Latinos to have some level of a chance.”

Sierra Teller Ornelas, 42, of Navajo and Mexican descent aspired to be a writer, but did not know how to pursue it. Ornelas had her first writing experience in NHMC’s program after moving from her hometown in Arizona. 

“The NHMC program literally brought me to LA and had an immeasurable impact on my success,” Ornelas said. “I still use lessons learned from NHMC's program today as a writer and Showrunner.” 

Ornelas is recognized as a NHMC alumni from the writer’s program and has had success as the showrunner for the comedy sitcom, “Rutherford Falls” on Peacock. Ornelas is the first Native American to run a comedy series.

The lack of progress to change representation in the media industry is a universal matter. Latinos are not recognized as having a significant role in the industry, are not typical award winners, and have a history of being cast as stereotypical roles.

Today, among the different networks and studios, they remain predominantly white within the industry of acting, screenwriting, and directing. 

“In our writer’s program that is now in its 21st year, we essentially recognize stories to be told, we need to give writers who didn't have any knowledge on how to get into the industry a foot in the door,” Mora said. 

“So, we not only take good writers’ people who know how to write, but also give them skills to write screenplays for television or streaming now and then we also give them the networking tools, how they should pitch, how they should go about this process of getting into the actual industry.” 

Like the writer’s program, NHMC has a Latinx Stream Showcase that includes people below the talent line of actors like assistant cameras, lighting, sound, or editing. NHMC helps them be active participants in the industry to get them in front of networks for upcoming projects.  

According to the Hollywood Diversity Report Latinos accounted for only 5.4% of movie leads and 5.7% of actors in any onscreen role during the second year of the pandemic.

Based on data from the Motion Picture Association Latinos who make up 19% of the population, accounted for 29% of movie tickets sold in 2020. Even though Latino moviegoers had decreased in 2020 they still made up the larger majority of moviegoers in comparison to White, Black, and Asian Americans. 

Brenda Castillo, President and CEO of NHMC, congratulated Michelle Yeoh’s historical 2023 Oscars win in a statement but says despite Latinos being avid moviegoers that push box office numbers, they do not see themselves on screen.

“Our presence can be felt throughout the industry, yet we’re sidelined when it comes to being given a seat at the table,” Castillo said. “We also want to remind the industry that there are countless stories from Latine writers, directors, and actors that are waiting to be told.” 

NHMC’s response to this issue has been going on for nearly two decades with the writer’s program that anyone can apply to if you are 18 years old or older. Their sponsors like, The Walt Disney Company, Netflix, and Comcast NBCUniversal, help make the applications free to apply. 

Today, NHMC has close to 215 alumni writers and receives at least 10,000 applications every year, however only 10 are chosen to pitch their story to industry executives where they will work and connect with a community of writing mentors and industry leaders. In measuring NHMC’s success from their programs, every year NHMC follows-up with alumni writers to see what they are working on, their positions in the industry, and how they climb up that ladder.

“Our programs have gotten people agents, managers, onto film sets,” Mora said. “So, we have seen tangible results from these programs, people have been able to be picked up and noticed and gone on to have their work highlighted in different projects and be able to participate and bring in the next person, that’s always the goal to keep in mind.”

Mora says that for the industry to change to be an equitable space, major industries need to be willing to use their accessible resources to have a different dynamic rather than relying on hiring friends and family.

“I do think that it will happen more in the future,” Mora said. “We just need to hold and continue to hold these decision makers accountable and make sure that they actually commit to the promises they make not only to us as an organization NHMC, but to other entities, other marginalized groups.”