LOS ANGELES, CA – October 8, 2014 – (HISPANICIZE WIRE) – Latino groups from across the nation announced a mass social media push to encourage audiences to tune in to the series premiere of ABC comedy Cristela, which features a Latina in a leading role, on Friday, October 10 at 8:30 p.m. / 7:30 p.m. central.
“Be loud and clear about your support, be part of the wave that will finally show Hollywood the power of our community”
Cristela stars breakout comedienne Cristela Alonzo as a law student juggling family pressure, while dealing with an attorney boss who makes offensive remarks. In addition to playing a leading role, Alonzo is also the show’s co-creator, co-executive producer, and writer. Cristela also features a significantly Latino regular cast, which includes Carlos Ponce, Maria Canals-Barrera, and Terri Hoyos; as well as guest stars Gabriel Iglesias, Bridget Barrera and Matthew Velasquez.
The groups and websites participating in the national push to support Cristela include: the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, California Latino Legislative Caucus, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Latina Rebel, Latino Print Network, Latino Literacy, Latinheat.com, Get Wise Latinas, Humani.TV Español, Million Latina March, MountainTop Speakers , National Hispanic Media Coalition, Nosotros, Remezcla.com, RiseUp Leadership, Latina Lotteria, and UpLatino.com.
The national push has been organized by the Latino Premiere Club, a partnership between the National Hispanic Media Coalition and LatinHeat Media Institute. The Latino Premiere Club is a membership organization whose goal is to give Latinos a voice on upcoming film and television projects that tell Latino stories and/or employ Latinos in front and behind the camera.
Advocates say the show’s success can lead to more Latinos included in positive and multi-dimensional roles on television.
“How media depicts Latinos matters because the way we are perceived is the way we will be treated in our society,” stated Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. “As Latinos, we have an opportunity to make a national impact by tuning in to Cristela. It’s time for television to reflect the reality that Latinos are an integral part of the American social fabric.”
On October 2, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of 39 national Latino organizations, unanimously voted to endorse and promote Cristela’s premiere.
“Hollywood understands the numbers are there, with this push we can actually show the impact the Latino community has when we come together,” said Bel Hernandez, executive director of LatinHeat Media Institute. “Be loud and clear about your support, be part of the wave that will finally show Hollywood the power of our community!”
Individuals interested in spreading the word about Cristela can find resources at http://latinopremiereclub.com/cristela-social-media-resource-kit.
Organizations and leaders interested in participating are asked to email info@latinopremiereclub.com.
The nation’s large and fast-growing Latino community, which makes up more than 17 percent of the United States population, and whose purchasing power is estimated to reach $1.5 trillion by 2015, is among the biggest consumers of television. Yet Latinos remain underrepresented in television, both on-screen as well as behind the camera.
The underrepresentation and stereotypical portrayals of Latinos in media fuels prejudices and misconceptions about Latinos among non-Latinos, according to studies commissioned by the National Hispanic Media Coalition in 2012. Among the findings: one-third of non-Latinos inaccurately believed that more than one-half of Latinos were undocumented; and 47 percent reported hardly seeing Latinos in roles as attorneys, judges, doctors or nurses in television or film.