In this Edition of NHMC at Work:
Following the 2017 Golden Globes, President & CEO Alex Nogales released a statement on the lack of Latinos represented at the Golden Globes:
“Few Latinos were nominated this year because there are still too few roles offered to Latinos, behind and in front of the camera, especially in film. Today, Latinos make up 18 percent of the population and we need to represent those faces, voices and stories, if we are ever to increase the understanding and empathy that so many performers highlighted in their eloquent acceptance speeches about diversity and inclusion last night.”
The statement was covered by outlets including LA Times, Refinery29, LA Weekly, and NPR’s Latino USA.
To read the full statement, click here.
In late January, the 2017 Oscar Nominations were announced. This year’s nominations recognize some outstanding performances by African American actors and actresses, even though four out of five of the nominees in the Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director categories are white. Sadly, Latinos, Asian-Pacific Americans and Native Americans were once again noticeably underrepresented or not represented at all.
The Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition, which includes the National Latino Media Council (NLMC), Asian Pacific American Media Coalition (APAMC), American Indians in Film and Television (AIFT) and the NAACP Hollywood Bureau, issued a press release the morning of the nomination announcement, which included the following statement from Alex Nogales, President & CEO of NHMC and secretariat for NLMC:
“Despite being 18 percent of the population and the biggest movie-goers in the country, only four Latinos were nominated in back of camera categories for the 2017 Academy Awards. The lack of recognition for Latino talent in front of camera on the Oscar stage stems from film studios not providing opportunities for that talent at every level. They must stop ignoring our calls for action and put diversity and inclusion for all races and ethnicities at the top of their list of priorities.”
Outlets like the Los Angeles Times, Variety, USA Today, the Wrap, and the New York Times covered the statement.
Photo credit: Netflix
Carmen Scurato Discusses Lifeline on WashingTech Podcast
On January 24th, NHMC’s Director of Policy & Legal Affairs Carmen Scurato discussed the prospects of the FCC’s recent Lifeline modernization under the new administration on Joe Miller’s WashingTECH Podcast. Scurato provided an overview on the Lifeline program and explained how the modernization to include broadband will help bridge the digital divide that disproportionately impacts Latinos and other people of color. You can listen also the podcast here: iTunes, Google Play, and TuneIn Radio.
NHMC Urges President Trump to Support DACA
NHMC joined many civil and human rights organizations last week in demanding President Trump not terminate the Obama administration’s executive action on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). In a letter to President Trump, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights spelled out how DACA has allowed approximately 750,000 young adults to register with the federal government in return for a two-year reprieve from the threat of deportation.
NHMC Reacts to New FCC Chairman Pai
On January 23rd, Commissioner Ajit Pai confirmed his appointment as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. NHMC issued a press release urging the new chairman to protect diverse voices and universal access to broadband: “NHMC urges Chairman Pai to begin his new term with a commitment to achieving the fundamental goals of the FCC: increasing diversity, enforcing rules that protect consumers, striving for truly universal service, and fostering real competition,” said NHMC’s Director of Policy & Legal Affairs Carmen Scurato.
NHMC Weighs in on Vital Consumer Protections
This past month, NHMC joined several documents addressing the government’s vital role in protecting consumers and connecting underserved communities with internet access. NHMC first joined several other consumer-interest organizations in responding to the Universal Services Administrative Company’s (USAC) Draft Lifeline National Verifier Plan-part of the FCC’s recent Lifeline modernization order. Among other recommendations, the letter urged USAC to prioritize creating an online tool that will help consumers identify which Lifeline providers are available in their area by zip code. Secondly, NHMC signed onto the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ comments in response to FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn’s request for input in her Solutions 2020 Call to Action Plan. Lastly, NHMC joined a letter urging Senate leaders to oppose legislation that would help undo many of the previous administration’s important consumer protections.
NHMC Opposes Jeff Sessions’ Nomination
On January 23rd, NHMC co-signed a letter from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to the Senate Judiciary Committee opposing the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to U.S. Attorney General. “Senator Sessions has a 30-year record of racial insensitivity, bias against immigrants, disregard for the rule of law, and hostility to the protection of civil rights that makes him unfit to serve as the Attorney General of the United States,” said the letter. The Coalition Against Hate, which NHMC organized, is also against the nomination.
NHMC Releases a Statement Following First FCC Vote of 2017
On January 31st, in an unanimous decision rendered during the first open meeting of 2017, the Federal Communications Commission voted to eliminate the requirement that commercial broadcast stations retain copies of letter and emails from the public in a public inspection file known as the correspondence folder.
NHMC has drawn upon letters and emails from Americans held in the correspondence folder to successfully hold media accountable for racist, misogynistic, and anti-LGBTQ programming. To read the full statement, click here.
This month, NHMC’s Carmen Scurato was promoted to Director, Policy & Legal Affairs.
Earlier in January, NHMC said goodbye to Jessica J. Gonzalez, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, who has worked at NHMC for the past seven years. We are proud to announce that Jessica will now serve as Deputy Director and Senior Counsel at Free Press, on the West Coast.
Photo Credit: @CW_Riverdale
