Straight UP! - Latina Leaders - 12/11/2017

Hosted by Brenda Castillo Nogales, Straight UP! gets straight to the point. No tip toeing around subjects and no nonsense. Discussions can be anything and everything related to the human experience, including subjects that people shy away from like religion, sex, and politics.

The time is now to get rid of the clutter and just talk Straight UP! Today’s topic: Latinas in political office. Where are they? While Latinas have a rich history of leadership in their communities, they are unrepresented in all levels of government. Over 6 million Latinas live and work in California today, representing 17% of California’s total population. So why don’t they have 17% of Latina politicians in Sacramento? We hear from Latinas Lead California board members, Diana Rodriguez and Susan Sifuentes-Trigueros. Both Marisa Perez, Cerritos College Board of Trustees, and soon to be the first Latina ever elected as Mayor of Santa Barbara Cathy Murillo give insights to their campaigns.

National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is a 40+ year old 501(c)(3) non-profit, nonpartisan, civil and human rights organization that was founded to eliminate hate, discrimination, and racism toward Latino and marginalized communities.

We advance Latino visibility and influence from the halls of Washington, D.C., to the studios of Hollywood. Through our media advocacy and workforce development initiatives, NHMC creates spaces where diverse creators can connect, collaborate, and thrive. Our Series Scriptwriters Program, Latinx Stream Showcase, Creators Networking Program, Careers in Entertainment Youth Program, and Media Advocacy Fellowships serve as both incubators and pipelines, preparing the next generation of storytellers, advocates, and industry leaders. Through mentorship, education, networking opportunities, and direct access to entertainment executives, these programs help transform emerging talent into lasting industry voices while expanding authentic representation across media.

We lead the work to eliminate online hate and disinformation across media platforms. We advocate in the space of Artificial Intelligence when it intersects with civil & human rights, including making sure Latino-Interest and children’s protections are included in AI initiatives and implementations. We advocate for the Affordable Connectivity Program, Lifeline Program, Net Neutrality protections, and closing the digital divide for Latino and other marginalized communities. NHMC works in partnership with other social justice organizations to safeguard democracy in the United States of America.

NHMC is a not-for-profit, and provides equal opportunities to all individuals without regard to race, religion, national origin, disability, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

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