L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti Launches Effort to Double ‘Latinx’ Numbers in Hollywood

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has launched a program to double the number of “Latinx” people in Hollywood by 2030.

The initiative will be called “LA Collab,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office:

“Latinos are a powerful force in L.A. ‘s culture and economy, and our trademark industry should tap into the diverse pool of talent in our own backyard,” said Mayor Garcetti. “On big screens or small, in front of the camera or behind it, our studios, actors, directors, and producers inspire the world with the power of their creativity and imagination — and LA Collab will elevate new voices and empower the next generation of Latinx creatives.”

According to a report by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Latinos represent nearly 25% of the box office. Yet a recent study by USC Annenberg showed that Latino representation has been stagnant over the past dozen years, averaging roughly 3% of all leads and co-leads in motion pictures.

In 2020, LA Collab will focus on reversing this trend by helping Latinx talent develop their skill sets and promoting collaborations with Latinx creators and top producers, filmmakers, buyers, showrunners, and industry allies.

One supporter of the initiative lamented the “radical decline” of Latinos in Hollywood, while actress Eva Longoria said, “As a Latina, I want to see more actors who look like me onscreen and behind the camera,” the mayor’s statement reported.

The term “Latinx” is meant to replace the gendered “-o” or “-a” endings that are typical of Spanish — which, like other Romance languages, has gendered nouns. It is meant to demonstrate sensitivity to gender fluidity.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He earned an A.B. in Social Studies and Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard College, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. He is also the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.