Well, in the 110 clips we show
in the documentary, viewers will discover that there were
stereotypical images of Latinos. They were either portrayed
as maids, gang members, crying mothers or prostitutes and
criminals. Then I’d look at my own family and friends
and see that our lives weren’t being portrayed at all.
In some cases, Latinos simply didn’t exist.
I remember my father used to watch the television western,
“Have Gun Will Travel,” and he’d always
ask, “Why aren’t there any Mexicans in Dodge City?”
Well, at that time and place in history, Mexicans certainly
would have been living there. And while I understand that
the show is fictional, it is historically inaccurate.
The fact is, Hollywood creates an image of America that
is literally broadcast throughout the world. People in all
parts of the world have an image of the United States based
on what they see on both the large and small screen. This
can have a significant impact on attitudes toward Latinos,
as well as how they feel about themselves. |