La Representación Importa: The Need for More Latinos in Film, TV



After decades of underrepresentation, whitewashing, and villainizing, a spike of positive representation of ethnic minorities, such as Latinos, has swept into Hollywood and mainstream media. Latino pioneers like José Ferrer, Edward James Olmos, and Rita Moreno broke systemic barriers to play defining roles in an industry dominated by White actors, paving the way for future Latino actors and Latino-led projects to break from the mold. This success has led to a new wave of notable Latino standouts and projects. America Ferrera, a U.S.-born Latina of Honduran heritage, nabbed an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Barbie (2023). Pedro Pascal, born in Chile, delighted audiences in the titular role of The Mandalorian before taking the lead in HBO’s TV adaptation of video game ...

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Honoring Latino Military Heroes on Veteran’s Day


Lt. Evita Salles, a Latino Military Personnel for Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day is on Nov. 11, 2023. We at Salud America! are excited to honor all U.S. military personnel, including the Latinos, who have served our country. Latinos in the Military: History Latinos have a “proud and indeed enviable” record of military service that dates back to the Civil War, according to a U.S. Army historical website. About 20,000 Latino serviceman and women participated in Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-1991, 80,000 in the Vietnam War in 1959-1973, and more than 400,000 in World War II in 1939-1945. Latinos have received more than 40 Medals of Honor, according to the Department of Defense. “Whether their heritage can be traced to Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or one of dozens of other Spanish-speaking countries or cultures, they’ve ...

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Latino Influence on U.S. Economy Continues to Grow



The total economic output, or gross domestic product (GDP), for Latinos in the United States has grown from $1.7 trillion in 2010 to $3.2 trillion in 2021, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative’s 2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report.   Let’s dive deeper into why and how Latinos are driving the U.S. economy.   The Latino GDP  The U.S. Latino GDP is $3.2 trillion.  That makes it the is the fifth-largest economy in the world embedded inside the United States, according to 2023 U.S. Latino GPD Report.  “U.S. Latinos are not a niche market, nor small, nor as sometimes described as a market of the future,” according to the report. “It is already the third fastest growing economy on the planet, and may soon rival China’s growth rates.”  Growth of the Latino ...

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How Latinos Can Get Mental Health Resources in Spanish



One of the many factors that contributes to the disparities within mental health in the Latino community is lack of culturally accurate and relevant resources.   With this need in mind, Mental Health America (MHA) has launched a Spanish Mental Health Resource Center complete with Spanish-language resources and tools.   Let's examine what these resources have to offer and why materials like these are important for Latinos.   Spanish Mental Health Resource Center  Fostering mental health awareness and support for all is crucial.   “Language barriers can make communicating with providers difficult, or even impossible, particularly when a person is seeking counseling for sensitive or uniquely personal issues,” according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness ...

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Dr. David Acosta: Meeting the Need for Latinos in Medicine



Growing up, David Acosta was blessed to be part of a loving Latino family with his mother and father, four brothers, and an abuelita in Southern California.   They found joy in helping each other and others.  Acosta realized in childhood he wanted to choose a future career that would bring joy to others – he decided to become a doctor.  "I knew from an early age that I wanted to go into medicine and help out,” Acosta said. “My family [was] probably most instrumental in me going down this path.”  Acosta went on to get his medical degree, practice medicine, and now serves as chief diversity and inclusion officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).    But his path wasn’t always easy.  The Cultural Side of Medicine   Acosta was ...

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Afro-Latina Denice Cora-Bramble Dedicated to Equitable Pediatric Care, Diversity


Dr. Cora-Bramble

Dr. Denice Cora-Bramble loves children. From an early age, she knew that she wanted to be a pediatrician. Her professional child-focused journey has culminated a long and successful career at Children’s National Hospital where she currently serves as the inaugural chief diversity officer. “I’ve always been intrigued by children,” Dr. Cora-Bramble said with a contagious smile. "They're interesting little people.” Growing up in Puerto Rico, Dr. Cora-Bramble was introduced to medicine as a child. Her aunt, who she admired greatly, was an OBGYN and one of just five females in her medical school cohort. “She was also a mother of five,” Dr. Cora-Bramble said. “I admired how she managed being a mother and being a physician; she was a great inspiration for me ...

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Gabriela Mistral: First Latina to Win the Nobel Prize in Literature



Gabriela Mistral, born as Lucila Godoy Alcayaga in Chile, was the first Latina author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945.  Her poems explore deeply cultural issues of spirituality, heartbreak, death, and childhood.   But beyond her verse and prose, Mistral also changed lives in Latin America and beyond through advocacy, education, and diplomacy.  “She tried to speak for [the disadvantaged] through her poetry, her many newspaper articles, her letters, and her talks and actions as Chilean representative in international organizations,” according to the Poetry Foundation. “Above all, she was concerned about the future of Latin America and its peoples and cultures, particularly those of the native groups.”  Gabriela Mistral – Her Early Life  Born in ...

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From the Big Screen to Behind the Scenes, Latinos Largely Absent in the Media


Latino representation

Despite Latinos making up over 19% of the United States population, Latinos are vastly underrepresented in the media and have been for decades. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re exploring this issue and highlighting one Latino who is working toward change. It’s About Time In summer 2023, the smash hit Blue Beetle made its debut at movie theaters nationwide. The movie, which depicts a Mexican-American superhero, is one example of how Latino representation on the big screen and behind the scenes via directors, writers, etc., is improving. While many rave about the cultural significance of the movie, one question remains: “It's 2023. What took so long?” said Edward Dennis, artist and children’s book author. Edward is right to ask this question. Latinos ...

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23 Surprising Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month


national hispanic heritage month (2)

Hispanic Heritage Month is here! This annual U.S. observance, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. We at Salud America! invite you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in these surprising ways. 1. Learn How Hispanic Heritage Month Began U.S. Congressmen Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles and Henry B. Gonzales were among those who introduced legislation on the topic in 1968. President Lyndon Johnson implemented the observance as Hispanic Heritage Week that year. U.S. Rep. Esteban E. Torres of Pico Rivera proposed the observance be expanded to cover its current 30-day period. President Ronald Reagan implemented the expansion to ...

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