Latinxs have long had a difficult relationship with Hollywood. We are constantly fighting to get representation on the silver screen, despite being 62.1 million strong in the U.S. When we are in films, our roles often perpetuate long-held Latinx stereotypes, such as women only being maids, men only being criminals, and everyone not knowing how […]
Latinxs have always been part of the movies – way back in The Silent Era of filmmaking, we were starring in films you can stream today.
It’s Women’s History Month and we’re lifting up Latina actresses from before the 1940s, the trailblazers and icons who opened the door for Latinxs to represent our culture on the silver screen. You may be surprised to know that there was a solid squad of (light-skinned) Latinas who made their mark on Hollywood as early as the 1910s — at a time when Hollywood was segregated and blackface was the latest entertainment “craze.” Yet, these Latinas helped found Tinseltown and deserve to be remembered.