Latin Culture In The Mainstream: Lex Borrero, Co-Founder Of NEON16, Strives For A Universal Expansion In Latin Content

Statistically, you might assume there is a notable increase in programming content featuring the Latin community. The rise in streaming services and online content, after all, ushered in the era of “Peak TV” (which, in 2022, reached its zenith with a whopping 599 original series). Then, and over the past two decades, Latinos in the United States are credited as the largest contributor to the population growth (accounting for 54 percent of the gain). By 2060, the Latino population is projected to increase to 111.2 million, or 28 percent of the U.S. population, according to Census Bureau projections.

Yet, Latins continue to be significantly underrepresented in U.S. television and film, despite the group representing almost one-fifth of the total U.S. population (and $2.8 trillion in total economic output, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative’s 2022 Latino GDP report). According to the findings, Latinos in 2022 represented only 3.1 percent of the lead actors in TV shows and 2.1 percent of the supporting actors (and more often than not in a negative stereotypical capacity). Behind the scenes, only 1.5 percent of TV showrunners and 1.3 percent of directors were Latin.