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Amazon Studios celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with VOICES/VOCES, a one-day virtual event celebrating and highlighting the many contributions to entertainment from the Latinx community.
The event will take place on September 30, 2021, and will include multiple group panels and a set from Puerto Rican comedian Gina Brillion celebrating the richness, diversity, and beauty of Latiné communities. The event will be available to stream on Amazon Live and Amazon Studios DEI Twitch.
Participants of Amazon Studios VOICES/VOCES: An Entertainment Celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month include:
- John Leguizamo, Actor, Writer, Producer
- Gloria Calderón-Kellett (Showrunner, Executive Producer & Writer, With Love)
- Yolanda Guillen (Sr. Executive of Casting, Amazon Studios)
- Laz Alonso (Actor, The Boys)
- Clayton Davis (Film Awards Editor, Variety)
- Congressman Joaquin Castro, Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Gina Brillon, Comedian (The Floor is Lava and finalist on America’s Got Talent)
- Malu Miranda, Producer & Head of Originals Brazil, at Amazon Studios
- Javiera Balmaceda, Head of Local Originals, Spanish Speaking Latin America at Amazon Studios
- Lorenza Muñoz, Sr. Global Awards Executive at Amazon Studios
According to the press release, this event is a celebration and further discovery of the diverse and powerfully rich culture of 60M+ people living in the United States.
“Together, they represent more than 22 countries that have been labeled as ‘Hispanic’ by the US Census. Yet there is a lot of complexity in trying to fit this diverse, non-monolithic group under any one label,” the Amazon Studios release reads. “Many refer to themselves as Latino; others feel more comfortable being referred to as Latinx or Latiné. And many identify themselves through their country of origin, i.e., ‘mexicana, ‘puertorriqueño,’ ‘colombiano,’ or through their indigenous communities including, Bene Xhon’s, Yucatan Mayans, etc.”
“The Latiné community is comprised of many rich and dynamic cultures with multilayered stories to tell. To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re thrilled to present a Voices/Voces event with an esteemed group of creators, performers, and community members from the pan-Latin diaspora,” said Latasha Gillespie, Global Head of DEI for Amazon Studios and IMDb. “Our Voices/Voces event aims to entertain, initiate honest dialog, and drive industry change. We think everyone who tunes in will have a great time and be part of some very important and enlightening conversations.”
Amazon Studios’ Voices is about diving deep into entertainment industry data, having honest conversations, and aligning on actions to amplify and cultivate stories from historically excluded storytellers and creators of races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, and religious backgrounds. Each external Voices event dives deep into a community (and its intersections), and highlights data, conversation, and community.
Thursday, September 30 Line-Up:
9:00-9:07 AM PT | Welcome, Kickoff & Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
- Latasha Gillespie, Global Head of DEI, Amazon Studios, and IMDb
9:07-9:17 AM PT | Lightning talk: Who We Are… Hispanic, Latino, Latiné, Latinx, Afro-Latino, Indigenous, Understanding the breadth and depth of the community.
- Speaker: John Leguizamo, Actor, Writer, Producer, Activist
9:20-9:45 AM PT | Industry Conversation: Content Across Borders
Conversation with Amazon’s head of Spanish-Speaking Latin American Content and head of Brazilian Content. Discussing how the originals are resonating in the US and across borders.
- Malu Miranda, Producer & Head of Originals Brazil, at Amazon Studios
- Javiera Balmaceda, Head of Local Originals, Spanish Speaking Latin America at Amazon Studios
- Lorenza Munoz, Sr. Global Awards Executive at Amazon Studios, Moderator
9:48-9:51 AM PT | Congressional Hispanic Caucus Remarks
- Rep. Joaquin Castro, CHC
9:51-10:41 AM PT | Panel Discussion: Conversation: The Evolution of Latiné Representation on Screen
A candid conversation discusses how Latiné representation has changed over time on screen, in writers’ rooms, and in creative teams. While some communities have seen increased representation, this panel will dive deep into where the narrative still needs to be improved – particularly around colorism and the inclusion of the afro Latinidad – and how everyone in the industry can work to make a change.
- Gloria Calderón-Kellett (Producer & Writer, With Love, One Day At A Time)
- Yolanda Guillen (Sr. Executive of Casting, Amazon Studios)
- Laz Alonso (Actor, The Boys)
- Clayton Davis (Film Awards Editor, Variety), Moderator
10:43-11:00 AM PT | Comedy Set from Gina Brillon
Puerto Rican comedian Gina Brillion brings her hilarious New York-bred to stand up style to Voices in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
- Gina Brillon, Comedian