chicanosontv

     We need to have a Chicanos On TV or Hollywood Hall of Fame,” I thought as I learned about the recent death of Ricardo Montalban.  We need to admire, protect and respect the work of those who have gone before us. Those pioneers who opened the doors to a very racist and closed group like Hollywood.
    These were brave people who had to endure the most racist and violent forms of discrimination just like in any other area of life like education, housing, jobs or politics. Just like our black brothers endured all of these forms of discrimination, so did Latinos. And Hollywood was no exception. We still see some of the earlier racist portrayals of Latinos and we can only imagine what it must have been like for the Ricardo Montalbans. Just like in college where Chicano students formed UMAS and M.E.Ch.A. for support and survival, Ricardo formed Nosotros.
      We need to recognize and acknowledge these Latino pioneers who dreamed of being on the big screen and representing us in Hollywood and TV despite all of the odds.
                    

For more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Montalb%C3%A1n

Frank R. Castillo  ©
2009