Eva Longoria was born in Texas, but the Desperate Housewives actress, director, and activist says she still considers herself a person of two countries.
“I’m 100% Mexican and 100% American at the same time,” she told audience members at Coins2Day‘s Most Powerful Women Summit on Wednesday. “And to navigate that is difficult.”
The talk about heritage came amidst a controversy surrounding a previous talk with Kirstjen Nielsen, the former homeland security who enforced the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy, resulting in thousands of children being separated from their parents at the border.
“This stage is normally reserved for women who are changing the world for the better said Longoria. “I didn’t want her to be the only voice in the room. She doesn’t get to take away my platform. She doesn’t get to take away my voice.”
Longoria was joined by Bela Bajaria, vice president of international originals at Netflix, to discuss the importance of diversity on screen.
“There is an unconscious bias that Hollywood and the media is responsible for,” said Longoria. “Latinos have become synonymous with legal, criminal and danger [in TV and movies]. My goal as a director and commentator is to change that perception and change that bias in Hollywood.”
Bajaria echoed that, noting the critical need to tell stories that are authentic to different cultures, a mission she leads as the person in charge of original Netflix content in other countries.
“You’re not trying to make [a show] global,” she said. “You’re trying to make the most authentic version of the story for those people. There are universal themes, like marriage and family and loss. If it’s a really great show or movie and it connects to people in that country, it usually affects people in other countries as well.”
Longoria pointed out the need for diversity extends well beyond the entertainment industry, noting the STEM focus of her thesis for the Masters Degree she earned in 2013 found that just 1% of STEM jobs are filled by Latinas, despite that segment being the fastest growing demographic in the U.S.
And she encouraged female leaders in the audience to step up in filling the diversity gaps, hiring more women and women of color.
“If you’re in a leadership position, say yes,” she said. “Be the first line on her resume. Say yes to someone with a different perspective. Say yes to someone with a different skin color. Say yes to someone who speaks a different speaks a different language. That is your job: Say yes. And if you’re a woman who’s not in leadership position, say no. No to the door that closes in your face; No to the person who says you can’t do it. Say ‘no, I’m going to do it’.”
More must-read stories from Coins2Day’s MPW Summit:
—”I don’t regret enforcing the law.” Former DHS head Nielsen defends family separation in heated interview
—How a corporate board can engage on company culture
—Why 3 major companies decided to take a stand on gun violence
—Tulsi Gabbard calls Hillary Clinton’s Russian jabs “outrageous” at Coins2Day’s MPW Summit
—Anita Hill calls on candidates to address gender violence
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