HOW SOON THEY FORGET: Oversights and ethnically-biased quips continue to plague the Academy Awards and the movie industry it honors. A months-long investigation by The Los Angeles Times resulted in a February 25, 2012, editorial about the membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) that revealed the organization—like much of the media and entertainment industries—is mainly non-Hispanic white (NHW) and male. The Times found of the Academy’s 5,112 members, the voting members were almost 94 percent (4,805) NHW and 77 percent (3,936) male. According to AMPAS, that of the 178 people accepted for membership in 2011, 30 percent (53) were women and 10 percent (18) were non-white.

Why is this relevant? In 2010, Nielsen reported that 43 million Latinos bought 351 million movie tickets — an increase from the 37 million that bought 300 million tickets in 2009, making them a critical share of the movie-going audience in the U.S. The movie industry continues to develop more marketing initiatives and ways to make their films more attractive to U.S. Latinos, but fails to understand the need for more inclusion and respect within their own industry’s ranks for a growing number of future customers.

How soon will we forget?

Why is Arizona Democratic Party leadership turning down Latino Precinct Committeemen?

By Angel Garcia  (Community Organizer)

You want diversity, but you deny an opportunity to a young out and proud Hispanic male. I see a logic failure here, and hope it will be addressed as quickly as possible. This same opportunity was openly given to everyone that wanted it without hesitation, yet in I walk and all of a sudden I end up on proving grounds. You want to know why people don’t want to be Democrats, they’re opening their eyes and seeing the party leadership engages in the same exact behaviors as the Republicans they point fingers at. I am disheartened to see the party I have belonged to for so long has become members only. I am sad to see the open entry policy has been changed to be by referral only. I am sickened the people who gave great speeches about wanting to change this culture of elitism are now the same people who are part of the problem and making it worse. I am heart broken there are so many people who are ego driven and power hungry running the party that is supposed to be the party of the people.

Reminder:
Demos – People
Kratos – Power

It is time we put the democratic back in democratic party. It is time we remember by definition this party believes in power to the people. I am sad to see the old guard absolutely refuses to hand down the torch to new and innovative ideas and perspectives. The body dies if only old blood flows without an infusion of new blood and politics is no different. Our system was designed to ensure ALL people have an opportunity to get involved and not just a select few who feel they are the power centerand king makers.

Al Madrigal travels to Arizona, where the powerful evidence of hearsay convinced the Tucson school board to ban Mexican-American studies programs.