According to researchers, Latinos comprise around 13% percent of the U.S. population, but represent only .6% to 6.5% of all characters on television. Clearly, this is an issue that needs resolving, but not simply by just putting more Latino characters on television. Quantities of characters will not mend the effects of negative stereotyping so much as the qualities of characters. The media should be portraying characters that make a positive impact in American society and in the rest of the world. It should be portraying characters that Latinos are excited to emulate in everyday life, not characters that make Latinos feel ashamed, or as they have no other options. Ultimately, there are positive examples all around us, including influential and intelligent individuals such as:
Carlos Slim
Sandra Cisneros
Sonya Sotomayor
These prominent individuals are the quality of individual that should also be shown on television. These are the characters that will inspire change and break negative stereotypes. The media has so much power to change the world as we know it, and it does not have to work so hard to use this power. All it has to do is look around, and focus on not just the negative for entertainment value, but also the positive for influential value.
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