Hello, Dos Amigos listeners! We’re excited to share an interview with award-winning actor, writer, producer and activist John Leguizamo with our new podcast The Moment, hosted by father-daughter powerhouse journalists, Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos.
Jorge and Paola Ramos sit down with award-winning actor, writer, producer and activist John Leguizamo, to reflect on his identity, his fight against Hollywood’s gatekeepers, and how our shared Latinidad can unite and empower us now more than ever.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
And this is the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Wellbaul, let's talk about representation. How we see ourselves and
how others see us or don't see us or don't
see us. So when you turn on the TV or
social media or go to the movies, do you see yourself?
You see a Latina? There?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
We have to say historically, no, I think the idea
of seeing queer Latinas fully represented on newscasts, on cable
news and film is almost honestly non existent. But here's
why I'm not surprised. You know, I love stats, so
let me give you some stats. What the stats tell
(00:50):
us is that despite Latino's accounting for almost twenty percent
of the US population, approximately only four percent of actors
in leader code, lead rules, or Latinas. Four percent isn't
crazy even though we're I mean literally four percent of
actors and co leads or lead roles or latinos. I mean,
that's that's great.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
To be one out of five, and it's not happening.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
It gets worse. Of the Latino characters that do make
it on screen were often depicted as either immigrants, shocking,
low income, violent criminals, and angry. So basically, when you
see us in Hollywood. You're either a criminal, an immigrant,
or you're poor.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
So let's talk about our next guest.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
So movies and history books have something in common now.
They both tell stories that shape the way we see
ourselves in the world, but also the way that the
world sees us. And that's why today's guest is so exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
After the break, John Legisamo. He's an Emmy Award winning actor, comedian, producer,
and writer known for his activism and for being unapologetically
Latino and proud aut of ale Remos. We wanted to
talk to you because somehow you become the voice of
(02:05):
the voiceless. And I don't know if you understand that,
I mean the way that that carries No.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
I mean I understand that I feel a responsibility to
give voice to people who are vulnerable and to people
who don't have a voice. I feel a certain obligation
of somebody who has privilege and has somewhat some power
to use my platform to improve other people's lives, not
just my own.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, but because I think you've been fighting all your
life for Latino representation. Yes, now it seems to me
more than more than ever, and they're just spending so
much time and your reputation. It's on that. And I
don't know if you agree with this or not, but
a few years ago, it seems that Hollywood was ready
just to embrace Latinos and race diversity.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
And then I mean, I mean, Hollywood does a lot
of things for optics.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
I'm not going to because I felt the same way.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Oh my god, they finally understand that we're twenty percent
of the population, that we overrepresent an over index at
the box office at thirty percent. We were forty percent
of the box office for Bad Boys three, I think
it was that was that was like three or four
years ago. We were forty percent of the US box
office to make that.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
A hit, That's what I mean. We were almost there.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
But they were still saying no all over the place.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
So it was a lot of hope and expectations that
they would do the right thing. But I don't know,
I don't know. I kept getting a lot of rejections.
I would pitch historic pieces about Latinos and they go, no,
we're not doing historic stuff. And then you see like
ten white movies with historic pieces and they go And
then I had like, oh, something from the eighteen Hundergod
(03:49):
we're not doing period stuff then ten fifteen movies or shows,
So it was about the content.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Was there ever a time when you think that Hollywood
was truly embraced Latino actors and Latino voices? I mean, like,
how does how does today's Hollywood and today's culture industry
compare to the time that you came up.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
In I mean it was we were almost invisible. So
this is better than what was going on when I.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Was from invisible to a little bit to a little bit.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
I mean, it's it's way better than when I was
a kid. I mean when I was growing up, it
was Desi Arnaz, I was it.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
I know, I wanted more.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It was I Wax.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
There was nothing, There was nothing, and then you had
Speedy Gonzales. I mean there was so little, and then
PBS was everything for me because when I was a teenager,
that's where I saw latinos like that would look like me,
that talked like me, and it was like, I don't know,
it was so exciting and thrilling for me.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
So when you were were growing up for your start,
the challenges, what were there that you were we were
invisible and then well.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
You know, we're invisible and then, you know, I was
in acting school with all these white kids and at
NYU and they were going to, you know, five or
six auditions a day, and I was going to one
every five or six months for a drug dealer. And
we'd get these things called the Ross Report that came
out every Monday and listed all the movies available in
(05:19):
all the TV parts, and it was like Jim Crow,
it was white actor, white lawyer, white doctor for all
the roles. And then eventually every blue moon you'd have
like a Latino murderer, Latino drug dealer, and.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
They wouldn't see and they wouldn't see.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
You, And ask my agent, can I go and meet them?
I changed their mind, convinced no, they wouldnt see They
wouldn't they Well.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
It's not only that they didn't see you. But then
I was actually wondering, like we were just talking about
godleid Doo's Way before, and I was wondering what it
was like for you to have white actors play a
Puerto Rican character, Like what even Like when you think
bag in your time in Hollywood, like what was that? Like?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
You know, it's an interesting time because you know part
of you is you know, like I guess I'm not
going to give the lead to a Latino, you know,
because you start internalizing the racism and you start thinking
we maybe we don't deserve to be the lead.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
You thought about it, Yeah, you start yeah, you go, oh,
it's impossible.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
They would never do this movie with a Latino lead,
so you have to get a white guy to play
a Latino. And that's when you start internalizing. But then
now that I'm sixty, I'm like, no, fuck that shit,
that's bullshit. Why did I allow that to happen? Why
did we all allow this? Because we didn't have data.
We didn't know that we were twenty percent of the population,
(06:38):
that we contribute four trillion dollars to the GDP.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
I didn't have that information before we had it.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I mean we knew, I mean you knew. I don't know,
maybe twenty years ago. No, it was not twenty percent,
but maybe we were ten percent of the population. We
deserved better, right, didn't.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
We We always deserved better, but we were not getting
it because we were always treated like we just like
we were just a tiny fraction of the population and
that we just got here. And that's how you I
was the only Latino kid in my acting classes. I
was the only Latino kid that I knew at NYU
and in a city that's predominantly Latino, so you know
(07:18):
that our opportunities are nil all over the place.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
At what point in your career did you go from
self doubt to know I deserve this, Like when did
it click for you?
Speaker 4 (07:27):
It was later in life.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Unfortunately, you know it because I mean, I was always
confident in my talent because I studied with the greatest
acting teachers in the world, Lee Strasbourg, wynd Handman, Herbert Berghoff.
I'm blackness some people, but I studied with the best
and the greatest, so I knew I had a talent.
The thing was the opportunities and lack of opportunities. I
(07:52):
didn't know how to negotiate that. I didn't know, you know,
I didn't know how to fight for things. And plus
you were rejected all the time, Like when I pitched
movies all the time, they always said no, it's great,
but no, And I just thought, maybe I didn't write
well enough, maybe I didn't pitch. I didn't know that
they were never going to green light a Latino movie.
(08:14):
I didn't understand that, so I doubted my writing, but
I'm winning awards, I'm broady, I'm winning awards off Broadway,
Obie's Out of Critics, Drama circles, Tony nominations all over
the place. So I was like trying to reconstruct the
world for myself to understand what was going on.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Where was where were the roadblocks? Who were the gatekeepers
not allowing me to move forward?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
You know?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I had to dissect that so that I could understand
and say it wouldn't happen to other people.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Do you think of yourself as a Latino actor all
the time? Yeah, I loved that from the beginning.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Yes, I love that. People were trying to tell me.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
You didn't hide it because you were not getting the
roles that you wanted so.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
Well, they told me that.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
My agents told me like, change your names, stay out
of the sun. Now tell me a Latin know, And
I was like, nah, I grew up and I got
beat up for being Latino. I am so proud of
who I am because of all the things I had
to go through, and I love my culture. I was like, nah,
I'm not changing myself from the beginning, you were you, yeah, John.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
See, one of the things that I love is that
now we don't just see you on film, but we
also see you on cable news. You know, I'm a
news junkie like my dad, and so I know that
you recently did your your second premiere for your MSNBC
(09:37):
Lay Simon does America. The first season was a complete success,
one of the most watched shows on Peacock. So I'm
wondering when thinking about that show, how do you choose
your stories? But more than anything, do you have to
fight to tell those stories?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Like?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Is it a fight to get those stories on screen? Not?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Once we got greenlit that what was selling the show
was impossible. We pitched it for six years and nobody,
nobody got it until says our Conde, the first Latino executive. Yeah,
so yeah, I mean he understood the value of what
I was doing, looking for Latin excellence, looking for Latin exceptionalism,
(10:14):
looking for Latin joy.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
But you're literally saying that for six years, you hitch
that and no, no.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
And he got it and boom there we are.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
And then season two, you know, uh, which was we
I feel season two is even better than season one.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
But it's yeah, it's so powerful.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
What changed then? I mean, if it was so difficulty
to you six years and then now it was easier.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Well, well, once we did season one, we understood what
we were doing.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
And then you you you you you have to break
it in.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
You have to like try to understand what works, what
doesn't work, give it of what doesn't work, and boom.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
So the second season you're better.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Third season you're even better because you understand even more
about what are the dynamics and what works in the show.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Probably what I want to understand is if you think
that something is changing in the country, that's somehow that
kind of production.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
No, no, I'm just talking about I'm just talking about the show.
I'm not talking about how it's doing. I don't know
yet what the numbers are for season two.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
I don't have them yet.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
All right, let me let me jump to the other Americans.
You're going to rehearsal right now, right, Yes, I'm going
just in just in just a few minutes. Yes, I
am all right. So this is about a Columbian American
londot owner in Queens who's struggling with a failing business.
You tell me if I'm no, you're hitting all the
(11:28):
points with mental health issues.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
No, he's not have mental health issues. His son has
mental health.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Issues, all right, and then there's a rocky relationship between
father and son.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Yes, uh, well, well the Other Americans is about the
American dream and what happens to American dream while you're
chasing it, while you're Latino. You know the difficulty of
what's been promised to everyone and yet eludes us as Latinos.
Why because I know so many people. I talk to
(11:57):
so many people around the country, because through my show
and and and all the all the organizations, and I
hear from executives the medical industry, the tech industry, how
Latinos are not promoted, They're not given the opportunities, not
getting the bank loans.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
Women are Latino women are number.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
One startup businesses in America, which is the driving force
of the American economy. They're also the least likely to
get a venture capitalist to invest in them or bank
loan to be given to.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
What're trying to say that the American dreaming is killing us?
Speaker 3 (12:33):
No, the American dream is not. They're not giving it
to us. They're dangling it.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
But it's like, look look at you, look a look
at me? Is in the three three people.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Okay, but what we're almost seventy million, eighty million if
you count my undocumented brothers and sisters.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Well, I was actually going to say, one of the
thoughts that I've recently had is is whether or not
you know this, this notion of the American dream is
actually a myth, right, And I think to your point,
like sometimes it costs people. I mean, it literally costs
people's lives. And I think I spent so much time
now with families that are self deporting, that are kind
of like letting go of that American dream. So I
think your play is probably kind of a north star,
(13:12):
know of a what we deserve, but also like keep going.
But I do think it's a fair question, like was
it was it a myth?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Is it am Mexican? My namegrand from Mexico? And and
then if I had stayed in Mexico, who knows what
would have happened to me as as a journalist. And
now I can talk to you, I'm.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Here, so I'm glad you're here, hey, exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
And so so for me, the American dream it worked.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
It worked for me, right, and and it and it
worked for me, I mean, it was a very difficult,
treacherous journey.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
But it worked for me too. But I know so many.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
People that doesn't work for And I see them and
then my friends, and they have so much talent. They're geniuses,
and no one is using them for one single reason
because the Latino not because of their ability. Because they
can sing, they can dance, they can act, they're funny,
and I'm like, my god, that talent, You're a star, superstar.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
No they're not. They're not being cast.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
What will change that at this point, I mean, give it.
Given the state of the country, given where we're at, well.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
We still have to keep fighting.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Me Just because uh the administration wants to destroy DEI
and Affirmative Action and and uh all these programs doesn't
mean we have to stop. I mean we've been The
thing about Latinos is we faced this since the beginning
of this country. Unfortunately, this is the fourth time that
they've come after us to deport US American citizens and Latinos.
(14:42):
It happened when when the Idalgo, when when they they
invaded Mexico and took.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
It from to it you know all the numbers, but
then you know, they asked a lot of Mexican people
who were who were there in that in Texas Arizona
to fight with us against Mexico, and they did, and
they promised them to keep their lands, to keep their
political power, and of course they lied and they deported
(15:11):
them and got rid of them.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
They said, you're a danger because we can't trust you
now because you have loyalties. So they took their lands
and then they did it again.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And kay, well we have nineteen fifty one operation what back. Yes,
they reported a million.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
A million and a half and some of them were
American citizens and some of them and.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Then they did it until they died in the process.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Yes, Repatriation Act. In nineteen twenty nine, they deported.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Two million Latinos, most of them are American citizens, and
took their land, their home, their wealth.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah. I mean, so what they're saying this is the
four time now with the rates and.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yes, but I mean yeah, because you know, they're grabbing
American citizens and they don't care. And it's people who
are the driving force of the economy, the essential laborers
who are feeding us, who are doing construction, who are painting, plumbers, carpenters,
who are doing everything to keep this country running.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
I mean, it's no secret that you are extremely outspoken
against Trump. I mean, you just have to go on
your social media literally every day. I'm like, what does
Joonne have to say today? I'm curious does being this
politically outspoken? Does that impact your career at all?
Speaker 3 (16:16):
I think the problem was when I first became political
that I saw my following drop by a half.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
When then by first, when was.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Twenty sixteen, I got very political. I wasn't as political.
I mean I was always a little political, but not
outspoken and not sticking my neck and not an activist.
But when I did that, I lost half my found
and I got tons of hate and tons of attacks
and trolls.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
And I didn't have that before because if you stay.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Quiet and silent, you know, you can go underneath the
radar and nobody notices.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Sixteen with Trump, yeah, when he got out, well, when.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
He started attacking latinos and I was like, what is
going on here? How does that get you anywhere? And
then I was hoping that that would't have success, but
he did.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Has it made it harder to get new projects off
the ground.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
I think I think hollywoods in a tough predicament right now. Anyway,
I think there are more Latino roles than they have been.
I mean, you have Diego Luna in Star Wars, you
have Pedro Pascal and and and tons of movies. I
mean that that's incredible. And Jenny Ortega, I mean, I
(17:25):
mean it's not it's not parody. Sure it's not equal
to our population and our contribution to the economy, but
it's better than what it has to be.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
It must be like it maybe six or percent. That's something.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Is it something given to us or somehow the process?
The process is changing because I'm seeing you, I'm seeing
about Longoriades and many others who are saying, if they're
not giving us the roles that we want, we're going
to create them.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
And then yeah, but who's gonna green light it?
Speaker 3 (17:56):
But you can say that, but who's going to green light?
The problem with movies is there's expensive Yeah I want
to take that role. Yeah I'm going to create that role,
but go try getting it produced. I mean, good luck.
I mean, if you have to ask a white gatekeeper
who's an executive, to beg them to put to do
your movie, and maybe they will, maybe they won't. They'll
(18:17):
easily put you in a lead in a product that
they developed, but a whole Latino story hardly.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Ever, So you the thing is, it is changing not
as much.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Look, I mean white.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
People are overrepresented, which is crazy. I mean they always have.
I didn't realize that because they're only forty eight point
nine percent of the population. For nine point eight percent
of the population, but they have like almost one hundred
percent executives one hundred you know, ninety percent of the stories.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
That yeah, I mean, it's crazy, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
And then people of color are you know, forty one
percent of the population, but we don't have that much
executive I mean the executive and Latinos were twenty percent.
I want twenty percent executives. I want twenty percent of stories.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Not yet? It isn't happening. Yes, it should happen, should
I agree with you, it should happen.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
It should.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
But it's not happened soon. No, not now? I mean,
but why not?
Speaker 4 (19:12):
That's what That's the thing I wanted to happen.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Now.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
I'm impatient, I can tell.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, I mean, you're frustrated.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
I don't think because of the moment that we're living politically,
I mean, the country is changing dramatically, so you think
in this moment in which thousands are being arrested and
deported disappear, when there's so many attacks on journalists, on
professors and judges, that it is going to happen now
because maybe this is a moment of resistance. I don't
(19:39):
see a moment of improvement.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
But I think in these moments, it is when resistance
gets stronger, we organize better. I mean, I think these
attacks and this administration is forcing us is a galvanization.
It's forcing us to unite, to organize better, and to
and to step up and speak out.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
And I think that's when change happens.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Do you do you think this is the moment.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Yeah, I think him forcing us and firing and taking
the names off boats of important Latino history, uh heroes
in history, and erasing all the eras around women in black.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Folk, the museums, the Smithsonian, erasing our history.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Completely taking it out. It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I mean, it's it's appalling, but I think it's a
moment for us to use it to organize better. I mean,
I'm talking to a lot of Latino activists, Latino organizers,
and we're all talking about the same thing and figuring
out better ways to organize.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
It what happened in l A. You think the protests
against the anti polis is that what you're expecting.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
More than that, you need march, You need marches, but
you also need people on the phone, talking, zooming, figuring
out what do we do. How do we speak to
these corporations, How do we speak to the technocrats, How
do we talk to to all these people in power
who are gatekeepers?
Speaker 4 (21:02):
How do we force their hand into changing things.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I think mobilizing also requires I think the community feeling
a lot of solidarity amongst them. Latinos have to feel
like they're part of one, and I think we are
in a moment where some people see some cracks and
some people see us very siloed. And I'm curious just
about the way that you see the idea of Latinidad
right now, how you're thinking about that identity, particularly as
(21:34):
you're talking to people on the ground and you're telling
you stories like do you see us as united as
you always have?
Speaker 3 (21:39):
I mean, I've always felt like we were one because
I grew up in America, you know. I mean, so
I grew up with Latinos from every past, every country,
you know. I grew up with Ecuadorians, Colombians, Mexicans, Salvadorians, Hondurians, Dominicans,
Puerto Ricans, Cubans.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I grew up with everybody America continent.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Yeah, was in Jackson Heights, was in Corona, and I
grew up with them and they were my brothers and sisters.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
So I never felt like we were different. I felt
like we were more the same.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
And and I feel like what I'm organizing with people,
I'm organized with people from all different uh you know, uh,
denominations or whatever, the whole diaspora of Latini that you know.
And I don't feel a separateness. I don't feel a
differentness from talking to Mexican activists and my Puerto Rican
activists and my Columbia I don't feel a different.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
So you think there's a connection between Puerto Ricano Scubanos Mexicanos,
But also I think you go beyond that because you
sometimes make a connection between let's say, check Evaristecas and
the Incas and says chavist Are we all connected or
what's the common ground among all Latinos?
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Well, I think the most common thing obviously is language,
but secondly it's also our indigenouity, that's also a big unifier.
And then for us, for a lot of others of us,
it's our Afro Latini that.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
As well well.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
I mean these are big unifiers, you know. I feel like,
you know, knowing that somebody is indigenous for me is
a big deal.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
For me.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
It's like I can see it in your face and
my brain does like a like a a schwartzenek a termination.
I can tell y'all the percentages of your indigenaity and
your AffA Latini dot, and that that means a lot
to me.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
I think a lot of people would would try and
make sense of this idea that John a Columbian American
is like deeply and profoundly interested in the farm workers
movement and the SUITSU riots in you know, aspects of
our Latino culture that many would say have nothing to
do with you.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Yeah, because I do.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Believe that we can be grouped and it's to our benefit,
it's our benefit to unite and be one group and
demand what we deserve, opportunities and in executive offices to
be CEOs. And I don't know, I feel such a
community with my Mexican brothers and sisters, my Dominican, my
(24:02):
Cuban my I don't know.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
I love them all.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
I love the slight differences and accents and the slight
differences in slang and food.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
But I feel when I'm together and we're talking and
hanging out, I feel with the same. I don't feel
that difference at all.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
I just don't.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
And also when I'm organizing or we're doing events with
in my Hen or with Montic Remedie. So with all
these incredible activists, I don't feel like, oh, You're Mexican
and I'm not.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
You're over there and I'm over here. No, I feel
like she's my sister. I feel like she's a part
of me. I don't feel a separateness.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
So if you had to tell sort of the through line,
the connected story of the Latino community, what is that.
What's the heart of that story?
Speaker 3 (24:46):
I mean, we were in indigenous empires that was colonized,
and we're the only group, ethnic group in the world
that our religion was destroyed, our language, and our culture
was destroyed, and we're almost genocided and here we are
contributed four trillion dollars to the GDP of the United States.
That's my identity, that we were these great empires that
(25:08):
we gave the world so much, and here we are,
you know, still fighting for for what is what should
be our rightfully ours.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
Did Trump's success with Latino voters right, he gets forty
five percent of the Latino vote, He wins Latino men voters,
did that change your mind at all about Latinia and
this concept of our unity?
Speaker 4 (25:30):
Well, I know, I know we're not monolithic.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
I know we have a lot of hyper Christian Latinos
that you know, don't agree. I don't agree with on
all issues in terms of I know a lot of
Christian Latinos are homophobic and anti abortion and I'm not
those things. I know we have a difference there, but
we have to, you know, figure out how to unite.
(25:54):
But what Trump Trump's effect on Latinos was more his lies.
They believe his lies about jobs, because Latinos for the
most part, were you know, at the bottom of the
food chain, and what we care about is feeding our families,
you know, and moving ahead.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
So when he says I got big jobs, big jobs coming.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
We didn't.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
People believe that.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
And they believe that.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
They believe and he lied to every single one of them,
and they believe that so that's unfortunate, but that hopefully
I hope it won't happen again.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
But because one of the things that I think about
a lot, and you, as someone that is so keen
on educating us about our history and talking about the
importance of indigenous people and after Latinos and talking about
slavery and colonialism, you do that very well. But when
I'm out there reporting, I sometimes feel that there are
folks within our community that don't want to see those
(26:44):
darker sides of us now, that are unwilling to sort
of understand the sort of like colonial and racial baggage
that we carry from Latin America. Is I guess when
when you're out there like teaching us the real thing, Like,
how do you have those conversations with folks?
Speaker 3 (26:57):
Well, I guess if people are coming to me or
they're my house in terms of theaters or venues that
I'm performing, and obviously they already are sympatical with me.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Yeah, so can you have conversations with non sympaticos? I mean,
because you have that ability?
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Yeah, yeah, I've had a conversations. Yeah what does that?
Speaker 2 (27:15):
What does that look like?
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I mean, you know, I'm not as good We're talking
to people who are who are Latinos, who I'm not
sympathetic with. It upsets me a little bit. So I
have to learn how to be calmer and more accepting
so I can talk to him. Because I know there's
a lot of Colombians and Venezuelans who have become sort
of socialists. Kind of triggers them because of I guess
(27:40):
what happened is they blame Chavis and Maduro for the
ills of Venezuela, and then Colombians are blaming them for
all the immigrants coming to Colombia and they're getting you know,
so you know, I have to talk to them about
because look, socialism programs are important, like the post office,
like the police department, like the fire department, like just
social security, like public education. These are socialist programs. It's
(28:05):
not you know, I'm a Democrat, socialist democrat.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
So yeah, so yeah, yeah, the first time I heard
that from you. Yeah, is that a change. I mean,
I've always been I've always voting for Democrats. I'm guessing
I've always voted.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
For democrats, dam my whole life. But you know, I've
always had socialist leanings. You know, I always felt like
it was important that everybody have access to the same
things that I felt like. Education shouldn't be a privilege,
it's a right. Medicine is a not a privilege, it's
a right.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Now you're openly a socialist, Yeah, I'm a democratic socialist.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
You mentioned your son. I know that your plate touches
on mental health, and did you talk about mental health
with your kids when they were growing up.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
I mean, you know, I always want my kids to
do tons of therapy because I did tons of therapy.
You know, they wouldn't let me back in school in
high school because I was a problem child. So I
had to go to therapy since I was seventeen and
it's saved my life. So I find therapy. I tell
all that people go to therapy. We're the people that
need it the most in the world.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
We talk about that never. I think that's that's what
we need to hear. Hear that or more conversations with him.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Yea, thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
The Moment is a production of Radio Bulantes Studios in
partnership with iHeart Michael to the podcast network.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Our staff includes Daniella Larcon, Lauda, Rojasa Ponte, Miguel Santiago Colon,
and Lisa Serda, with the help from Paula Alian, Diego Corso,
Natalie Ramirez and Elsa Liana Joa. Our theme song is
by Elias Gonzalez. The CEO Radio Bulante Studios is Carolina Guerrero.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Executive producers I Heart are Arlene Santana and Leo Romes.
Pablo Calda also serves as a producer.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
If you like the moment Pegusta podcast en Espanol, look
for Radio Bulante Historias de Toda America Latina wherever you
listen to podcasts.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
I'm horc ramos in ambaulla ramas.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Thanks for listening.
And this is the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Wellbaul, let's talk about representation. How we see ourselves and
how others see us or don't see us or don't
see us. So when you turn on the TV or
social media or go to the movies, do you see yourself?
You see a Latina? There?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
We have to say historically, no, I think the idea
of seeing queer Latinas fully represented on newscasts, on cable
news and film is almost honestly non existent. But here's
why I'm not surprised. You know, I love stats, so
let me give you some stats. What the stats tell
(00:50):
us is that despite Latino's accounting for almost twenty percent
of the US population, approximately only four percent of actors
in leader code, lead rules, or Latinas. Four percent isn't
crazy even though we're I mean literally four percent of
actors and co leads or lead roles or latinos. I mean,
that's that's great.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
To be one out of five, and it's not happening.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
It gets worse. Of the Latino characters that do make
it on screen were often depicted as either immigrants, shocking,
low income, violent criminals, and angry. So basically, when you
see us in Hollywood. You're either a criminal, an immigrant,
or you're poor.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
So let's talk about our next guest.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
So movies and history books have something in common now.
They both tell stories that shape the way we see
ourselves in the world, but also the way that the
world sees us. And that's why today's guest is so exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
After the break, John Legisamo. He's an Emmy Award winning actor, comedian, producer,
and writer known for his activism and for being unapologetically
Latino and proud aut of ale Remos. We wanted to
talk to you because somehow you become the voice of
(02:05):
the voiceless. And I don't know if you understand that,
I mean the way that that carries No.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
I mean I understand that I feel a responsibility to
give voice to people who are vulnerable and to people
who don't have a voice. I feel a certain obligation
of somebody who has privilege and has somewhat some power
to use my platform to improve other people's lives, not
just my own.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, but because I think you've been fighting all your
life for Latino representation. Yes, now it seems to me
more than more than ever, and they're just spending so
much time and your reputation. It's on that. And I
don't know if you agree with this or not, but
a few years ago, it seems that Hollywood was ready
just to embrace Latinos and race diversity.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
And then I mean, I mean, Hollywood does a lot
of things for optics.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
I'm not going to because I felt the same way.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Oh my god, they finally understand that we're twenty percent
of the population, that we overrepresent an over index at
the box office at thirty percent. We were forty percent
of the box office for Bad Boys three, I think
it was that was that was like three or four
years ago. We were forty percent of the US box
office to make that.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
A hit, That's what I mean. We were almost there.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
But they were still saying no all over the place.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
So it was a lot of hope and expectations that
they would do the right thing. But I don't know,
I don't know. I kept getting a lot of rejections.
I would pitch historic pieces about Latinos and they go, no,
we're not doing historic stuff. And then you see like
ten white movies with historic pieces and they go And
then I had like, oh, something from the eighteen Hundergod
(03:49):
we're not doing period stuff then ten fifteen movies or shows,
So it was about the content.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Was there ever a time when you think that Hollywood
was truly embraced Latino actors and Latino voices? I mean, like,
how does how does today's Hollywood and today's culture industry
compare to the time that you came up.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
In I mean it was we were almost invisible. So
this is better than what was going on when I.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Was from invisible to a little bit to a little bit.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
I mean, it's it's way better than when I was
a kid. I mean when I was growing up, it
was Desi Arnaz, I was it.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
I know, I wanted more.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It was I Wax.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
There was nothing, There was nothing, and then you had
Speedy Gonzales. I mean there was so little, and then
PBS was everything for me because when I was a teenager,
that's where I saw latinos like that would look like me,
that talked like me, and it was like, I don't know,
it was so exciting and thrilling for me.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
So when you were were growing up for your start,
the challenges, what were there that you were we were
invisible and then well.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
You know, we're invisible and then, you know, I was
in acting school with all these white kids and at
NYU and they were going to, you know, five or
six auditions a day, and I was going to one
every five or six months for a drug dealer. And
we'd get these things called the Ross Report that came
out every Monday and listed all the movies available in
(05:19):
all the TV parts, and it was like Jim Crow,
it was white actor, white lawyer, white doctor for all
the roles. And then eventually every blue moon you'd have
like a Latino murderer, Latino drug dealer, and.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
They wouldn't see and they wouldn't see.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
You, And ask my agent, can I go and meet them?
I changed their mind, convinced no, they wouldnt see They
wouldn't they Well.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
It's not only that they didn't see you. But then
I was actually wondering, like we were just talking about
godleid Doo's Way before, and I was wondering what it
was like for you to have white actors play a
Puerto Rican character, Like what even Like when you think
bag in your time in Hollywood, like what was that? Like?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
You know, it's an interesting time because you know part
of you is you know, like I guess I'm not
going to give the lead to a Latino, you know,
because you start internalizing the racism and you start thinking
we maybe we don't deserve to be the lead.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
You thought about it, Yeah, you start yeah, you go, oh,
it's impossible.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
They would never do this movie with a Latino lead,
so you have to get a white guy to play
a Latino. And that's when you start internalizing. But then
now that I'm sixty, I'm like, no, fuck that shit,
that's bullshit. Why did I allow that to happen? Why
did we all allow this? Because we didn't have data.
We didn't know that we were twenty percent of the population,
(06:38):
that we contribute four trillion dollars to the GDP.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
I didn't have that information before we had it.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I mean we knew, I mean you knew. I don't know,
maybe twenty years ago. No, it was not twenty percent,
but maybe we were ten percent of the population. We
deserved better, right, didn't.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
We We always deserved better, but we were not getting
it because we were always treated like we just like
we were just a tiny fraction of the population and
that we just got here. And that's how you I
was the only Latino kid in my acting classes. I
was the only Latino kid that I knew at NYU
and in a city that's predominantly Latino, so you know
(07:18):
that our opportunities are nil all over the place.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
At what point in your career did you go from
self doubt to know I deserve this, Like when did
it click for you?
Speaker 4 (07:27):
It was later in life.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Unfortunately, you know it because I mean, I was always
confident in my talent because I studied with the greatest
acting teachers in the world, Lee Strasbourg, wynd Handman, Herbert Berghoff.
I'm blackness some people, but I studied with the best
and the greatest, so I knew I had a talent.
The thing was the opportunities and lack of opportunities. I
(07:52):
didn't know how to negotiate that. I didn't know, you know,
I didn't know how to fight for things. And plus
you were rejected all the time, Like when I pitched
movies all the time, they always said no, it's great,
but no, And I just thought, maybe I didn't write
well enough, maybe I didn't pitch. I didn't know that
they were never going to green light a Latino movie.
(08:14):
I didn't understand that, so I doubted my writing, but
I'm winning awards, I'm broady, I'm winning awards off Broadway,
Obie's Out of Critics, Drama circles, Tony nominations all over
the place. So I was like trying to reconstruct the
world for myself to understand what was going on.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Where was where were the roadblocks? Who were the gatekeepers
not allowing me to move forward?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
You know?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I had to dissect that so that I could understand
and say it wouldn't happen to other people.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Do you think of yourself as a Latino actor all
the time? Yeah, I loved that from the beginning.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Yes, I love that. People were trying to tell me.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
You didn't hide it because you were not getting the
roles that you wanted so.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
Well, they told me that.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
My agents told me like, change your names, stay out
of the sun. Now tell me a Latin know, And
I was like, nah, I grew up and I got
beat up for being Latino. I am so proud of
who I am because of all the things I had
to go through, and I love my culture. I was like, nah,
I'm not changing myself from the beginning, you were you, yeah, John.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
See, one of the things that I love is that
now we don't just see you on film, but we
also see you on cable news. You know, I'm a
news junkie like my dad, and so I know that
you recently did your your second premiere for your MSNBC
(09:37):
Lay Simon does America. The first season was a complete success,
one of the most watched shows on Peacock. So I'm
wondering when thinking about that show, how do you choose
your stories? But more than anything, do you have to
fight to tell those stories?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Like?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Is it a fight to get those stories on screen? Not?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Once we got greenlit that what was selling the show
was impossible. We pitched it for six years and nobody,
nobody got it until says our Conde, the first Latino executive. Yeah,
so yeah, I mean he understood the value of what
I was doing, looking for Latin excellence, looking for Latin exceptionalism,
(10:14):
looking for Latin joy.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
But you're literally saying that for six years, you hitch
that and no, no.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
And he got it and boom there we are.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
And then season two, you know, uh, which was we
I feel season two is even better than season one.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
But it's yeah, it's so powerful.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
What changed then? I mean, if it was so difficulty
to you six years and then now it was easier.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Well, well, once we did season one, we understood what
we were doing.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
And then you you you you you have to break
it in.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
You have to like try to understand what works, what
doesn't work, give it of what doesn't work, and boom.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
So the second season you're better.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Third season you're even better because you understand even more
about what are the dynamics and what works in the show.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Probably what I want to understand is if you think
that something is changing in the country, that's somehow that
kind of production.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
No, no, I'm just talking about I'm just talking about the show.
I'm not talking about how it's doing. I don't know
yet what the numbers are for season two.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
I don't have them yet.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
All right, let me let me jump to the other Americans.
You're going to rehearsal right now, right, Yes, I'm going
just in just in just a few minutes. Yes, I
am all right. So this is about a Columbian American
londot owner in Queens who's struggling with a failing business.
You tell me if I'm no, you're hitting all the
(11:28):
points with mental health issues.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
No, he's not have mental health issues. His son has
mental health.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Issues, all right, and then there's a rocky relationship between
father and son.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Yes, uh, well, well the Other Americans is about the
American dream and what happens to American dream while you're
chasing it, while you're Latino. You know the difficulty of
what's been promised to everyone and yet eludes us as Latinos.
Why because I know so many people. I talk to
(11:57):
so many people around the country, because through my show
and and and all the all the organizations, and I
hear from executives the medical industry, the tech industry, how
Latinos are not promoted, They're not given the opportunities, not
getting the bank loans.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
Women are Latino women are number.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
One startup businesses in America, which is the driving force
of the American economy. They're also the least likely to
get a venture capitalist to invest in them or bank
loan to be given to.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
What're trying to say that the American dreaming is killing us?
Speaker 3 (12:33):
No, the American dream is not. They're not giving it
to us. They're dangling it.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
But it's like, look look at you, look a look
at me? Is in the three three people.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Okay, but what we're almost seventy million, eighty million if
you count my undocumented brothers and sisters.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Well, I was actually going to say, one of the
thoughts that I've recently had is is whether or not
you know this, this notion of the American dream is
actually a myth, right, And I think to your point,
like sometimes it costs people. I mean, it literally costs
people's lives. And I think I spent so much time
now with families that are self deporting, that are kind
of like letting go of that American dream. So I
think your play is probably kind of a north star,
(13:12):
know of a what we deserve, but also like keep going.
But I do think it's a fair question, like was
it was it a myth?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Is it am Mexican? My namegrand from Mexico? And and
then if I had stayed in Mexico, who knows what
would have happened to me as as a journalist. And
now I can talk to you, I'm.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Here, so I'm glad you're here, hey, exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
And so so for me, the American dream it worked.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
It worked for me, right, and and it and it
worked for me, I mean, it was a very difficult,
treacherous journey.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
But it worked for me too. But I know so many.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
People that doesn't work for And I see them and
then my friends, and they have so much talent. They're geniuses,
and no one is using them for one single reason
because the Latino not because of their ability. Because they
can sing, they can dance, they can act, they're funny,
and I'm like, my god, that talent, You're a star, superstar.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
No they're not. They're not being cast.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
What will change that at this point, I mean, give it.
Given the state of the country, given where we're at, well.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
We still have to keep fighting.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Me Just because uh the administration wants to destroy DEI
and Affirmative Action and and uh all these programs doesn't
mean we have to stop. I mean we've been The
thing about Latinos is we faced this since the beginning
of this country. Unfortunately, this is the fourth time that
they've come after us to deport US American citizens and Latinos.
(14:42):
It happened when when the Idalgo, when when they they
invaded Mexico and took.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
It from to it you know all the numbers, but
then you know, they asked a lot of Mexican people
who were who were there in that in Texas Arizona
to fight with us against Mexico, and they did, and
they promised them to keep their lands, to keep their
political power, and of course they lied and they deported
(15:11):
them and got rid of them.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
They said, you're a danger because we can't trust you
now because you have loyalties. So they took their lands
and then they did it again.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And kay, well we have nineteen fifty one operation what back. Yes,
they reported a million.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
A million and a half and some of them were
American citizens and some of them and.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Then they did it until they died in the process.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Yes, Repatriation Act. In nineteen twenty nine, they deported.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Two million Latinos, most of them are American citizens, and
took their land, their home, their wealth.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah. I mean, so what they're saying this is the
four time now with the rates and.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yes, but I mean yeah, because you know, they're grabbing
American citizens and they don't care. And it's people who
are the driving force of the economy, the essential laborers
who are feeding us, who are doing construction, who are painting, plumbers, carpenters,
who are doing everything to keep this country running.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
I mean, it's no secret that you are extremely outspoken
against Trump. I mean, you just have to go on
your social media literally every day. I'm like, what does
Joonne have to say today? I'm curious does being this
politically outspoken? Does that impact your career at all?
Speaker 3 (16:16):
I think the problem was when I first became political
that I saw my following drop by a half.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
When then by first, when was.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Twenty sixteen, I got very political. I wasn't as political.
I mean I was always a little political, but not
outspoken and not sticking my neck and not an activist.
But when I did that, I lost half my found
and I got tons of hate and tons of attacks
and trolls.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
And I didn't have that before because if you stay.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Quiet and silent, you know, you can go underneath the
radar and nobody notices.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Sixteen with Trump, yeah, when he got out, well, when.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
He started attacking latinos and I was like, what is
going on here? How does that get you anywhere? And
then I was hoping that that would't have success, but
he did.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Has it made it harder to get new projects off
the ground.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
I think I think hollywoods in a tough predicament right now. Anyway,
I think there are more Latino roles than they have been.
I mean, you have Diego Luna in Star Wars, you
have Pedro Pascal and and and tons of movies. I
mean that that's incredible. And Jenny Ortega, I mean, I
(17:25):
mean it's not it's not parody. Sure it's not equal
to our population and our contribution to the economy, but
it's better than what it has to be.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
It must be like it maybe six or percent. That's something.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Is it something given to us or somehow the process?
The process is changing because I'm seeing you, I'm seeing
about Longoriades and many others who are saying, if they're
not giving us the roles that we want, we're going
to create them.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
And then yeah, but who's gonna green light it?
Speaker 3 (17:56):
But you can say that, but who's going to green light?
The problem with movies is there's expensive Yeah I want
to take that role. Yeah I'm going to create that role,
but go try getting it produced. I mean, good luck.
I mean, if you have to ask a white gatekeeper
who's an executive, to beg them to put to do
your movie, and maybe they will, maybe they won't. They'll
(18:17):
easily put you in a lead in a product that
they developed, but a whole Latino story hardly.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Ever, So you the thing is, it is changing not
as much.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Look, I mean white.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
People are overrepresented, which is crazy. I mean they always have.
I didn't realize that because they're only forty eight point
nine percent of the population. For nine point eight percent
of the population, but they have like almost one hundred
percent executives one hundred you know, ninety percent of the stories.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
That yeah, I mean, it's crazy, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
And then people of color are you know, forty one
percent of the population, but we don't have that much
executive I mean the executive and Latinos were twenty percent.
I want twenty percent executives. I want twenty percent of stories.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Not yet? It isn't happening. Yes, it should happen, should
I agree with you, it should happen.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
It should.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
But it's not happened soon. No, not now? I mean,
but why not?
Speaker 4 (19:12):
That's what That's the thing I wanted to happen.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Now.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
I'm impatient, I can tell.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, I mean, you're frustrated.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
I don't think because of the moment that we're living politically,
I mean, the country is changing dramatically, so you think
in this moment in which thousands are being arrested and
deported disappear, when there's so many attacks on journalists, on
professors and judges, that it is going to happen now
because maybe this is a moment of resistance. I don't
(19:39):
see a moment of improvement.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
But I think in these moments, it is when resistance
gets stronger, we organize better. I mean, I think these
attacks and this administration is forcing us is a galvanization.
It's forcing us to unite, to organize better, and to
and to step up and speak out.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
And I think that's when change happens.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Do you do you think this is the moment.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Yeah, I think him forcing us and firing and taking
the names off boats of important Latino history, uh heroes
in history, and erasing all the eras around women in black.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Folk, the museums, the Smithsonian, erasing our history.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Completely taking it out. It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I mean, it's it's appalling, but I think it's a
moment for us to use it to organize better. I mean,
I'm talking to a lot of Latino activists, Latino organizers,
and we're all talking about the same thing and figuring
out better ways to organize.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
It what happened in l A. You think the protests
against the anti polis is that what you're expecting.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
More than that, you need march, You need marches, but
you also need people on the phone, talking, zooming, figuring
out what do we do. How do we speak to
these corporations, How do we speak to the technocrats, How
do we talk to to all these people in power
who are gatekeepers?
Speaker 4 (21:02):
How do we force their hand into changing things.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I think mobilizing also requires I think the community feeling
a lot of solidarity amongst them. Latinos have to feel
like they're part of one, and I think we are
in a moment where some people see some cracks and
some people see us very siloed. And I'm curious just
about the way that you see the idea of Latinidad
right now, how you're thinking about that identity, particularly as
(21:34):
you're talking to people on the ground and you're telling
you stories like do you see us as united as
you always have?
Speaker 3 (21:39):
I mean, I've always felt like we were one because
I grew up in America, you know. I mean, so
I grew up with Latinos from every past, every country,
you know. I grew up with Ecuadorians, Colombians, Mexicans, Salvadorians, Hondurians, Dominicans,
Puerto Ricans, Cubans.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I grew up with everybody America continent.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Yeah, was in Jackson Heights, was in Corona, and I
grew up with them and they were my brothers and sisters.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
So I never felt like we were different. I felt
like we were more the same.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
And and I feel like what I'm organizing with people,
I'm organized with people from all different uh you know, uh,
denominations or whatever, the whole diaspora of Latini that you know.
And I don't feel a separateness. I don't feel a
differentness from talking to Mexican activists and my Puerto Rican
activists and my Columbia I don't feel a different.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
So you think there's a connection between Puerto Ricano Scubanos Mexicanos,
But also I think you go beyond that because you
sometimes make a connection between let's say, check Evaristecas and
the Incas and says chavist Are we all connected or
what's the common ground among all Latinos?
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Well, I think the most common thing obviously is language,
but secondly it's also our indigenouity, that's also a big unifier.
And then for us, for a lot of others of us,
it's our Afro Latini that.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
As well well.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
I mean these are big unifiers, you know. I feel like,
you know, knowing that somebody is indigenous for me is
a big deal.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
For me.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
It's like I can see it in your face and
my brain does like a like a a schwartzenek a termination.
I can tell y'all the percentages of your indigenaity and
your AffA Latini dot, and that that means a lot
to me.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
I think a lot of people would would try and
make sense of this idea that John a Columbian American
is like deeply and profoundly interested in the farm workers
movement and the SUITSU riots in you know, aspects of
our Latino culture that many would say have nothing to
do with you.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Yeah, because I do.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Believe that we can be grouped and it's to our benefit,
it's our benefit to unite and be one group and
demand what we deserve, opportunities and in executive offices to
be CEOs. And I don't know, I feel such a
community with my Mexican brothers and sisters, my Dominican, my
(24:02):
Cuban my I don't know.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
I love them all.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
I love the slight differences and accents and the slight
differences in slang and food.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
But I feel when I'm together and we're talking and
hanging out, I feel with the same. I don't feel
that difference at all.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
I just don't.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
And also when I'm organizing or we're doing events with
in my Hen or with Montic Remedie. So with all
these incredible activists, I don't feel like, oh, You're Mexican
and I'm not.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
You're over there and I'm over here. No, I feel
like she's my sister. I feel like she's a part
of me. I don't feel a separateness.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
So if you had to tell sort of the through line,
the connected story of the Latino community, what is that.
What's the heart of that story?
Speaker 3 (24:46):
I mean, we were in indigenous empires that was colonized,
and we're the only group, ethnic group in the world
that our religion was destroyed, our language, and our culture
was destroyed, and we're almost genocided and here we are
contributed four trillion dollars to the GDP of the United States.
That's my identity, that we were these great empires that
(25:08):
we gave the world so much, and here we are,
you know, still fighting for for what is what should
be our rightfully ours.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
Did Trump's success with Latino voters right, he gets forty
five percent of the Latino vote, He wins Latino men voters,
did that change your mind at all about Latinia and
this concept of our unity?
Speaker 4 (25:30):
Well, I know, I know we're not monolithic.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
I know we have a lot of hyper Christian Latinos
that you know, don't agree. I don't agree with on
all issues in terms of I know a lot of
Christian Latinos are homophobic and anti abortion and I'm not
those things. I know we have a difference there, but
we have to, you know, figure out how to unite.
(25:54):
But what Trump Trump's effect on Latinos was more his lies.
They believe his lies about jobs, because Latinos for the
most part, were you know, at the bottom of the
food chain, and what we care about is feeding our families,
you know, and moving ahead.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
So when he says I got big jobs, big jobs coming.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
We didn't.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
People believe that.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
And they believe that.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
They believe and he lied to every single one of them,
and they believe that so that's unfortunate, but that hopefully
I hope it won't happen again.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
But because one of the things that I think about
a lot, and you, as someone that is so keen
on educating us about our history and talking about the
importance of indigenous people and after Latinos and talking about
slavery and colonialism, you do that very well. But when
I'm out there reporting, I sometimes feel that there are
folks within our community that don't want to see those
(26:44):
darker sides of us now, that are unwilling to sort
of understand the sort of like colonial and racial baggage
that we carry from Latin America. Is I guess when
when you're out there like teaching us the real thing, Like,
how do you have those conversations with folks?
Speaker 3 (26:57):
Well, I guess if people are coming to me or
they're my house in terms of theaters or venues that
I'm performing, and obviously they already are sympatical with me.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Yeah, so can you have conversations with non sympaticos? I mean,
because you have that ability?
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Yeah, yeah, I've had a conversations. Yeah what does that?
Speaker 2 (27:15):
What does that look like?
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I mean, you know, I'm not as good We're talking
to people who are who are Latinos, who I'm not
sympathetic with. It upsets me a little bit. So I
have to learn how to be calmer and more accepting
so I can talk to him. Because I know there's
a lot of Colombians and Venezuelans who have become sort
of socialists. Kind of triggers them because of I guess
(27:40):
what happened is they blame Chavis and Maduro for the
ills of Venezuela, and then Colombians are blaming them for
all the immigrants coming to Colombia and they're getting you know,
so you know, I have to talk to them about
because look, socialism programs are important, like the post office,
like the police department, like the fire department, like just
social security, like public education. These are socialist programs. It's
(28:05):
not you know, I'm a Democrat, socialist democrat.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
So yeah, so yeah, yeah, the first time I heard
that from you. Yeah, is that a change. I mean,
I've always been I've always voting for Democrats. I'm guessing
I've always voted.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
For democrats, dam my whole life. But you know, I've
always had socialist leanings. You know, I always felt like
it was important that everybody have access to the same
things that I felt like. Education shouldn't be a privilege,
it's a right. Medicine is a not a privilege, it's
a right.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Now you're openly a socialist, Yeah, I'm a democratic socialist.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
You mentioned your son. I know that your plate touches
on mental health, and did you talk about mental health
with your kids when they were growing up.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
I mean, you know, I always want my kids to
do tons of therapy because I did tons of therapy.
You know, they wouldn't let me back in school in
high school because I was a problem child. So I
had to go to therapy since I was seventeen and
it's saved my life. So I find therapy. I tell
all that people go to therapy. We're the people that
need it the most in the world.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
We talk about that never. I think that's that's what
we need to hear. Hear that or more conversations with him.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Yea, thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
The Moment is a production of Radio Bulantes Studios in
partnership with iHeart Michael to the podcast network.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Our staff includes Daniella Larcon, Lauda, Rojasa Ponte, Miguel Santiago Colon,
and Lisa Serda, with the help from Paula Alian, Diego Corso,
Natalie Ramirez and Elsa Liana Joa. Our theme song is
by Elias Gonzalez. The CEO Radio Bulante Studios is Carolina Guerrero.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Executive producers I Heart are Arlene Santana and Leo Romes.
Pablo Calda also serves as a producer.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
If you like the moment Pegusta podcast en Espanol, look
for Radio Bulante Historias de Toda America Latina wherever you
listen to podcasts.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
I'm horc ramos in ambaulla ramas.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Thanks for listening.
Hosts And Creators
Wilmer Valderrama
Freddy Rodriguez
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