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October 10, 2025 • 13 mins

Diosa and Mala worked the red carpet for the 40th Annual Imagen Awards! In this star-studded minisode, you'll hear from Latino actors about the role of the artists during times of political crisis and what they imagine the next 40 years could look like for Latinos in Hollywood.

Tune in to hear from: Mayan Lopez,Fabrizio Guido, Manuel Uriza, Jalen Barron, Edward James Olmos, Danny Trejo, Marta Mendez Cross, Rose Portillo, and Helen Fernandez. 

Special thanks to Arlene Santana and Jackie Valdivia for their assistance in producing this episode. 

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/locatora_productions

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Look at Alady.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Today we're bringing you a bonus episode from the star
studded Imahin Awards. On August twenty second, Mala and I
got glammed up to work the red carpet for the
fortieth annual Imahin Awards.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Since nineteen eighty five, the Imahin Awards has shined a
light on the best, most talented, and accurate portrayals of
Latinos in film, television, and streaming media. It was a
night of celebration and we got to interview some of
our favorite Latino artists, actors, writers, and filmmakers.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
As celebratory and impactful as the night was, we felt
compelled to ask legacy and emerging actors about the role
of the artists during times of political crisis. Here's Mayan Lopez,
the co star of Lopez Versus Lopez.

Speaker 4 (00:57):
How do you feel we should be craft and shaping
our stories about our Latino community in Hollywood.

Speaker 5 (01:04):
We tried to do the best we could on Lopez
Versus Lopez for either three seasons on Network, and I
think with that being gone, I see there are things happening,
but it's almost things are happening so much to our people,
so fast that we can't even acknowledge. I think just
I've been seeing so many things of short form. You know,
I don't know how like with Hollywood right now, how

(01:26):
much is going to get made, But I think there's
a lot that we can do ourselves and supporting any
projects that come out, but also you know, really finding
the truth and just trying to show people that were
human and that his experiences and these stories, because these
stories need to be told.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
Next, we have the chance to chat with Fabricio Guido,
who was nominated at the Amahin Awards for Best Supporting
Actors for his role in Running Point, where he acts
opposite Kate Hudson.

Speaker 6 (01:54):
And if you could give flowers to any Latina in
film past or present, who would that be?

Speaker 7 (02:00):
Can I choose an entire cast, the whole cast of
Blood and Blood Out?

Speaker 6 (02:05):
I love it? H Yeah, tell me why.

Speaker 7 (02:08):
I mean, I was amazed by those performances. I still am.
I think they were snubbed of an Oscar. Honestly, the
vulnerability that they put up in those scenes, it's impacted
my own work.

Speaker 8 (02:20):
So I just, yeah, that movie's really special to me.

Speaker 6 (02:23):
And thirty six years ago, actually Edward James almost was
the first Chicano nominated for an Oscar, First Stand and Deliver.
How does it feel knowing that and being here at
the fortieth.

Speaker 7 (02:33):
I feel like each one of us comes here and
we represent our shows or our movies or things that
we're doing, and it almost feels a little bit singular.
But I would love for us to start collaborating even more,
be able to work on the show, whether it's more
than one Latino but a whole Latine audience, you know,
all Latin cast.

Speaker 8 (02:50):
I think that's a stepping the right direction.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Here's Manuel Luisa, who was nominated for Best Actor for
his role in Jenny Well.

Speaker 6 (02:59):
How do you hope are stories in times of crisis,
in times of turmoil, in times of political up people,
how do you hope, I let you know, stories are
told on screen.

Speaker 9 (03:09):
I hope they're told honestly, and I hope that they're
told simply as well, because we are complex people, We
are multi layered, and we are I think we're done
being pitch and hooled. We are much more complex to
fit into the everyday stories of this evolving world. Really,
so I hope, like I said, they're honest and they're

(03:30):
simple and they don't pitch in holders anymore, because we're
much much more than that.

Speaker 3 (03:34):
Next on the red Carpet, we spoke with Jalen Baron,
who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama
for Sports Story. Aaron Hernandez, if you could.

Speaker 4 (03:44):
Dream up what the next forty years would look like,
what would you say.

Speaker 10 (03:49):
In front of the camera, behind the camera, writing and
putting us all on and putting us in roles that
they know that we can execute that, somebody who actually
knows our culture and setting up a kitchen scene like
deep Deecon. I was just talking to this young lady
over there. I forget his name, but you know, yes,
have that on in the kitchen at your grandma's house.

(04:11):
That's what I want to see on TV.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
Is like the real life.

Speaker 8 (04:14):
How we grew up.

Speaker 3 (04:15):
We had the immense honor of interviewing the one, the only,
the iconic, Edward James almost How did it feel to.

Speaker 4 (04:23):
Be here tonight in a room full of Latinos being recognized.

Speaker 8 (04:27):
It's beautiful. It's been this way for forty years.

Speaker 11 (04:30):
This is the last of the major contributions of giving
to the artistry of Latino culture coming from all of
the meta America. And not only you know I went
from Central America or South America, or from the North America,
Mexico and the United States, Alivetto America and Puerto Rico,
everything in Spain.

Speaker 8 (04:52):
I say to every portante you Beto America is huge.

Speaker 11 (04:56):
And it's trappresented here tonight, and that grateful Lady Mack
in a way I have been able to sustain for
forty years.

Speaker 8 (05:02):
So I say to you and everyone that's here tonight,
I'm just lying.

Speaker 11 (05:05):
Thank you for bringing awareness and attention to the fortieth
anniversary one of the most exquisite events of its kind
in the United States.

Speaker 8 (05:14):
The only one left you Mocket.

Speaker 4 (05:16):
Awards, absolutely and thirty six years ago you were the
first chikanof after nominated for an Oscar. How do you
feel we've progressed or stay the same in Hollywood?

Speaker 8 (05:27):
We haven't. We haven't progressed.

Speaker 11 (05:29):
I'm the only one, and I got that nomination for
the Academy Award back in nineteen eighty eight, and since
then there's been no one else has given any performance
at the Merits. The Academy Award nomination something wrong. All
I can say, I'm very proud of the work that
I've done, and you know, the work that I've done

(05:50):
has been recorded in the annals of history and will
be seen into the future.

Speaker 8 (05:57):
Can't stop it, and that's the power of the medium.
So I'm very.

Speaker 11 (06:02):
Grateful, but I'm very saddened by the fact that I'm
the only one.

Speaker 8 (06:05):
It's not an honor.

Speaker 11 (06:07):
It's actually puts a big sign on the fact that
we are not equal. And to me, equality is the
basis of understanding life.

Speaker 8 (06:17):
We're all equal.

Speaker 6 (06:19):
What is the role of Latino artists and artistic communities
in times like these?

Speaker 11 (06:25):
The role is really to be who you are and
to bring a sense of understanding and to give more
than you received.

Speaker 8 (06:32):
We can't change it unless we all vote, you know,
to stop it. And obviously there was a lot of
us that voted to let this happen. And now those people.

Speaker 11 (06:44):
That voted for this kind of policy of political policy
have to endure and undergo the responsibility.

Speaker 8 (06:53):
Of what they've done. And I, for one say, the
truth will prevail.

Speaker 6 (07:00):
And how can the next generation of Latino artists carry
the torch that you have carried for so long?

Speaker 12 (07:06):
How can they carry the torch? And Latinos can carry
it too much just by being who they are. Just
stay Latinos, stay proud, stay in, stay strong in your
understanding of humanity, and give more than you receive.

Speaker 8 (07:20):
That's the key. That's what you're doing here tonight. You're
giving more than you're receiving.

Speaker 11 (07:26):
You're receiving my information, but you're going to give it
to thousands of people.

Speaker 8 (07:30):
So thank you, thank you.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
We also spoke with legendary Danny Drejo.

Speaker 6 (07:36):
Right now, our country is in a moment of great
political turmoil and crisis with the immigration policy. What is
the role of Latino creatives and filmmakers in times of
crisis like these.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
I think it's actually exactly what we're doing, trying to
make films that matter.

Speaker 13 (07:53):
You're trying to make films that say what's going on,
trying to make films just a little bit.

Speaker 8 (07:57):
This isn't right. And as long as we do that.

Speaker 1 (08:01):
Then we'll do what we're supposed to do.

Speaker 11 (08:03):
It's really hard for people in the industry to get into.

Speaker 8 (08:09):
Politics, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (08:11):
We also had the chance to chat with Martha Mendez Cross,
whose film Last thres Sisters was nominated at the Amahan
Awards for Best Feature Film.

Speaker 8 (08:20):
The reason we made this.

Speaker 14 (08:21):
Film was to create a love letter to our community.
And we chose Mexico specifically because they share our border.
And we wanted to show Mexico Mexico lingo because the
fact that most of most of the films you see
will see a yellow film across it. You'll see you know,
we have torn down areas in the US too, but
that's what they're showing. So we wanted to show everything

(08:43):
that was beautiful about Mexico. We wanted to show audiences
and reflect who they are so that they can say,
I see me, thank you. And we had audience members
say to us, thank you.

Speaker 2 (08:53):
For loving us and for us.

Speaker 14 (08:55):
It's important to show and change the biases of the US.
We made this for the so they could see Latinos
and a country in a different way. It's imperative.

Speaker 3 (09:05):
The Amahan Awards highlighted for me how long some of
these actors have been working and talent like Edward James,
almost Danny Trejon, and people who don't get as much
attention like Rose Bortillo, who acted recently in Alexander and
The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip. But

(09:27):
as a young actress, she appeared in zoot Suit in
the film by Luis Valdez, and I just watched it
the other day. She was so young and she's been
working for decades. And to see her still there, still
walking red carpets and in this community with the very
next generation of Latinos as young as I don't know
nine was really incredible to see and to be a

(09:49):
part of.

Speaker 2 (09:50):
And Rose Portillo was very moved by your question because
you talked to her about her film, and I think
that she was not expecting for anyone to ask her
about that film on that red carpet, and so she
was very moved. Here's Rose.

Speaker 15 (10:04):
We were all so aware of how important it was
to be a part of that and the hope that
it would lead to.

Speaker 13 (10:15):
More, and it was a long time in more coming.

Speaker 15 (10:20):
So to be in this room with all this noise
and all the product that this noise symbolizes, it's a
really good, proud feeling.

Speaker 6 (10:34):
And what message do you have for the next generation
of Latino filmmakers?

Speaker 15 (10:39):
Know your history and don't stop.

Speaker 2 (10:44):
And finally we spoke with Helen Fitting on this, the
president of the Mahin Foundation and co founder of the
Amahin Awards. If you could dream up the next forty years,
what would that look like for Latinos in Hollywood.

Speaker 13 (10:57):
We wouldn't need the Amahan Awards. That everyone would be
provided the same opportunities and experiences that everyone else is receiving,
that they would be considered for the Oscars and the
Emmys and the Golden Globes. You know, if our community
was really taken seriously, you wouldn't need the Amaha Awards.
That's why they're more important than ever right now. We're

(11:20):
the only opportunity lift up our creatives and to celebrate
our contributions.

Speaker 3 (11:28):
One of my favorite parts of the Amahin Awards was
really seeing the wide range of Latino stories that are
being told in film, in television, and in broadcast journalism.
I really appreciate the amount awards for uplifting and celebrating
those storytellers and really giving those Latino stories a platform

(11:49):
that was live and in person and that we got
to share in as a community, but that was also
broadcast on PBS.

Speaker 2 (11:58):
I think one of my favorite things was of course
covering the Amacan Awards for iHeartRadio's my podcast network, but
also just seeing all these Latino artists in their elements
they all kept saying, like, we feel like it's Domos
in familia tonight because they were just all with each
other and like they kept like coming into each other's

(12:19):
interviews and like just hugging and just everyone. I thought
that was such a beautiful thing to witness, as like
working as someone working in the red carpet. This episode
was produced by me Fosfem and Mala Munios, with special
help from Arlene Santana and Jackie Fativia. You can listen
to all ten seasons of Lokata Radio on the iHeartRadio

(12:42):
app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 1 (12:44):
Besitos Look Radio Local, La Na
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