Discover Career, Business and Education Opportunities in Our
Latinas on the Rise - Issue, Out Now!
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Featuring cover story
Rosie Perez
Leading Latinas In Equality
Brooklyn-born Perez began her career at the age of 19, when she appeared as a
dancer on Soul Train. As a student at Los Angeles City College, she went to dance
clubs to relieve stress, and her moves got the attention of a Soul Train talent scout. She
went on to choreograph music videos for Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown, Diana Ross
and LL Cool J.
Although she wasn’t a professional
dancer, she also caught the attention of director Spike Lee at a dance club
called Funky Reggae. Lee hired Perez for her first major movie role, starring opposite
of him, in Do the Right Thing.
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Being in the room is the way Perez said she
sees more multicultural and inclusive projects making their way to the
screen.
“I think that it’s all about being in the room
where initial decisions are made. If we are
not in those rooms, progress is still going to
continue at a snail’s pace,” said Perez, “And
the room I am talking about is filled with studio
executives. I am talking about production
companies. I am talking about the writer’s
guild…Any room that will constitute a green
light for a project to be made, we are not in
those rooms enough. And I think that is the
first step.”
But Perez said the responsibility for putting
diverse voices in the room lies with the entertainment
industry.
“The change has to start with them, not
with us…It is an embarrassment upon them
that they are still at a loss, and they need guidance
from us,” said Perez, “It is about access,
and it is about opportunity."
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