Congressman Joaquin Castro Champions the Coalition’s Efforts
The Latino Representation in Publishing Coalition (LPRC), which launched today, consists of seven Latino-led organizations with a shared goal of increasing Latino representation across every sector of the Publishing Industry. The coalition is committed to the expansion of Latino representation in the field of publishing, from its published materials to executive leadership. With support from Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), a champion in advancing Latino representation in the media, the LRPC is a fresh force in the industry that will work with publishing companies to strategize tangible solutions that amplify the work of Latino creatives and promote Latino organizational staff throughout the industry.
LRPC has scheduled and/or met with the CEOs of five out of the six top publishing companies to work with them to ramp up their efforts to bolster more Latino visibility across the industry while holding legislators who are allowing or leading attacks on books accountable.
Latinos makeup nearly 20% of the US population but only account for 8% of employees in publishing. The LRPC aims to bridge this gap by working with publishing houses, including the top six, to identify opportunities to uplift Latino talent across the industry, from authors and editorial staff to c-suite executive positions. The official launch of the LRPC comes after NHMC and its coalition partners penned a letter to the top six publishing houses demanding transparency of its DEIA efforts and investment in Latino talent across every sector of its business.
“The Government Accountability Office report I commissioned on Latino representation in American media found that Hispanics make up only eight percent of the publishing sector — in a country where we’re nearly 20 percent of the workforce,” said Congressman Castro. “Latinos should have a place in publishing — from entry-level positions all the way to the c-suite. When Latinos don’t have a seat at the table where decisions about narratives in our textbooks, novels, newspapers, and magazines are made, our stories are often ignored, told inaccurately, or riddled with harmful stereotypes, creating a black hole that allows bigotry to fester. The Latino Representation in Publishing Coalition is an important collaboration that will fight for Latino inclusion in the spaces we rightfully belong. With LRPC’s help, publishing can become a more diverse field that helps Americans understand who Latinos are and what we’ve contributed to this country.”
At a time when LGBTQ authors and authors of color are targets of banned book attempts by local governments, the launch of the LRPC is rooted in the belief that authentic representation in publishing is vital, especially when literary narratives are utilized for educational or entertainment purposes.
The LRPC is made up of seven Latino-led organizations, including Dignidad Literaria, the Latino Corporate Directors Association, Latinx in Publishing, The Latinx House, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition.
Click here for more information on the Latino Representation in Publishing Coalition.