It’s been nearly two years since Time’s Up, the organization built to combat discrimination and harassment against women in the workplace came into being. Since then much has been said about the representation of women of color within that fight. Actors like America Ferrera, Jennifer Lopez and Rosario Dawson have all jumped in to focus on the role of Latinas within this movement and now more is happening.
Time’s Up recently partnered with a group of activists and producers on its second annual Latinx Heritage Month event that also served as a launch for The Latinx House which aims to “create community, engagement, and further opportunities for Latinx voices in and outside of Hollywood.” Founded by Justice for Migrant Women’s Monica Ramirez, Olga Segura, and Alex Martinez Kondracke, The Latinx House aims to “unite and rally the Latinx community by creating physical ‘houses’ at places of cultural and political significance.”
Described as focusing on setting up in “places of consequence” by Ramirez, The Latinx House will host panel discussions, educational skill-building sessions, as well as be a space for networking and other gatherings. Sundance Film Festival has already committed to working with The Latinx House at their event next year, and the organization will also have a presence at next year’s SXSW Festival as well as the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.
On Saturday, October 12, 2019, Time’s Up and The Latinx House brought together over 150 individuals in the entertainment industry and allies for a Latinx Heritage Month event. The day consisted of educational sessions on civic engagement and concluded with a reception that brought together community members who seek to help support, uplift and build power within the Latinx community.
This year’s Latinx Heritage event host committee included America Ferrera, Diane Guerrero, Christy Haubegger, Eva Longoria, Alex Martinez Kondracke, Mónica Ramírez, Angela Robinson, Gina Rodriguez, Olga Segura and Karla Souza. Tina Tchen, Time’s Up’s new President and CEO, also joined the event.
Initiatives like this are fantastic since Latino organizations have not had a high-profile presence at important festival events like Sundance. The Latinx House’s events, especially leading up to the 2020 election, will hopefully yield fruitful results.
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Update 10/22/2019: A earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that The Latinx House was a Time’s Up initiative. It is an independent organization.