"We lived on top of this hill. There was an optical effect and it would usually happen around dusk with the light, where people were in the distance... You could actually see like seven streets down. It look like they were floating, like they were spirits. People would always say, 'Don't be afraid of them. Just let them do their thing.'"
Ben Lopez is an established leader and consultant in the global DEIB space. Born in Mexico City, raised in Tucson and based in Los Angeles, Ben developed a deep expertise and data-driven solutions to help expand the talent pipeline and elevate Latine and BIPoC communities in the entertainment, media, and tech ecosystem. Ben's early entry into the industry was as a contributor to film festivals, labs and incubators, and as an independent producer, which gave him real-world insight into the challenges faced by Latine and BIPoC filmmakers. Via his work as a producer and as the leader of NALIP, he contributed to the growing viability of Latine stories in the United States and abroad. In 2022, Ben launched L21 Consulting to help the Latine and BIPoC community thrive in an increasingly complex entertainment and media ecosystem. More recently, L21 has partnered with McDonald’s Spotlight Dorado, a multi-year platform aimed at empowering and amplifying Latino voices across different industries, starting off with film. As producer and Founder/CEO of L21, Ben remains active in creating channels to fund, support, and drive content focused on diverse communities in Hollywood and beyond.
Please follow Ben on his LinkedIn and across his other platforms. Please follow us on Instagram @latinxorcists and @sharednightlx! Coming soon to Youtube...