This episode is brought to you by The Evergreen Initiative at The Action Lab NY, whom recently appointed Rachel La Loca as an Artist In Action Fellow! A round of virtual applause please!
The Action Lab brings together organizers, artists, and cultural leaders to build the strategies and creative infrastructure movements need to win. Through the Evergreen Initiative, art isn't just a backdrop for social change—it's one of the most powerful forces shaping how we understand the world, honor our communities, and imagine what's possible.
So whether we're laughing with groundbreaking women in comedy (stay tuned for the next episode of LOL!), talking with filmmakers documenting the climate crisis, or sharing stories that challenge and inspire us, this partnership was developed to connect with people using creativity to move culture forward. Learn more about the org at www.actionlabny.org.
Speaking of using creativity to move the culture forward, this episode's guest has been giving filmmakers a conduit for their stories for decades. A thought leader for those of us in media, Luis Ortiz is the Managing Director of Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB), the largest Latino content developer and funder in public media. He is responsible for overseeing the development, financing, and production of Latino-themed programming broadcast on PBS.
Luis is also the Series Producer for VOCES-- LPB's acclaimed PBS documentary series. VOCES highlights the best of Latino arts, culture, and history, bringing powerful stories from established and new filmmakers to a national audience. See below for more info on this season's films. You can catch them on PBS right now! www.pbs.org/show/voces/
My Queerceañera: Coming Of Age At 50
Marcos Nieves (Producer/Director)
In honor of Pride Month, VOCES SHORTS kicks off with this portrait of Karyna, an immigrant transgender woman in Arizona about to turn 50, who is determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of celebrating her quinceañera. Despite her family and society not fully accepting her, she strives to pave the way for other transgender women to celebrate their true selves, regardless of age and their circumstances in life.
Maria Mealla (Writer/Director)
This sly comedy is the story of Juana, who is entering puberty and dealing with all that comes with it, including body hair. Relentlessly bullied, with no support from her mother in shedding her hairy shame, Juana crusades into the new world of hair removal behind her mom’s back.
Amity Hoffmann and Ida Joglar (Producer/Directors)
Annabel Hernandez, a performer with Down syndrome from Wichita, Kansas, shares her life and interviews friends and family about their perceptions of people with Down syndrome in this intimate documentary portrait.
Juan Carlos Dávila (Director)
Caribbean fishermen are desperately trying to adapt to rising sea temperatures. This documentary follows a crew of fishermen in Vieques, Puerto Rico, who are forced to navigate further and further into the open sea in order to catch enough fish to make a living.
Sangre Violenta, Sangre Violeta
Arturo R. Jiménez and Edna Diaz (Directors)
Why does the Mexican government consider the feminist movement a bigger threat than most drug cartels? In this powerful film, a grieving father, an inspiring musician and survivor, and a radical feminist collective confront the horrifying reality of the epidemic of gender violence in Mexico.
About Latino Public Broadcasting
For over 28 years, Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) has been developing award-winning film and digital media that explores the history, arts and culture of Latino Americans, bringing these powerful and illuminating stories to a national audience on PBS — on TV, online and on the PBS app.
LPB projects have spotlighted Latino contributions to the arts (Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined, John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway, Raúl Julia: The World’s a Stage); told the story of Latino icons from Dolores Huerta to Luis Valdez, Tito Puente to Celia Cruz, Ruben Salazar to Roberto Clemente; explored history and politics through a Latino lens (John Leguizamo’s American Historia,Latino Vote 2024); and told stories from Mexico, Puerto Rico and Latin America (Water for Life, Reportero), many as part of its signature PBS series VOCES.
LPB programs have won over 130 awards, including three prestigious George Foster Peabody Awards as well as Emmys, Imagen Awards and documentary awards at the Sundance Film Festival, including Festival Favorite, Audience Award, NEXT Special Award for Creative Expression, and Best Director. LPB has been the recipient of the Norman Lear Legacy Award and the NCLR Alma Award for Special Achievement – Year in Documentaries. Sandie Viquez Pedlow is executive director of LPB; Edward James Olmos is co-founder and chairman.
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