If you want something done right, do it yourself.
It's an age-old adage, but it's stuck around for a reason. And, unfortunately, when it comes to equality and representation, it's often still true. Zoe Saldana recognises that Latinx stories are still rare on screen, so she decided to take matters into her own hands. The Guardians of the Galaxy star is starting her own media company, BeSe, to focus on "portrayals of the modern Latino experience in America."
"Latinos are a growing community in America, but Latino stories have remained historically marginalised," the actress told The Hollywood Reporter. "I'm so excited to be leading BeSe, a truly uplifting brand that fills a niche for young audiences craving positive portrayals of the modern Latino experience in America."
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The company name, BeSe, is a combination of the English and Spanish words for "to be," THR explains. (That's "be" in English and "se" in Spanish.)
According to THR, BeSe will create content "for distribution across social and digital platforms." The new content will target millennial audiences. As the magazine notes, Latinx people make up about 18% of the United States population. But only 4% of newsrooms (and 2% of news producers) are Latinx, THR points out. That's a pretty big gap, and it's one that Saldana hopes her new company will fill.
BeSe will focus on the "untold stories of cultural pioneers reflecting and shaping the collective American experience," according to THR. It's great to see the actress is sharing more perspectives on screen — hopefully Hollywood will take a hint from the project, too.
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