Our Story

We are excited to keep expanding the community and initiate more opportunities for us to be connected in a real, substantial way and grow together in our craft and business as creatives and entertainment professionals.

Angelique Rivera & Rob Alicea, Co-Founders

How it began

In August of 2022, Angelique Rivera, like many other Latines in the industry, noticed a devastating trend: Latine shows and movies seemed, well, dispensable. With the cancellation of the well-reviewed Gordita Chronicles and the deletion of Batgirl, there was a palpable sense of disappointment and frustration within our community. In response, Angelique wrote an encouraging tweet to her followers - many of whom are Latine and Hispanic entertainment professionals - which gained some traction.

The responses, retweets, and comments made one thing very clear: we need support. We need to feel seen, heard, and uplifted. We need each other. We need connection. So Angelique followed up with another tweet, which became a thread of Latines from around the world sharing their art.

Enter Rob Alicea! Thanks to the magic of the algorithm, Rob saw the thread and replied. He was inspired and felt that he and Angelique should take it further - starting Zoom meetings with other artists from the thread.

Where we are now

The L.I.F.E. community meets once a month on Zoom with the goal of building genuine connections. It’s also a safe space where creatives of all levels can seek help, support, and advice from fellow members. What makes our community unique is that our members are located across the country and are descendants of Latin America and Spain—bringing a wide range of perspectives that reflect the true diversity of the Latin and Hispanic community. It’s a space where all voices are welcomed and heard.

We also have an open-door policy: anyone who believes in our mission is welcome to join - whether you’re an ally, a creative outside the entertainment industry, a volunteer, a business partner, or a fan. Together, we aim to uplift Latin and Hispanic talent in Hollywood and around the world.

One of our first L.I.F.E. initiatives was the creation of a member database - a shared resource to encourage collaboration and ensure accessibility within the community. A public-facing version of that database is now available on this website under the “Community” tab. It’s part of our ongoing effort to increase visibility and eliminate the tired excuse that “they couldn’t find Latine talent” for above- or below-the-line roles.

And this is just the beginning.

Members

Comprised of 100+dedicated members and allies.

Events

We have facilitated numerous virtual and in-person events to build our community.

Support & Partners

Encouragement and accountability for members to achieve their respective career goals. Working with other organizations and industryl eaders to grow the impact of the Latino community in the Entertainment industry.

Our Mission

Latinos In Film + Entertainment is an organization of creatives driven to empower its members to become formidable professionals, both in front and behind the camera, by providing guidance and resources at various stages of their careers.

We believe that together, we can bridge the gaps in Latino representation so that our community can continue to excel in the entertainment industry.