Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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Latino students challenge media stereotypes

2016-11-22_Latino_Rep_Juan
Juan Figueroa

A student-led panel, hosted by Latino Community Affairs, discussed how the Latino community is misrepresented in mainstream media on Monday night.

Ilse Colchado, co-director of communications for Latino Community Affairs, said LCA wanted to highlight stereotypes in the media surrounding Latinos. 

Colchado said she feels Latinos are consistently negatively portrayed in mainstream media, leading people to view her as unintelligent and lazy. 


“I remember when I stepped into that [first classroom at UT], I was immediately questioned whether I should be there or not,” said Colchado, radio-television-film sophomore. “I feel those stereotypes in media emphasized we weren’t smart enough.”

Advertising senior Erasto Renteria said this stereotype follows him into other aspects of his life.

“If you see someone who’s never met you before, or a Latino person, they already have that stereotype of you that the media presented,” Renteria said.

Education sophomore Alma Rosado said she felt her heritage as a Latina was being used as a medium for comedy and that little consideration is given to cultural or personal importance.

Rosado said it’s her job to inform her classmates that what the media portrays doesn’t represent her. 

“I have to educate others and say, ‘just because you saw that on T.V., it isn’t me,’” Rosado said.

After the discussion, economics junior Damien Rodriguez said he thinks Latino characters are sexualized or dramatized and not shown as normal people.  

“I get the sense that the Latinas or the superstars that are women are sexualized and very loud and exaggerated,” Rodriguez said.

Colchado said the lack of Latino representation in the media stems from the uppermost levels of management, because in current American media, less than 10 percent of all producers and directors are Latino, Colchado said.

“As I was growing up, I never saw representation of a Latina as an empowered woman, a doctor or lawyer,” Colchado said. “It was more like as a maid or super exotic when I’m a normal person.”

Colchado said it is necessary to ask the hard questions and continue to bring together the Latino community to foster an empowered Latino student body.

“I feel like this is empowerment for the Latino community,” Colchado said. “There is a heavy burden on us to carry a positive representation into our classrooms, into work, and day to day life.”

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Latino students challenge media stereotypes