A LIFETIME OF WORK FOR THE LATIN COMMUNITY
Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors
Founded in 1975 by a group of Hispanic actors working in New York to address the inequities created by the casting system that underemployed Hispanic actors and relegated Latino characters to negative stereotypes. Now HOLA functions as a leading advocacy organization in the industry for such actors working on stage, on television, streaming, and in films.
HOLA dedicated to expanding the presence of Latin/Hispanic artists in entertainment and media through their development, cultivation, education, empowerment, and recognition. HOLA has served as a crucial resource to the NY casting community for more than 45 years by hosting a Hispanic talent database available to casting directors and agents in addition to distributing casting notices to members.
The History of Hola
HOLA was founded in 1975 by Denia Brache, Doris Castillano, Eduardo Corbe, Miriam Cruz, Antonieta Maximo, Andy Nóbregas, Ilka Tanya Payan, Rubén Rabasa, Larry Ramos, and other Hispanic actors who were concerned with the portrayal of Latinos in the media.
Over the decades, HOLA has vigorously advocated for increased employment of Hispanic actors in the media, supported Hispanic theaters, and helped Latin artists secure jobs in the entertainment industry. When HOLA was founded, Hispanic representation was less than 1%, and the roles available to Latino actors were often stereotypical, such as bandits. While some discrimination persists today, Hispanic actors now constitute 5.3% of roles in theatrical films (Hollywood Diversity Report 2023) and 4.8% in NYC theater (AAPAC Visibility Report 2018-2019). However, this is still considerably less than the Hispanic population, which exceeds 19.1% of the total U.S. population (2023 LDC U.S. Latinos in Media Report) and approximately 29% of New York City’s population as of 2020 (U.S. Census Bureau).
While HOLA strives to work within the industry to ensure that the Hispanic community has equal access to jobs, it also functions as a safe haven where Hispanic performers, writers, and directors can share ideas, concerns, and thoughts about the industry. Early in its history, the organization instituted an excellence in artistic achievement awards program (HOLA Awards). By supporting the New York Latino theater circuit, HOLA established itself as a viable not-for-profit arts service organization.
More information at holaofficial.org
