Rewriting the rules of representation

Latina Media Co's Cristina Escobar reflects on her platform for critical voices in media

Cristina Escobar is a fascinating voice in a media ecosystem that has historically sidelined or distorted Latino/a/e/x perspectives. As a cultural critic and the co-founder of Latina Media Co, Escobar grew from nonprofit leadership to actively reshaping cultural discourse by amplifying Latina voices, among others in the diaspora.

What’s more, she is among one of the more thoughtful voices around how Latino/as can best advocate for ourselves, wherever we are in organizations.

Escobar works at the intersection of race, gender and pop culture with a special interest in Latina representation in movies and TV. A two-time Sundance Press Inclusion Initiative recipient, she’s the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Latina Media Co, an indie publication platforming Latina and queer Latinx perspectives in media. She has bylines in the A.V. Club, Glamour, NPR, Los Angeles Times, Refinery29, Remezcla, Today, Vulture and more. A TEDx speaker, member of the Critics Choice Association and board member of the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association, she lives in Santa Fe with her husband, two kids and rescue dog.

Here’s what you’ll find interesting: Escobar’s professional evolution represents a significant narrative arc—transitioning from behind-the-scenes communications work to establishing herself as a thought leader and community architect. Her TEDx Talk marked an inflection point where she deliberately stepped away from essentially ghostwriting to cultivate her authentic voice, subsequently establishing Latina Media Co as a digital platform that centers media criticism from historically marginalized perspectives.

This OIGO conversation further examines how we convey our perspectives to leadership, advocates for intersectional awareness within Latinx communities, and positions Latine identity as a distinctive advantage. You may also appreciate that, with remarkable candor, Escobar addresses the challenges of self-promotion, the significance of purpose-driven work, and offers insights sure to resonate about what she would share with her younger self. 👇🏻

Let’s start with the moment things began to shift for you—the time of your TEDx Talk. What did that mean for you?

In the TEDx Talk, I shared how I spent years speaking for other people—writing for organizations, fundraising. But I hadn’t done the work to find my own voice. Part of that came from internalizing messages about being a woman, about being Chicana and Latina. I didn’t think anything I had to say would matter.

That changed after the 2016 election. I looked around and asked myself, “What more can I do?” I started to believe that people like me needed to speak up—that our communities were being defined by others, and that silence wasn’t serving us.

That’s when I began writing under my own name and co-founded what became Latina Media Co with Nicola Schulze. We wanted to create space for others like us to speak as themselves too.

How has Latina Media Co grown?

Back in 2018, Nicola and I were both working in gender representation in media. We noticed that while there was a lot of attention on those issues generally, there was very little happening around Latinas specifically in Hollywood.

TV and film might seem like just entertainment, but they’re also art—and future generations will study them to understand what our culture valued. If we want a world that works for everyone, everyone needs to tell their own stories and critique what’s out there.

We started by editing each other’s essays and publishing them ourselves. Turns out, people did care. Since then, we’ve grown significantly. We've received grant support, published work from nearly 100 contributors, and built a strong, engaged audience.

Latina Media Co. is a place for Latina and queer Latinx media fans to gather, express and critique. It’s also a resource for the entertainment industry to see what we actually care about—because often, even the well-intentioned don’t know.

Where do you think more progress is needed in media today?

Right now, DEI initiatives are under attack across many industries, including media. That worries me because it affects how budgets are allocated and whose stories get told.

But we also have internal work to do as a community. Are we including Afro-Latinos? Are we centering LGBTQ+ voices? In the U.S., we’re often grouped together, which can be frustrating, but it’s also an opportunity to build something new.

Instead of replicating racist, sexist, heteronormative structures from Latin America, we can imagine something more equitable and powerful here. Latinos make up a huge, diverse part of the U.S. If we can harness that, we’re unstoppable.

What advice would you give to Latinas in journalism or public media who are trying to find their voice or build their careers?

First, know that being Latina is a strength. The U.S. doesn’t just need our labor. It needs our joy, our creativity and our insight.

Second, let go of the myth of objectivity. It often privileges a white male perspective and dismisses others as biased. I believe in transparency over objectivity: say who you are, where you’re coming from, and let readers evaluate your work from there.

Finally, build community. Network up, down and across. Latinas are often natural community builders. Use that to support yourself and others.

And for those who are still figuring out their voice—what would you recommend?

It’s okay not to know. Try things. Be uncomfortable. That’s part of growth.

If you’re guided by a purpose bigger than yourself—your family, your community—it helps push through the fear. I also encourage people to focus on their strengths. Don’t spend all your energy fixing weaknesses. Instead, ask: what am I great at, and how can I do more of that?

What do you wish you had known when you started all this?

I wish I had started earlier. I wish I hadn’t let fear tell me that my voice didn’t matter. As a little girl, I wanted to be a writer, and then I stepped away from it because I didn’t think my voice was valuable.

But everyone’s voice is valuable. Whatever issue you're passionate about—whether it's politics, media, the environment—your perspective is needed. I wish I had known that sooner.

How can people connect with Latina Media Co and get involved?

Visit latinamedia.co. You can subscribe to our newsletter, join our Patreon, or follow us on Instagram at @latinamediaco. If you’re a writer or a big media fan with something to say, pitch us. We respond to every email—and yes, we pay. 🟢

Cafecito: stories to discuss ☕

• New newsletter. KEXP has launched La Musica Importa, a new Spanish-language newsletter written by Albina Cabrera (OIGO profile). 🎹 The debut edition chronicles some of her international work as well as releases and artists.

• Local series. PBS Wisconsin has produced a new series on the stories and history of Hispanics in the state. 👣

• Resource guide. The Chicago Sun Times (affiliated with Chicago Public Media) has a new immigrant resource guide available now. 📞

• Populism perspectives. New research investigates how populist politics are influencing Latine voters, with attention paid to younger voters particularly. 📊 Insightful data that might help us better understand our communities.

• Hispanic attitudes post-100 days. Pew Research Center has released new polling on Americans’ attitudes coming out of President Trump’s first 100 days in office. This data is also broken down by demographics. Latinx disapproval is high, but the administration is scoring well around immigration. 🔍

El radar: try this 📡

• Share the lives of Latinx farmers and gardeners. OPB presents a thorough profile of individuals and nonprofits seeking to educate Latino residents about agriculture. It’s a rich story you could do. 🌱

• Keep reporting on the downstream impacts of DC actions to Hispanic communities. KPBS offers a thorough investigation on how California’s Latine residents will be affected if proposed Medicare cuts go into effect. 🏥

• See who’s persisting. Ideastream is one of many public media newsrooms to report on the local impact of administration cuts to the arts nationwide. It goes a bit further to focus on a Latino exhibit that will continue regardless of the reduction. 🎨

• Share the worlds of “no sabo kids.” One of my more popular OIGO editions was on understanding the lives of those with no or limited Spanish skills. WUSF just did a thoughtful program on the topic, which might offer ideas on your own coverage. 🎟️ [Postscript: this was originally a WLRN segment that was republished by WUSF.]

• Investigate gambling addiction and Latinos. Cronkite News published an exploration of Latine residents who struggle with problem betting. 🌚 Given how gambling has been in public discourse of late, this could be a great dialogue to localize.

The next OIGO arrives May 23. Thank you to everyone sharing the initiatives you’re doing and seeing around public media—many of those appear in this edition! Next newsletter is the last biweekly OIGO before I shift to a monthly schedule. Let me know what you’re doing so I can shine a light your way. 💡

I expect to be in Seattle in mid-June to support public media colleagues. If you’re in the region and would like to meet up for a bit, please reach out.

You can buy me a coffee if you’d like to support the newsletter.