How art impacts the Latino vote

Following the results of this year's election, many are shocked by the overwhelming number of Latinos voting for Donald Trump. Here's why it shouldn't be a surprise.

Author

Steven Vargas
November 07, 2024

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Introducing: The Latino Vote

“If you kick every Latino out of this country then who is going to be cleaning your toilets, Donald Trump,” Sharon Osborne says in a viral clip from The View. 

It caused a lot of online reactions — rightfully so — but following this year’s election results, it speaks to a larger issue in entertainment. Without proper Latino representation in the media, the population is considered side characters to Trump’s narrative. The 2024 election results proved otherwise.  

According to exit polls, 54% of Hispanic men and 45% of Hispanic women voted for Trump. The statistics have swirled on social media since Wednesday morning’s final results release. Online users questioned how Latinos could vote for someone who wants them deported, assuming all Latinos have an immigration story. They reacted confused. I’m not. 

I can’t say that I know why Latinos voted for Trump, but some possibilities shared online include economic reasons, religion, machismo and an effort to assimilate to mainstream American values (and whiteness). The reaction to these votes reveals the impact of stereotyping. The same people who proclaim Latinos are voting to be deported are no different than Osborne assuming Latinos clean Trump’s toilets. The general public’s perception of the Latino population is homogenized, lumping a broad and diverse population into a singular stereotypical voice. The reality is that not all Latinos experience America the same way. 

But what does this have to do with an arts newsletter? Everything. 

Anyone who knows me has heard me gripe about the roles available to me as a Latino: gang member, criminal, immigrant, etc. I’m sure I’ve bothered a few people with my constant complaints, but these issues don’t just impact my livelihood. They impact how the nation views the entire demographic. In entertainment and media, Latinos are constantly portrayed as caricatures, and the depth of our stories is shallow. There may be a few stand-out exceptions, but the majority of representation depicts Latinos as one-dimensional and subservient to the leading (often white) characters. Eventually, that is how people view us. 

They don’t see the machismo we perpetuate or endure. They don’t see our queerness. They don’t see the efforts some Latinos make to assimilate (including voting for Trump). They don’t see the history of our lynching. They don’t see all of us. The expansiveness of the diaspora translates to how the demographic votes. It’s complex. Yet, even after seeing it reflected in the polls, the rhetoric is the same. The public’s aversion to directly engage with the Latinidad is only going to hurt us in the long run. We need to unpack the diversity of the demographic in how we approach politics and entertainment. 

This isn’t a trivial matter of representation anymore. Diverse storytelling is essential to radicalizing the general public and pushing the nation to think critically about a predominant population in the U.S. The Latino vote was overlooked because we haven’t given the population the attention and care that it needs. Our lack of respect for Latino stories has resulted in a blindsided hit to human rights.

If you’ve been following LA Art Spot for a while, you might remember the edition on Aug. 22 where I spoke with playwright Bernardo Cubría about his play “The Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latiné Vote.” The play evolved from a poll that found more than 30% of Latinos voted for Trump in the 2016 election. He spoke to Latino voters in Florida and Oregon about why they vote for one party over the other. While speaking honestly with a conservative in Florida, Cubría broke down his protective walls and allowed himself to understand the stranger on a granular level. 

“That was a real wake-up call for me about not dehumanizing people,” he said. “If you want to change their minds, you have to meet them in the middle and meet them at their humanity.” 

How can we do that when TV and film often refer to Latinos as “immigrant #2” and “criminal”? As artists, this is where we start. 

This Week’s Top Spots

Choreographer Bernard Brown will present “Sissies: Something Perfect Between Ourselves,” which spotlights seven Black and Brown men in a performance that celebrates the Black Gay bar as a queer haven. (Photo by Robin Meineke)

21st Annual NEW ORIGINAL WORKS (NOW) Festival @ REDCAT

REDCAT’s NOW Festival has returned with a new lineup of innovative dance, theater, music and performance artists. This week’s lineup includes work by Eliza Bagg, Rohan Chander, George R. Miller and Bernard Brown. Don’t forget to return to REDCAT to check out the other artists taking the stage for the next two weeks, including Meena Murugesan, Ajani Brannum, Sophia Cleary, Tijuana Dance Company, Bret Easterling, Mallory Fabian and Kensaku Shinohara. Check out REDCAT’s website for a deeper look into each artist’s new work.

LOCATION: 631 W 2nd St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
DATES: November 7 - 9, 14 - 16, 21 - 23
TIME: 8:30 pm 
PRICE: $25 - $50
LINK: https://www.redcat.org/now24 

Dr. Alexander Blake conducts Tonality. (Photo courtesy of Tonality)

‘HomeCare’ @ Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium

Tonality, a Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble, presents a choral concert sharing the words of youth leaders tackling the climate crisis. Tonality is dedicated to sharing authentic stories rarely represented through vocal performance and “HomeCare” is no different. This is the first iteration of Caltech’s PST ART programming for “Opening Doors,” a series that uses performance to dissect the history of science and research.

LOCATION: 332 S Michigan Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106
DATE: November 16
TIME: 8 pm
PRICE: $10 - $40
LINK: https://pst.caltech.edu/events/opening-doors 

(Photo by Josh S. Rose)

‘Resonance’ @ Barnsdall Art Park

Speaking of PST ART, L.A. Dance Project will also share its programming as part of the Getty’s SoCal-wide event. “Resonance” is a series of commissioned dance works by Bobbi Jene Smith, Or Schraiber, Francesca Harper, and Rauf Yasit, in dialogue with social neuroscientist Dr. Jamil Zaki and historian Dr. Vincent Brown. Performed outdoors at Barnsdall Art Park, this dance event will immerse you in movement and nature.

LOCATION: 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027
DATES: November 16 - 17
TIME: 1 pm
PRICE: Free
LINK: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35353/production/1214048?performanceId=11526206 

The Kingdom Choir (Photo by Andrew Whitton)

The Kingdom Choir @ The Luckman

London’s The Kingdom Choir is best known for their performance of “Stand By Me” at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. This year, the Gospel choir is heading to The Luckman for an evening of spiritual vocal performances, including songs from its debut full-length album.

LOCATION: 5151 State University Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90032
DATE: November 16
TIME: 8 pm
PRICE: $25 - $65 
LINK: https://theluckman.org/events/the-kingdom-choir/

‘Arms Around America’ @ The Nimoy

This community-based theater project explores how Americans experience fear, power, identity, loss and love through their relationship with guns. In the form of an experimental radio-theater broadcast, Dan Froot & Company will voice dozens of characters in a series of short plays that share narratives of families whose lives have been changed and shaped by guns.

LOCATION: 1262 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
DATE: November 15 - 16
TIME: 8 pm
PRICE: $38.08
LINK: https://cap.ucla.edu/event/dan-froot-company-0

Things: Last Chances

Some events are straightforward while others have special offerings, unlike your typical visit to the theater or gallery. Here are some upcoming unique events and panels worth adding to your calendar. 

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