After growing into a household name in the Latino and Hispanic community, Chicano Hollywood calls for funding, promising to continue its mission of empowering underrepresented artists.
Los Angeles, California, Jan. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The mainstream media continues to follow the vicious cycle of Chicano underrepresentation, forging barriers that paint an inaccurate, violence-heavy picture of this community. With over 40 million Americans of Hispanic descent, 10 million associated with the Chicano culture, and expectations for Latino and Hispanic citizens to soon be the majority, the need for adequate portrayal and equal opportunities is greater than ever. Chicano Hollywood, an organization founded by Johnny Murillo, aims to bridge this disparity by fostering an entertainment-based, self-sustaining ecosystem that keeps the power within the community.
Now the beating heart of Chicano media with an ecosystem boasting workshops, live training events, a proprietary streaming platform, a Latino-centric freelance site, and more, the organization’s roots date back to nothing but an inside joke – a jest created during the 2021 production of Horchata with Oat Milk. When Johnny—a former pastor of 23 years—followed the calling of Hollywood over 16 years ago, he came to the Big Screen Capital with one mission—to shatter stereotypes of Chicanos always holding a gun, selling drugs, and causing turmoil.
Chicano Hollywood
Raised in a troubling barrio, Johnny’s decision symbolized a new beginning, one of more opportunities, success, and prosperity. But the reality was much different; instead of daily strolls to the Hollywood sign and countless contracts, he found an economic collision unraveling after the 2008 crash. Despite a challenging environment, Johnny contributed to many indie productions, honed his skills at UCLA, and even was hired to tour alongside Redfoo, recording backstage footage. Just when the doors started to open, COVID slammed them down again, sending Hollywood, especially the Chicano artists community, into stagnation.
With restrictions easing up and prompted by a friend’s request, Johnny transformed nascent ideas into a script for Horchata with Oat Milk, a film he wrote and captured, and was produced within two months. On that set, an idea for Chicano Hollywood was born. “I realized we had Chicanos in front of the camera, behind it, and everywhere in between. As a joke, I nicknamed the group Chicano Hollywood, and the name stuck! On March 11th, 2021, one of the crew members showed up in a hoodie with Chicano Hollywood written in big letters, and I realized it could turn into something meaningful. That same day, I created all the social media and trademarked the name. From there, everything else unfolded naturally,” Johnny shares.
Johnny Murillo
What started as an online space for promoting the artistry of Chicano creators quickly turned into an all-encompassing haven for the underrepresented Latino and Hispanic side of the industry. Following organic growth, Chicano Hollywood rapidly expanded, introducing mixers and networking events just months after its inception—on August 5th that same year. Throughout his journey, Johnny witnessed and firsthand felt the impact of industry discrimination, from nepotism to racial favoritism and stereotypical notions. To shift these daunting tendencies, Chicano Hollywood formed partnerships with film studios and other enterprises, hosting educational training events for hundreds of community members and equipping them with real-life skills to navigate the complexities of mainstream media.
To enrich its offering, the organization incorporated masterclasses. Driven by the realization that not all Chicanos could attend live training events, the masterclass idea was birthed during a brainstorming evening session between Johnny and other producers. “We laughed, we talked, we ate far too many tacos,” reminisces Johnny. “And somewhere in between, we started rewriting history.”
On September 13th and 14th, 2024, Chicano Hollywood held its Elevate 2024 Conference, a true Latino renaissance where more than 500 Chicano creators, from film and TV to digital media and music, shared their experiences, triumphs, and tribulations of trying to make it in Hollywood. While the self-sustaining ecosystem that propels economic growth is an essential part of Chicano Hollywood, it is the emotional drive to connect with others that ignited the organization’s immense and rapid growth, entrenching its impact from LA to Phoenix, San Diego, and Albuquerque, all the way to Dallas, Houston, and Portland.
A human-centric organization on a mission to redefine an outdated industry, Chicano Hollywood developed an empowering system that shifts the power back into the hands of this soon-to-be-a-majority minority. Ignited by its impressive growth and overwhelmingly positive feedback, Chicano Hollywood is calling upon the hearts of like-minded investors, entrepreneurs, and creators, presenting a unique opportunity to become part of a revolutionary movement that is as practical as it is idealistic.
“The Chicano movement is not going anywhere. We’re a community with a growing influence, and all we want is for our true voices to be heard, and we want our faces to be the ones representing our culture,” Johnny reflects. “Hollywood has its walls high and gates closed, but we need to keep initiating these conversations. We have to be involved and fight to get to the front line. There are so many gifted artists in our community, and they just need a bridge—someone to bring them across. All they need is a fair shot, and that’s what Chicano Hollywood is all about—honoring and preserving the Latino and Hispanic legacy in media.”
Media Contact
Name: Johnny Murillo
Email: info@chicanohollywood.com
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