The Latino Entertainment Journalists Association was launched Friday, and will be under the leadership of AwardsCircuit chief Clayton Davis.
The organization was formed in an effort to create an uplifting, diverse voice across multiple disciplines in the entertainment industry for the Latino community.
“All people deserve an opportunity to have their voices heard,” said Davis in a press release announcing the formation of LEJA. “The core values of LEJA are inclusive to everyone. This organization celebrates the culture I’ve known from my early days in the Bronx and unites all of us, finally, under one mission, to lift us up.”
The association will launch with 24 inaugural members, including Vanity Fair’s Kerensa Cadenas, the Associated Press’ Marcela Isaza and Nerdist’s Dani Fernandez. Other members include TheWrap’s Carlos Aguilar and Umberto Gonzalez. The group plans to release their set of film nominations on Jan. 20, 2019.
“With a toxic climate that paints Latinos as anything but hard-working, intelligent, and richly valued people, it’s time we take the mic ourselves and say what we need to say,” said Davis.
“We have future plans to expand this organization through professional networking and proceed to expand into varying facets of entertainment including television, music, theatre, and more. If a Latino can write about it, we want to include it.”
LEJA has also launched the hashtag #YoSoyLEJA in an effort for all writers, both professional and aspiring, with Latin American roots to identify themselves on social media and unite under the umbrella of journalism.