Time Magazine recognized the “whistleblower” women of the #metoo movement as their people of the year. As the disgusting revelations of Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Matt Lauer and others became public, the outrage reached a level that few public crises ever have. This was a little surprising to me. The casting couch is a term that is widely known, but for some reason most people either believed this was something from the past or something that only affected the most obscure or seedy segments of the entertainment industry. However, when big-name stars started coming forward with their stories, the public response was shock and awe. I guess that is what it takes sometimes. We now see the issue being brought to light in other industries. As a father of two daughters, I am glad this issue is being addressed in a big way. As with anything, there will be some unscrupulous people who will fabricate or embellish stories of sexual harassment for personal gain – but that possibility always exists. That said, there was an interesting article in the NY Times on Friday titled “Publicly, We Say #MeToo. Privately, We Have Misgivings.” The article asks some fair questions that many of us, including women, are asking. When partisan politics get involved, the waters get even muddier. Does it really matter that Harvey Weinstein was a Hillary supporter or that Bill O’Reilly supported Trump? I don’t think so. Sexual harassment is not aligned with any political party or ideology. I think history has shown that it’s fairly agnostic affliction. Its also worth noting that it is not the first time sexual harassment gets headlines in this country, but there is something in the air this time around that feels like this one has staying power. America Ferrera and Eva Longoria recently helped to launch “Time’s Up” to help end sexual harassment in Hollywood. It seems that they correctly understand that ribbons and heartfelt speeches won’t get it done this time. I’m sure that everyone’s hope is that this movement will ultimately result in greater awareness, clearer boundaries, and an overall safer and more productive work environment for everyone, but it’s a complicated problem with no silver bullet solution. Real progress rarely happens overnight. David Acosta told me that both he and his daughter, who is a star on the Hulu series Marvel’s Runaways, have been required to attend several seminars and workshops about harassment in the entertainment industry. Perhaps only a small step forward, but progress nonetheless.
I have been writing this blog for almost eight years. In two weeks, the format will change. I will start a video series on social media titled "The Latino Brand." I will supplement the videos with a weekly news sheet emailed to my database that includes links to the video series...
The country is experiencing significant disruption, unlike anything we've seen since the end of World War II. A perfect storm of demographic changes, AI advancements, and political upheaval will reshape the nation forever. Some changes will be beneficial, while others will be less clear. Here's my perspective on what to expect in the next decade
In less than four years, DEI went from being a widely accepted bipartisan solution for America’s precarious wealth and income gaps to the root cause of every failure known to man.