All Inclusive: Why Ana Valdez Believes Latinos Are the Most Important Growth Community Today

Production company ALTERED.LA understands that client growth depends on authentically engaging the ever-growing U.S. Hispanic market – now with a GDP surpassing $3.6 trillion. To do it right, the production company believes Hispanic representation both in front of and behind the camera is essential.

For this series with LBB, ALTERED.LA is speaking to representatives from the biggest agencies in the industry to see what they too are doing to advocate for more authentic bicultural storytelling, how this will grant the next generation of Hispanic talent a foot in the door and why this will result in greater Latin representation within the general US market overall.

With over 30 years experience advising decision-makers across the advertising and marketing industries, Ana Valdez is an expert in the bicultural intricacies of Latin American communities and what they represent on a global scale. As the president and CEO of groundbreaking think tank Latino Donor Collaborative, Ana advocates for the many important ways Latinos are driving growth in the US. Keen to dismantle misconceptions, in this instalment of All Inclusive she offers a wealth of wisdom to any industry leaders looking to make their company culture, creative output and strategy mindset more inclusive.

LBB> Your work at the Latino Donor Collaborative has helped quantify the enormous economic contribution of Latinos in the US, something which isn’t accurately reflected in media and advertising. What do you think is driving this disconnect?

Ana> I think it is ignorance. Media and advertising leaders, and I have to clarify, there are a few, have been making decisions based on stereotypes. They then program accordingly, which means leaving money on the table because they assume US Latinos are mostly undocumented.

There are many stereotypes promoted by mass media and other loud voices, and people believe them. Unfortunately, Latinos haven't gotten access to media, and that is a big minus for every American. Being the most important growth community today, not knowing the importance of this cohort is a lost opportunity and money being left on the table by people who are ignorant about this.

LBB> You’ve spoken about arriving in the US and feeling misrepresented by the media despite your achievements. How has that experience shaped your mission at the Latino Donor Collaborative?

Ana> It has everything to do with it. I was born and raised in Mexico City, I studied and lived in Mexico, in Spain, in Switzerland, in the United States, and in different places in the Northeast. People in Europe love Mexico. They are in awe of the history, the millennial culture, the incredible wisdom that comes from groups like the Aztecs, the Incas, and the Mayans. Two thousand years ago, they were operating on the brain and developing calendars more sophisticated than the ones we have today. They knew how to cure many illnesses we still face.

People in Europe appreciate Mexico for what it is. Unfortunately, in the United States, that doesn't happen. So when I moved here, I made it my mission to showcase and make sure as many Americans as possible knew this, not only in terms of history but also in terms of the contributions of Latinos today to this country.

LBB> What would you say to decision-makers at agencies or brands who still think of the US Latino market as a niche audience, rather than a core part of the general market strategy?

Ana> I would tell them that if I were a shareholder of their company, starting from the CEO but also going down to the C-suite, to brands, to research, to sales, and they didn't have a strategy for 20 percent of the people in this country who are Latinos, 25 percent of young people, and sometimes, in some markets, 30 to 40 percent of the sales decision-makers, I would probably fire them. If they think that all Latinos are Speedy Gonzalez, they are leaving a lot of money on the table, and their competitors may not. We have seen brands go from leadership to third or fourth in the market. Those are the brands that didn’t have a strategy for Latinos. The ones that took over are the ones that did.

I would say get informed, make decisions based on facts, forget your unconscious bias and the stereotypes you’ve learned from mass media, and inform yourself with data. We are data producers, and our data is based on official numbers. Educate yourself and make decisions so you can actually take advantage of the market that grows the most in this country.

LBB> You’ve presented LDC’s research to C-suite leaders, Congress, and media boards. Do you think the advertising and production industries are starting to pay more attention to the data, or is there still a gap between awareness and action?

Ana> There is still a huge gap, but I have to say there are some brands that are actually taking action. You can see it, starting with some in the media. Some brands and producers – although not yet enough – are starting to understand that Latino stories cross over and that Latino talent leads pop culture. You see Pedro Pascal on the cover of Vanity Fair. You see Jenna Ortega on the cover of Vogue this summer. You have shows like The Last of Us, Will Trent, and Andor — so there has been some progress.

But the truth is, there is still a huge gap. Unfortunately, news outlets, newspapers, TV news, and platforms continue to promote these stereotypes. Latinos are portrayed either as recent arrivals with no education or tools, or worse, as criminals, gang members, narcos, and all these horrible stereotypes — even as victims, which of course we are not. Latinos are extremely hardworking. We don’t want anything for free. We just want to be allowed to work. That’s all we ask.

Together with the Asian community, we receive the lowest percentage of food stamps or welfare, and so on. So, yes, to your question, there have been some achievements. However, there is still a lot to be done. I can tell you there are brands that have taken the lead in the last five to six years, and it is because they had a strategy for this cohort.

LBB> What advice would you give to production companies like ALTERED.LA who want to use research and insights to persuade clients to invest in more inclusive storytelling and hiring practices?

Ana> Well, listen, my original expertise is in marketing. And marketing 101 is: know your audience, understand, get to know, engage, and learn. Specifically in Los Angeles, for example, where 50 percent of your potential audience is Latino (50 percent!) and 65 percent of young people. So, do you concentrate on the non-Latino 35 percent of the youth that is left? Or do you want to understand, engage, and authentically represent that part that is growing?

The upward mobility of Latinos is outstanding. They are incredibly productive. Even people who have arrived recently often end up owning companies. We are entrepreneurs. We’re home buyers. We are deeply motivated to give our best to our kids.

Family is extremely important to us. So we send our kids to college, and our kids don’t buy drugs: they buy BMWs, they attend college, they have jobs in Silicon Valley, they are doctors, engineers, and nurses. So, get to know your audience.

LBB> What are the biggest barriers facing next-gen Latino talent who are trying to enter creative industries like advertising, entertainment, or media? And what can we collectively do to dismantle them?

Ana> I think the most important barrier is access. Based on unconscious or conscious bias, access from people who are hiring – from HR, from bosses, from the C-suite – is a problem. It’s the same in admissions to college. The problem is access.

Now, we demonstrate our value. And if we don't get access, that’s probably one of the reasons we are such great entrepreneurs. If they don’t give us access, we make it work anyway. We create our own businesses, hire our own people, get our own funding, and we succeed.

When companies invite me to speak, I tell them it’s almost like they need Latinos more than Latinos need them because, eventually, those who don't get access will build their own path and grow. But there is a real need for authentic representation within corporations in order to engage this cohort. Latinos are very subtle but they know when someone is giving them sombreros and tacos, and when someone really cares about who they are, what they need, and what matters to them. To know that, you need authentic representation within the organisation.

I would say the first step is to intentionally provide access to people who may not be your first choice. Second, understand that you probably need them more than they need you. And third, understand the absolute necessity of having Latinos in every department, starting with HR, but also in branding, research, the C-suite, community engagement, suppliers, and more.

LBB> How do you stay inspired and motivated to push for more inclusive representation in the industry?

Ana> Wow, that’s a great question that nobody has asked me. I appreciate it. You know what? It’s my mission, my life’s mission and I’ve always had this mission, so working on this makes me happy.

If I can change one life, that’s already amazing. If I can change many, that’s incredible and a gift. I see that the mission I have – to create representation – is beneficial for everyone. There’s no downside for anybody.

Creating a better world by doing what I love, and empowering my community and country, is my daily motivation. I see it in every situation that lacks balance. For me, that’s a challenge, and therefore a motivation to work on how to fix it. It comes from deep within me.

LBB> What’s one myth about US Latinos that you wish would disappear forever, and what’s the truth you want people to replace it with?

Ana> Wow, that’s also a great one. There are so many. We actually have a whole section within the LDC data called “myths and reality,” and there are a lot. But I would say the biggest myth is that Latinos are disempowered. That is the biggest lie.

Every time I see that message, I feel gaslit, because all the numbers show that Latinos in general – and starting with immigrants – are entrepreneurs. They are risk-takers. They are the hardest workers. The Department of Labor tracks the percentage of each community that is employed, and Latinos are always six to seven points above any other group. They are hard workers. They are patriotic. They are creative. They are motivated by the desire to give their family a better life, and that is probably the best motivation anyone could have.

So I think if we could combat the myth that we are disempowered and instead show who we really are – powerful people who have been mischaracterised – that would be transformative.

Deep down, Americans already know the truth. Starting with the most basic roles, Americans trust Latinos to care for their children, their homes, their cars, their food, their gardens. So I sometimes challenge my friends or the people I talk to: if you truly believed Latinos were criminals or disempowered, would you trust us with the things you love most?

To break that barrier and help people truly see Latinos at every level – from essential workers and recent arrivals to doctors, lawyers, CEOs, engineers, and billionaires – that’s the truth I want for everyone.