SITE TOOLS
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La
Familia - From the Perspective of Los Americanos
By Lisa R. Foeman
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A
culture, like a photo, is multi-dimensional, necessitating close
scrutiny and examination from many angles and perspectives to gain
insight into the subject. In years past, it has indeed been difficult,
if not impossible, to acquire a comprehensive understanding of
Latin-American society via both English-speaking and Spanish-language
television. The socially responsible Nickelodeon network aims to remedy
this problem by presenting a collage of snapshots into Latin culture
with its 2000-01 programming. One of the new shows, Taina, is
among the first shows in children’s television to feature a lead
Latina character.
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© Viacom International, Inc.
Maria Perez-Brown |
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According to Maria Perez-Brown, creator
and executive producer of Taina, the series is “a coming of age story”
about Taina Morales, a 15-year old American-born Puerto Rican girl living in a
three-generation household and attending the Manhattan School of the Arts in pursuit of
dreams of becoming a star. That she must navigate between the worlds of her traditional,
extended family and the city makes the quest “to define life for herself” rather
challenging.
Perez-Brown, also producer and creator of Nickelodeon’s Gullah Gullah, a
top-rated, award-winning Nick Jr. series, originally pitched Taina to the network
a couple of years ago. Said Perez-Brown, “I was always intrigued about writing a show
for an older age group. I knew it would be a challenge for me to create a show that worked
for ‘tweens’ which is…a very impressionable age. It’s an age that is
important for kids of all backgrounds to have positive role models and to have strong
characters that …reflect their lives.” For her, Nickelodeon was the network of
choice because of the “trusting relationship” established during Gullah
Gullah. After spending the last two years in development, Taina will debut
Sunday, October 8th at 7:30pm ET/PT.
Taina fits nicely with Nickelodeon’s new focus on attracting not only
children, but also their families. Emphasizing the relationship between parents and
children, Taina deliberately “does not present parents in a one dimensional
manner” stated Perez-Brown. “We don’t want parents to be caricatures of
cartoons.” Instead, the show reinforces traditional Latin family values by presenting
a multi-generational viewpoint.
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© Viacom International, Inc.
Taina, premiering October 8th |
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When asked whether Taina will
dispel stereotypes about the Hispanic culture, Perez-Brown responded, “We have the
right and obligation to write from our own experiences. If we have experienced something
in life and we write about it that way, and others outside the culture feel that [it] is a
stereotype, I think there’s reason to defer with that characterization.” In
other words, Perez-Brown astutely recognizes that one voice does not speak for an entire
culture -what may be a stereotype to one person, may be reality to another. For this
reason, Perez-Brown advocates “an integrated writing cast” to ensure that
diverse perspectives are presented.
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In contrast to Spanish-language
television, Taina will enable an entire generation of television viewers to see
Latin life as it actually is in the United States. Much of Spanish-language television is
purchased from Latin America “that reflect[s] a “very class-driven society [and
is] very white in programming,” noted Perez-Brown. “The class structure in Latin
America is so specific that [it reflects] the experiences of Latin America
[only]…[That programming] doesn’t reflect my life at all.” However, the new
line of Nickelodeon shows will “reflect the lives and culture that we have created by
living, by coexisting in this country.” While Perez-Brown acknowledges the
limitations of Spanish-language television, she doesn’t demean its role in Latino
families. For many non-American born Latinos, it can be a comforting reminder of home.
Nickelodeon’s two other shows that feature Latin characters are The Brothers
Garcia and Dora the Explorer. Brothers focuses on the everyday
lives of a four child Latino family living in San Antonio and features the only all-Latino
cast and creative team of writers, directors, and producers on kids television. It debuted
Sunday, July 23rd at 8:30 am ET/PT. Dora is an interactive series featuring a
seven-year old, bilingual Latina girl who lives inside a computer. Dora, who made her
first appearance on-line at nickjr.com on July 3rd, is the first Nick Jr. character to
appear online prior to an on-air debut. She made her television debut on Nick Jr. and
Nickelodeon with two new episodes on Monday, August 14th at 11:00 am and 8:00 pm (ET/PT).
The first episode re-aired on Tuesday, August 15th at 11:00 am (ET/PT), the show’s
regularly scheduled timeslot. Kudos to Nickelodeon for adding the three new shows with
Latin characters to its already impressive slate of nine series featuring multicultural
characters. M
August 2000 |
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RLP Ventures, LLC and/or its
suppliers. All rights reserved.