‘Here We Are. Hire Us’: Alliance of Latino Executives and Rise Up Partner on Showrunner Development Program

variety.com:

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Two Latino advocacy organizations have joined forces to launch a mentoring program designed to help nurture a new generation of showrunners.

The Alliance of Latino Executives and Rise Up have created a program that pairs 10 rising-star writers with 10 seasoned industry executives who can help develop their skills and guide their careers.

The inaugural group of participants have been selected. The organizations aim to make it an annual program that can make a difference at a time when Latino showrunners, directors, screenwriters and producers remain woefully under-represented in key roles in mainstream film and TV. “For too long, we have heard from studios and platforms that there aren’t enough high-level Latino writers for them to hire for top showrunning positions,” said John Pollak, a co-founder of the Alliance. “Our goal with this program is to change that perception and bring awareness to the amazing Latino writers who have worked their way up the ranks on television’s biggest shows to earn consideration for these top jobs.

We believe that peer-to-peer advocacy and executive-to-executive outreach will help give our program’s writers a voice and an opportunity that has eluded them for too long.” Pollak is a partner with actor Wilmer Valderrama in Allied Management Group, which launched last year.