Last year, @anachristinaramon asked me if there was any data that would be helpful to see as a Latinx creator. I told her that so many of the conversations I have with other Latinx and POC creators revolve around how much we all suffer from overwhelmingly small budgets compared to white creators. Today, she delivered the hard data that proves what we’ve been feeling is true. We’re consistently being asked to pack 20 lbs of shit into a 5 lb bag. We set off to do what seems impossible and pull off miracles to hit our deadlines and so often we do it because we’re so grateful that we get to do this at all. But in a landscape where all of our Latinx shows keep getting cancelled and led to believe that we’re “failing”, it helps to see that we’re not getting anywhere near the same level of investment as our white male counterparts. These budgets have massive implications on the potential success of a show. Do you have a beloved Latinx celebrity that wants to be in your series? Too bad, you can’t afford to pay them the rate they deserve. The rate that covers the time they would spend promoting your series. Do you want to open up your search to actors in Mexico? Tough. You can’t afford to pay for their visa to work in this country, so don’t even bother. These budgets mean working with less time, less help, and less resources and being expected to deliver the same results as that series who’s dry cleaning budget is more than your entire salary. This is not an exaggeration. So thank you Dr. Ramon and the incredible team at UCLA who is doing the meticulous work of gathering this data. I hope all of the Black, POC, Queer, Indigenous creators reading this enter into the new year with a shift in perspective for what you deserve. I know it’s easy to fall into the trap of being grateful to even be able to step foot in the room. But when you’re sitting on the opposite side of that table being offered less than you’re worth, I encourage you to keep your head up high and dig deep to find the courage to utter this holistic mantra from the holy scriptures of Goodfellas; “Fuck you. Pay me.” #riprayliotta #scorceseisgod