Months ago, the Latino community at Arts & Letters set out to find a way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month within agency walls, and they realized quickly they were all united by a shared experience. Being immigrants or being born of immigrants, they rallied around a common truth that is still present in culture today: being fully and proudly Latin-American is complex, and the tug of war between assimilation and embracing your heritage is constant. While many first generation Latinos assimilated into American culture as a matter of survival, today bicultural Latinos are embracing their dual identities. But sometimes, the perception persists that people with different accents, traditions, and races aren’t American. Or American enough.
Together with production company Easy Mondays, Arts and Letters created this film over Hispanic Heritage Month, to celebrate the cultures, contributions and stories of Latinos in the U.S. “América Has An Accent” shows real people and communities, and gives viewers a glimpse of their stories. Produced by Easy Mondays (Asori Soto, Kristian Mercado, EPs), and directed by Carmelo “Melo” Varela in collaboration with Arts and Letters’ Geoff Castillo, América Has An Accent” was shot on location in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City. Also contributing to the project were Animal Music, Assembly, and Exile.
The filmmakers believe that being a real American is inclusive of things like your country of origin, skin color, cultural traditions and what language you speak. Being a “real American” is an attitude. The film aims to reinforce that Latin heritage is embedded in the fabric of this country. And its signals, symbols, and diverse cultural backgrounds aren’t a liability for América. They are, in fact, a source of strength.
