Perez is currently the Director of the Political Development Department of the Community Service Society, one of the oldest and most well-respected non-profit organizations in New York City. For 15 years, he taught college courses on U.S. social policy, Puerto Rican urban experience, mass media, and the history of the labor and civil rights movements.

Dr. Aida Barrera has extensive experience in broadcasting, public policy and education.  A specialist in multicultural communications and media studies, Dr. Barrera has created and produced programming for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR). Dr. Barrera’s productions have been in the vanguard of the movement to initiate educational Latino/a programming on a national scale.  Her series Carrascolendas became the first network television production to address the needs of Latino children in the United States. Her publications include a recently published memoir, Looking for Carrascolendas.  Dr. Barrera was a graduate fellow at Princeton University and has bachelors and doctorate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.    

NALIP's public and corporate supporters include (alphabetically): AFTRA, AIVF, Altria Group, American Airlines, Arizona Theatre Company, CBS, Cinequest, the Coca Cola Company, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Costa Construction Company, Cox Communications, Department of Media Arts, Directors Guild of America, the Ford Foundation, Fox Broadcasting, Ground Zero Entertainment, HBO, IFP-LA, IFP-Miami, International Documentary Association, ITVS, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Kahlil Bottling Company, KUAT, LA Film School, Latino Public Broadcasting, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, MTV Networks, National Endowment for the Arts, NCLR, P.O.V./American Documentary Inc., Producers Guild of America, the Rockefeller Foundation, SAG-Producers' IAC Fund, Time Warner, Tucson Film Office, Tullipanes Festival, UCLA Film and Television Professional Certificate Program, University of Arizona, Univision, Urban 15 Studios, the Walt Disney Company/ABC, the Walter Kaitz Foundation, WGA-East, and Workplace Hollywood. 

NALIP ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Since its inception in 1999, NALIP has emerged as the premiere Latino media organization addressing the most underrepresented and largest ethnic minority in the country.  NALIP has four national initiatives:

·               The National Conference -- REEL CHANGE: FRAMING THE FUTURE is the fifth such event since 1999.

·               The Latino Writer's Lab -- The second lab is presented in collaboration with the Writer's Guild of America East and the New York Latino International Film Festival in New York City in April. This 4-day intensive program attracts Latino/a film and television writers from around the country.  The curriculum advances their screenplays through work on craft, as well as through direct mentoring; the program also introduces writers to agents, managers, producers and funders in order to expand their professional network and further their projects and careers.

·         Latino Producers Academy – Feature, television and documentary attend this seven-day intensive seminar in Tucson, Arizona by special selection and invitation.  30-35 filmmakers participate in seminars on advanced professional skills development and in-depth mentoring for all aspects of their project development, production skills and marketing understanding as instructed by top industry

professionals.  A repertory company of Latino/a actors is also assembled, to perform staged readings of first acts and shorts each evening, which further advance filmmaker's projects.  Presented in association with the UCLA Film and Television Professional Certificate Program, the second LPA will run August 5 - 12, 2004.

·              Latino Media Resource Guide – A printed directory of Latino/a writers, directors, producers, crew members, executives and other professionals, including their contact and credit information, plus deadlines for diversity initiatives, film schools, and funding opportunities.  This book is provided free to members, as well as to all studios, networks, production companies and agents in order to enhance employment and build community.  The database is also available and updatable online, along with additional resources, links, and connections.  The premiere edition will be available at Conference V.

In addition, NALIP continues to provide regional workshops that include grant-writing and proposal-writing seminars in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Antonio, San Jose, Miami, and Washington, D.C.  NALIP will also bring seminars to Puerto Rico in 2004. Other regional programs include narrative writing and producing workshops, networking events and mentoring.

ABOUT NALIP

Founded in 1999 by a group of Latino producers, educators and media activists,  NALIP's mission is to promote the advancement, development and funding of Latino and Latina film and media arts in all genres.

NALIP is committed to improving access and opportunities for Latino/as at all points in the media production pipeline, including the training of our next generation of media makers, and the support of emerging and mid-career professionals.  It is a national organization of industry, independent and community producers dedicated to increasing the quality and quantity of images by, for and about Latinos in the media.