MCCN’s Erika L. Holmes (MCCN) I just wanted to thank you as a Latina of African descent.
Blair Underwood: (Gives Erika a hug) Oh my sister, my sister.
Holmes: You are representing. I mean, I know some of the blogs have made an issue of you not actually being of Latino descent but I think it’s a great thing. We need to be represented on television and you are doing that for us.
How do you feel about that?
Underwood: I appreciate that very much. I am very sensitive to that. I appreciate your perspective on it. What is great for people to see is that Black people come in all cultures and Latinos and Latinas come from the darkest chocolate to blonde hair and blue eyes. I am honored to be able to represent that on TV. I am sensitive to other conversations on that.
Holmes: Well, I appreciate it.
Underwood: A friend of mine who is half Black and half Puerto Rican said I appreciate that because as an actress so often she said she can’t be cast. They don’t cast her as a Latina because she is brown skin.
Holmes: That’s me.
Underwood: People don’t think you are Latina…Any time I can push the ball forward, I love to broaden peoples’ minds.
Holmes: For so long we are this hidden secret. If you watch Spanish speaking television, we are hardly represented or play the maid or bruja which mean witch so for my siblings and me, we really appreciate it.
