By Lisa R. Foeman
A culture, like a photo, is multi-dimensional, necessitating close scrutiny and examination from many angles and perspectives to gain insight into the subject. In years past, it has indeed been difficult, if not impossible, to acquire a comprehensive understanding of Latin-American society via both English-speaking and Spanish-language television. The socially responsible Nickelodeon network aims to remedy this problem by presenting a collage of snapshots into Latin culture with its 2000-01 programming. One of the new shows, Taina, is among the first shows in children’s television to feature a lead Latina character.
According to Maria Perez-Brown, creator and executive producer of Taina, the series is “a coming of age story” about Taina Morales, a 15-year old American-born Puerto Rican girl living in a three-generation household and attending the Manhattan School of the Arts in pursuit of dreams of becoming a star. That she must navigate between the worlds of her traditional, extended family and the city makes the quest “to define life for herself” rather challenging.
Perez-Brown, also producer and creator of Nickelodeon’s Gullah Gullah, a top-rated, award-winning Nick Jr. series, originally pitched Taina to the network a couple of years ago. Said Perez-Brown, “I was always intrigued about writing a show for an older age group. I knew it would be a challenge for me to create a show that worked for ‘tweens’ which is…a very impressionable age. It’s an age that is important for kids of all backgrounds to have positive role models and to have strong characters that …reflect their lives.” For her, Nickelodeon was the network of choice because of the “trusting relationship” established during Gullah Gullah. After spending the last two years in development, Taina will debut Sunday, October 8th at 7:30pm ET/PT.
Taina fits nicely with Nickelodeon’s new focus on attracting not only children, but also their families. Emphasizing the relationship between parents and children, Taina deliberately “does not present parents in a one dimensional manner” stated Perez-Brown. “We don’t want parents to be caricatures of cartoons.” Instead, the show reinforces traditional Latin family values by presenting a multi-generational viewpoint.
When asked whether Taina will dispel stereotypes about the Hispanic culture, Perez-Brown responded, “We have the right and obligation to write from our own experiences. If we have experienced something in life and we write about it that way, and others outside the culture feel that [it] is a stereotype, I think there’s reason to defer with that characterization.” In other words, Perez-Brown astutely recognizes that one voice does not speak for an entire culture -what may be a stereotype to one person, may be reality to another. For this reason, Perez-Brown advocates “an integrated writing cast” to ensure that diverse perspectives are presented.
In contrast to Spanish-language television, Taina will enable an entire generation of television viewers to see Latin life as it actually is in the United States. Much of Spanish-language television is purchased from Latin America “that reflect[s] a “very class-driven society [and is] very white in programming,” noted Perez-Brown. “The class structure in Latin America is so specific that [it reflects] the experiences of Latin America [only]…[That programming] doesn’t reflect my life at all.” However, the new line of Nickelodeon shows will “reflect the lives and culture that we have created by living, by coexisting in this country.” While Perez-Brown acknowledges the limitations of Spanish-language television, she doesn’t demean its role in Latino families. For many non-American born Latinos, it can be a comforting reminder of home.
Nickelodeon’s two other shows that feature Latin characters are The Brothers Garcia and Dora the Explorer. Brothers focuses on the everyday lives of a four child Latino family living in San Antonio and features the only all-Latino cast and creative team of writers, directors, and producers on kids television. It debuted Sunday, July 23rd at 8:30 am ET/PT. Dora is an interactive series featuring a seven-year old, bilingual Latina girl who lives inside a computer. Dora, who made her first appearance on-line at nickjr.com on July 3rd, is the first Nick Jr. character to appear online prior to an on-air debut. She made her television debut on Nick Jr. and Nickelodeon with two new episodes on Monday, August 14th at 11:00 am and 8:00 pm (ET/PT). The first episode re-aired on Tuesday, August 15th at 11:00 am (ET/PT), the show’s regularly scheduled timeslot. Kudos to Nickelodeon for adding the three new shows with Latin characters to its already impressive slate of nine series featuring multicultural characters. M
August 2000
