Why does representation of Latinx people in media matter? According to a new report from Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative in partnership with National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) and Wise Entertainment tracking the erasure of Latinx people in film, on and off-screen, of the 1,200 top-grossing films of 2017-2018, only 4.5 % of speaking characters were Latinx — yet, according to the Census Bureau, Hispanic people comprise 18% of the total U.S. population. Adding to this cognitive dissonance: 60% of top-billed Latinx characters in films are depicted without any cultural artifacts, symbols, or references to the characters’ ethnic group. These characters are not shown as part of a majority Hispanic community, with other family members, and were absent from any context cues (e.g., flags, cuisine, clothing, etc.) related to their background. There’s nothing abstract about these omissions, either. A 2007 study demonstrated that for Latino teen viewers, greater exposure to films was negatively associated with self-esteem in areas related to school performance and social abilities. An additional negative association was also found between movie viewing and self-esteem regarding appearance for participants whose ethnic identity was highly salient. Thus, there must be personal consequences for Latino individuals who see their culture erased or minimized in film and television.