Iron Glove Productions bills itself as an “award-winning independent production company focused on creating art with an impact.” This month, founder Dominique Nieves took that mission to new heights with the creation of the Read Latinx Writers Initiative. 

The goal? For aspiring Latinx writers in the media industry to get the much-needed experience and mentorship in scriptwriting to succeed in Hollywood, where Latinx screenwriters are a rarity.

According to a recent inclusion report published by the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW), only 8.7% of television writers in the industry were Latinx. This is a significantly small number in comparison to a Latinx population in the United States that makes up more than 18%. 

The percentage will likely increase after the 2020 census, but even with the current disparity, it means Latinos are the least represented ethnic group in the entire Writers Guild of America (WGA). 

Nieves started the initiative during Hispanic Heritage Month with the creation of the hashtag #ReadLatinxWriters. With the feedback it garnered, she was able to pair more than 180 aspiring writers with mentors to script read. 

The idea with the initiative is to continue the mentorship process and put those just beginning in connection with powerful people in the industry for more opportunities and experiences.

Those in the industry who are participating include the showrunners from Dear White People, Queen of the South, and executives from Walt Disney, ABC Signature, Verve, and QCODE.

Recently, the initiative received another boost when it was gifted free copies of the Final Draft scriptwriting software. It is the industry-standard software that professional scriptwriters use for finalizing their work.

Nieves herself is a Nuyorican filmmaker. She created her Iron Glove platform to empower underrepresented voices in film. 

Throughout her career she’s done wonderful work combining entertainment with activism. For example, a grant she previously won through NBC was used to create a short film based on the mental health effects of sexual violence. 

The future of #ReadLatinx writers? To expand their reach and create more opportunities for Latinx writers. Without this push, it’s possible there would be no access to the industry.

Though we’re a long way from the goal, it is always inspiring to see there are people doing the work and making the effort to improve the status and inclusivity in our community.