The documentary “Latinos Living the American Dream” produced and directed by Eva Longoria Parker in partnership with the Pepsi YO SUMO initiative will premiere today at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. The documentary highlights the accomplishments and impact that Hispanics have in shaping the landscape of the United States. The feature is a culmination of Pepsi’s YO SUMO (I Add Up/I Count) movement which encourages Latinos to go beyond being counted and show how they add value to this country, in the year of the Census.
Eva Longoria Parker and Pepsi partnered to develop a documentary to present the Latino identity from a fresh point of view. To create “Latinos Living the American Dream,” Longoria Parker selected stories from a pool of over 600 submissions to www.pepsiyosumo.com, shared by Latinos from all parts of the country. Working with Cevallos Brothers Productions, Longoria Parker combined the entries to show a fresh perspective of the Latino community. “Every story entered was so inspiring, that identifying only a few to highlight was a difficult and intense process,” said Longoria Parker. “We hope that by shinning the light on some Latinos who are leading successful lives – getting an education, pursuing a career and giving back to their community – we can encourage people everywhere to make their own impact locally and nationally, further proving the drive and power of our culture.”
The celebration of the Latino experiences will continue on after the premiere. On October 30th, the documentary will air at 4pm on mun2, part of Telemundo Communications Group, a division of NBC Universal, for everyone to watch. Screenings will be held in cultural centers and college campuses to foster a bigger dialogue on the state and representation of Latinos across the country. “At Pepsi we want to make sure that we reach all the Latinos who were the foundation for this great film that Eva Longoria Parker brilliantly brought to life,” said Frank Cooper, Senior Vice President, Chief Engagement Officer of PepsiCo. “We look forward to taking the YO SUMO movement and documentary where Latinos live to celebrate together the strength of will they invest daily to advance the community and the nation.”
The vibrant Pepsi YO SUMO social media community following the movement on Facebook and Twitter will continue to receive the latest updates on the initiative, such as the behind the scenes of the premiere, photos and videos, as well as information on upcoming local screenings.
Visit www.pepsiyosumo.com for more information on the YO SUMO initiative and join Facebook fan page www.facebook.com/PepsiYoSumo and/or follow @PepsiYOSUMO on Twitter for daily updates on the program’s progress.