The Latino Vote '92 and Latina Vote '94 PSAs

Julie Carmen

This is an election year, and there has been a concerted effort to encourage Latinos to vote. Some of you might remember similar campaigns that have taken place in previous years, particularly two public service announcements that aired on television in 1992 and 1994. "Latino Vote '92" and "Latina Vote '94" won Clio Awards and, more importantly, motivated many Latinos to vote.

Both PSAs were produced by Julie Carmen on behalf of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. If the name "Julie Carmen" sounds familiar, it is because she is an actress who appeared in Gloria (1980), The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), and Fright Night Part 2 (1988), and would later appear in the classic John Carpenter movie In the Mouth of Madness (1995). In 1992 Ms. Carmen realized a need to encourage Latinos to vote. She approached the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project to raise money for a PSA that would motivate Latinos to take part in that year's election.

To direct the PSA, Julie Carmen turned to video director Luis Aira. Among other things he had directed the videos for The Cars' "Heartbeat City" and the Martika song "Martika's Kitchen." Not only would Luis Aira's company produce "Latino Vote '92" and "Latina Vote '94," but they would produce an entire 10 years worth of PSAs for the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. The script for "Latino Vote '92" was written by Mr. Aira with Jesus Ramirez and Mark Gonzalez of the advertising agency Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates. Featured in "Latino Vote '94" were such well known Latinos as Tony Plana, Edward James Olmos, Ms. Carmen herself, Hector Elizondo, the comedy troupe Culture Clash, and others.

Although the organization Rock the Vote was not involved in the production of "Latino Vote '92," the PSA was added to their PSA reel that was offered to television stations around the country. "Latino Vote '92" would later win a Clio Award, which are given for creative excellence in advertising.

Julie Carmen would follow "Latino Vote '92" with another PSA, "Latina Vote '94." While "Latino Vote '92" was directed by Luis Aira, "Latina Vote '94" would be directed by Ms. Carmen with Mr. Aira acting as her mentor. It was Julie Carmen's directorial debut. For the PSA Ms. Carmen gathered 108 famous Latinas, including Raquel Welch, Gloria Molina, Daphne Zuniga, Jennifer Lopez, Liz Torres, Carmen Zapata, Ms. Carmen herself, Lupe Ontiveros, Vanessa Marquez, Dyana Ortelli, and yet others. The PSA debuted at the 20th Anniversary Southwest Voter Registration Education Project Banquet in 1994, at which Julie Carmen was the Mistress of Ceremonies and Al Gore gave the keynote address.

Like "Latino Vote '92," "Latina Vote '94" was added to Rock the Vote's reel of PSAs offered to local television stations. And like  "Latino Vote '92," it also won a Clio Award.

"Latino Vote '92" and "Latina Vote '94" would not be the last PSAs devoted to motivating Latinos to vote, as there have been many produced since then. That having been said, both PSAs, remain well remembered, not simply because they were among the earliest such PSAs to be produced, but because both were very well done. Below is a reel from the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project's YouTube Channel that includes both "Latino Vote '92" and "Latina Vote '94," as well as later PSAs.