Our own Anthony D. Romero joins notable names in entertainment, science, politics and sports who are profiled in The Latino List, a documentary and multimedia initiative presented by HBO. The documentary and accompanying book and photo exhibit spotlights the contributions Latinos are making to contemporary society to a variety of fields.
As the first Puerto Rican executive director of the ACLU, Anthony talks candidly about how his family was able to move out of their Bronx housing project with the help of an attorney who helped secure a better job for his father, a waiter at the Warwick Hotel.
“I probably wouldn’t be here today were it not for the intervention of that one young lawyer and my father’s courage to stand up to prejudice and discrimination.”
He discusses overcoming adversity and discrimination as both a Latino and a gay man, and why his own experience with prejudice made him a believer in civil liberties for all.
“…You help people understand that if they believe in their right to medical privacy, or their right to free speech, they have to accept the rights of others.”
Other personalities profiled include Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, actor John Leguizamo, musician Gloria Estefan and Sen. Bob Menendez.
The Latino List premieres Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 9:00 pm ET on HBO Latino and airs Thursday, Sept. 29 at 8:00 pm ET on HBO. The project is also documented in a book and traveling photo exhibition that is currently at the Brooklyn Museum through Dec. 11.
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