She's journeyed to outer space in Star Trek Beyond and fought off powerful villains in Guardians of the Galaxy, but it seems actress Zoe Saldana is currently on a new mission to empower Latinos in the most innovative way yet.
The 39-year-old star is making her mark in the digital start-up sphere with the launch of a new Latino-based digital media company called 'BeSe'.
BeSe (pronounced 'bee-say') will debut by the end of 2017, and comes from the verb 'to be' in both Spanish and English.
It has been created with the aim of inspiring the millennial and Gen Z audiences, distributing content across social and digital platforms, and give voice to stories of that 'reflecting and shaping the collective American experience', according to the Hollywood Reporter.
'Latinos are a growing community in America, but Latino stories have remained historically marginalised,' said Saldana.
'I'm so excited to be leading BeSe, a truly uplifting brand that fills a niche for young audiences craving positive portrayals of the modern Latino experience in America. I'm grateful to partner with Daniel, Monica and Plus Foundry so that more voices can be heard and empower others to actively create their own futures,' she added.
The publication notes that Latinx people (gender-non-conforming Latinos) make up about 18 per cent of the United States population, but only 4 per cent of newsrooms and 2 per cent of news producers) are Latinx, according to THR. This is a cultural issue Saldana hopes to highlight and help fill.
Saldana's co-investors and advisers include Monica Lozano, former editor, publisher and CEO of news outet La Opinion, and current Bank of America board member Kevin Yorn. Plus Foundry, which partners with influencers and brands to create, develop and launch transformative ventures, has also joined the team of pioneers.
Earlier this week, the mother-of-two joined Daniel Batista, BeSe's president, and Lozano at the Worldz 2017 - an annual cultural marketing summit in Los Angeles, in support of the company's launch.
We're excited to see BeSe changing the face of digital and social platforms and distribute more culturally diverse stories and perspective to the masses.
Hollywood, take note.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
