“Strong people, resilient, tenacious. They’re making the best of everything and have such Latin joy. There’s so much Latin culture that I love, that I praise.”
This is how John Leguizamo, the Colombian American actor, referred to the Latino population that calls Phoenix home — a community that will be celebrated during the second season of Leguizamo’s docuseries “Leguizamo Does America,” produced by MSNBC Films and NBC News Studio.
This week, Leguizamo was in Phoenix visiting different points across the city to capture diverse Latino stories that have left their mark on the community.
The first season, which premiered in 2023, highlighted Latino communities in five different cities in the United States — New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Miami — and Puerto Rico. During the second season, Phoenix will have its own episode and highlight celebrated businesses, neighborhoods and people who are well-known advocates of the culture. Leguizamo was spotted in San Antonio, Texas, in late March capturing the same essence.
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During an interview with La Voz Arizona-The Arizona Republic, Leguizamo was asked about the decision to choose Phoenix as one of his filming destinations. The actor described the Arizona territory as a remarkable one when it comes to Latinidad.
He said he had previously visited the state for work and described witnessing a very vibrant Latino culture among its population. He also mentioned the historical aspect of how the territory was Mexico at the time and later transferred to form the United States.
The border state of Arizona, which shares a desert ecosystem with Sonora, Mexico, and a nearly 400-mile border, is home to a rapidly growing Latino population.
Of the 7.4 million residents in the state, 2.3 million, or 33%, identify as Latino or Hispanic. This group makes up nearly 43% of the 1.6 million people in Phoenix, Arizona’s largest city.
“We’re going to cities that have the largest Latin populations, usually, not always. But usually, the big centers of Latinness, and obviously in Arizona is huge,” Leguizamo said. “There’s ancient roots (in Phoenix) in Latin culture.”
During the shoots, the actor said he had soaked up knowledge about the Arizona Latino community, both positive and not-so-pleasant. He mentioned the difficulties that Latinos have experienced in a border state that has frequently faced anti-immigrant measures, all despite their great contributions, such as the sum of $6.5 billion to the state’s economy.
Leguizamo said that during his time in Arizona, he encountered “incredible spirits” who bring color and beauty to this desert community.
Throughout the course of four days, Leguizamo spoke to a number of Arizonans whom he considers “incredible and empowering” heroes. “They were the first kind of Latin heroes that I saw on magazines, because we weren’t on the cover of anything. I could see myself in Chicanos and that gave me a great sense of pride,” he said.
The series premiere has yet to be announced, but Leguizamo said he has high expectations for this project. With the success of the first season, the actor hopes that this second season, which airs on MSNBC, will lead to something even greater.
“I want everybody who’s not Latino to feel Latino envy and wished they were Latin,” Leguizamo said. “And for Latin people to feel incredibly empowered and proud of who they are and where they come from.”
Reach La Voz reporter Paula Soria at psoriaaguilar@gannett.com.
