Edward James Olmos: fighting for justice and defying gangsters: on charity boards, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Oscar Nominee - Top Ten Latinos

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino, Dec, 2003 by Gabriela Velazquez

THE IMAGES of the dark, complex characters Edward James Olmos portrays in many of his dramatic roles--who does not remember tough Lieutenant Martin Castillo from Miami Vice?--do no justice to the warm-hearted man he really is. Not only is he very much admired as an actor, but, also, Latinos have found in Olmos a spokesman, an activist whose energies are devoted to help his community.

Born on February 24, 1945, to an immigrant Mexican father and a Mexican-American mother, he was raised in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, in an ethnically diverse neighborhood. Growing up surrounded by poverty and a mixture of cultures fostered tolerance and social awareness in Olmos.

His parents were divorced when he was eight, but first baseball, and then music provided an emotional shelter and a discipline that kept him off the streets. During the 60s he used to sing with a fairly successful rock band, and took his first acting lessons in order to improve his performance on stage. A singing career was cut short, and a great film talent was delivered instead.

Since the beginning of his career, he was attracted by socially conscious films. For his role in the play Zoot Suit (1978) he was awarded a Tony and other recognitions. After this, both television and movie parts came one after another: Wolfen, Blade Runner, Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, just to mention some. He has earned two Oscar nominations, one for The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982), the other for Stand and Deliver (1986).

For its inspirational content, Stand and Deliver is often shown in schools, hospitals, prisons, any place where people need to know there are choices in life they are entitled to--education and self-respect, for instance. This is exactly the kind of message Olmos wants to get across to Latino youth. He makes about 150 personal appearances each year to deliver motivational speeches to encourage kids at juvenile halls, detention centers, schools, etc. "I come from a dysfunctional family," he tells them, "I'm a minority, I have no natural talent, but I did it. If I can do it, anybody can do it."

Currently, Olmos sits on several boards and works for so many nonprofit organizations that it would be impossible to mention them all. He is a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, has worked with disabled and sexually abused children, has participated in projects to raise funds for humanitarian aid, and promoted peace among gangs in Los Angeles.

He has never been afraid of the consequences of this particular labor. He was arrested in an effort to stop the practice bombing on Vieques Island, Puerto Rico; his security was threatened by Mexican mobsters for his production American Me (1992). He was given the John Anson Ford Award for his efforts after the 1992 Los Angeles riot, and the NAACP has honored him for his leadership towards racial unity.

And the list goes on. But Olmos does not seem tired at all. He supports the causes he believes in and somehow manages to keep on making movies and television shows. The Battlestar Galactica mini-series will air in December of this year, and American Family will return for a third season. A role model, he is one of the most respected and influential Latinos in the US.