Interview: Rosario Dawson, A Woman Of Color, Talks To Guanabee About Politics
13 October 2008, 2:15 PM. By Daniel Mauser
“This presidential election is the most important event of our lifetime.” This phrase, which has gradually gained volume to deafening proportions in the past couple of months, has been reverberated by politicians, the media, advertisements, spokespersons, your family! Some are paralyzed by it, some dismiss it as propaganda, others are taken by it and have appropriated it as their mantra driving them to act and get people to take a stand and voice their vote. Rosario Dawson belongs to this last group. The actress, singer and co-founder of Voto Latino, a non-profit org. that campaigns for Latinos to register to vote, talked to Guanabee’s Daniel Mauser and Alejandra Alvarez about politics, Sarah Palin, and the importance of having at least one non-Latino friend.
GB: Hi Rosario, thanks for taking the time to chat with us about Voto Latino. (Rosario co-founded Voto Latino in 2004). We know our readers will be excited to know we exchanged words. How did you become involved with such a cause; shouldn’t you be shooting a movie or something?
RD: Well, thanks for your support. I love your blog; I think you guys do a really great job with it! I am taking time off shooting to focus on Voto Latino.
GB: What does Voto Latino consist of, what role do you play, and how are you guys promoting your message?
RD: Voto Latino is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that recognizes the importance of the Latino vote and encourages Latinos to register to vote. I am a spokesperson for the organization. As part of our efforts, we’ve created several PSA’s to drive people to take action. You may have seen them; they feature Wilmer Valderrama and others. We are very happy to say that since the beginning of the year Voto Latino has helped over 25,000 Latinos to register to vote.
GB: That’s great! However, given that Latinos only represent between 6 to 7 percent of the electoral vote does it really matter?
RD: Actually it matters, because Latinos are a majority in many of the swing states, and this could make all the difference when it comes to who is elected president. 20% of Latinos are undecided and feel that the candidates are not speaking to their issues. Plus, 50,000 Latinos turn 18 every month. So our vote can definitely affect the outcome by garnering long-term voters, not just ones for this election.
GB: How have you managed to appeal to Latinos in the US who come from different nationalities and backgrounds?
RD: By simply asking people their views, focusing on rights –inspiring a broad range of people and working with a variety of artists such as Pitbull, Fat Joe, Daddy Yankee, Perez Hilton.
GB: Historically speaking, celebrities have been very liberal and usually vote Democrat. How do you promote people to vote while maintaining an objective message?
RD: We are very careful about keeping our message non-partisan and not supporting a particular candidate. I attended both conventions and we make a point of going across party lines. Voting for America’s leader is about rights, history, issues - not celebrity endorsements. We encourage people to make decisions for themselves.
GB: What are your thoughts about Sarah Palin? Do you feel comfortable having a person like her as the possible future Vice-president of this country?
RD: I think Sarah Palin is smart. [Ed. Note: not sure about this one]. I believe a lot of people really admire her and respect her. She’s an interesting and dynamic human being - she’s changed history. It’s the first time that a black Presidential candidate and woman Vice-presidential candidate are running in the same election. Obama and Palin are both young, charismatic, interesting and diverse candidates. Also, there are more Wasillas than Chicagos; there are two very different Americas vying for the Presidency and it’s important to become informed as to what speaks more to you.
GB: Given your background — a Puerto Rican and Cuban mother and an Irish and Native American father — have you always identified as Latina?
RD: I always identified as American and as a woman. I grew up among Latinos; we knew who we were. And while traveling abroad I asserted that I was an American above all else. I understood I was an American woman of color and that has made me feel stronger about my mission and more aware of my position as an American and about what my rights are.
GB: Speaking of identity, have you ever felt pressure to hang out or date only Latinos exclusively? (Rosario’s last high-profile relationship was with actor Jason Lewis form Sex and the City, she has now been linked to French-born DJ Mathieu Shreyer, aka, Mr. French.)
RD: Nooo… I always had a diverse group of friends. I grew up in New York where I was always exposed to a variety of cultures. I don’t feel pressure to define my relationships by ethnicity. I have also experienced different economic classes. When I was young, my family and I moved into an East Village squat. Being not only Latino but also a female of color, I want to have young girls, regardless of ethnicity, feel inspired, franchised and educated.
GB: Can we expect to see political candidate Rosario Dawson in the future?
RD: [Laughs].
So there you have it. It’s important to mention that Guanabee is a forum where we strive to take the fluff and bullshit out of celebrities who put out superficial messages. However, preachiness aside, we were seriously impressed with Rosario Dawson’s efforts and commitment towards organizing the Latino community to speak up for the well-being of our country. It’s no wonder this self-described woman of color is as successful as she is. She was truly inspiring.
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Great article!
I wish more actors and actresses were as intelligent and committed to broader issues as Rosario Dawson.
How exciting!
Great questions, fun article…I adore Guanabee!
Way cool, G-bee!
Would definitely hit it.
I’m sorry, Guanabee, but as much as I love Rosario Dawson–my God, she is a vision, a supernal Latina, an ethereal goddess who floated down from a sun-struck cloud to assault all my senses–no one really touched upon the turbulent and often murky issues that require clarification. I mean, how about the fact that many Latinos, and Latin-Americans, and Hispanics–whatever you wish to call them–are extremely prejudicial toward black people. There is real distrust, fear, and hatred there, ingrained, born down through the generations, and though it has always been my hope that this history would drop dead once it breached the U.S. borders, this sadly is not so. And a lot of Spanish-speaking people that I know distrust Obama, and traditionally vote Republican, so is it really true that Latinos nationwide always vote Democratic? That’s a generalization that doesn’t hold water for me. So, despite your bold attempt at suspending the usual and the rote that accompanies fluff pieces, this unfortunately adhered to its genre. Still, congrats on snaring Ms. Dawson. Though I will never meet her, nor have the chance to be blinded by her smile and extraordinary radiance, I will follow her career, for as an actress she is interesting and exciting even in films lacking in both attributes–sorely needed in these days of shoddy art.
@urban latino: thanks for your input. However you might want to read it more carefully before jumping in like a rabid shnouzer. Nobody said that Latinos always vote Democratic. After you read it, let’s discuss.
Well then, I offer my rabid apologies, and am hereafter humbled by my singular stupidity. We all make mistakes, and that was an embarrassing blunder on my part. There is no need, however, to insult me by calling me a shnouzer (though they are handsome little creatures). I prefer doberman or pitbull if you are going to refer me to any variety of man’s best friend in the future. Or just call me your friendly neighborhood watchdog, with the emphasis on friendly. Adios, muchacho.
Besides trying to improve the world in a practical manner, she’s also the Mayor of Boner City.
Sorry.
whatev, you should be proud to be compared to a schnauzer!
he looks so noble:
http://www.kennels.co.uk/images/W.GiantSchnauzer.jpg
She seems to have well thought and positive things to say overall. Yes, she is a vision, but appears to have some brains with it.
By the way, here is a website that shares all the Sarah Palin dirt to support Barack Obama!
@urban latino: agreed, I apologize for calling you a rabid shnouzer. You are right your comments were more like those of an angry squirrel. Ok fine, a pitbull sans lipstick.
Rosario calls herself a woman of color and that her dad, a white guy raised her. But she fails to mention that the white guy was her step-father not her biological dad, does anybody knows the reason why she denies her birth dad. I find it all very strange.
Hilary,
What is also strange is that Rosario has also stated that her biological father Patrick Harris and the man Greg Dawson who raised her are BOTH of Irish and Naive American descent. Rosario is covering some information about herself, she is probably not of Irish and Native American descent. Her mother Isabel was known to have been involved with the Coney Island gangs when Rosario was conceived. While in the 13 street squat, Rosario’s parents behaved like gangsters and were known to have severely abused their neighbors. Go to the link below for more information.
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1324582.php
Rosario said: “I’m a broken-condom baby. I was conceived on Avenue X in Brooklyn. The 28-year-old has not been in contact with her biological father Patrick Harris since she was four-years-old. Her mother, Isabel - who is half-Puerto Rican, half Afro-Cuban, fell pregnant by the half Irish, half-Native American when she was just 16
Jul 1, 2007 …