Colorlines

Jorge Rivas

Jorge Rivas

Jorge Rivas Multimedia Editor / Pop Culture Blogger
Los Angeles, CA

Jorge Rivas is multimedia editor and pop culture blogger for Colorlines.com. A firm believer in the power of visual communications to inform and move people into action, Jorge uses multimedia presentations to help readers build stronger connections to stories. Jorge has covered the public housing crisis in a post-Katrina New Orleans, the effects of deportation on families, and brought live images of the President Obama's inauguration to Colorlines.com readers.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jorge started in broadcast as an intern at the age of 16 and since worked in the entertainment industry and on international advertising campaigns. Jorge received his B.A. in Raza Studies from San Francisco State University where he studied immigration, healthcare perspectives and the interrelationship of culture, community, and the internet. Prior to joining Applied Research Center (ARC) and Colorlines.com in 2005, Rivas worked on a living wage campaign in Brooklyn, NY through the Minority Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP).

Jorge uses his media and ethnic studies background to deconstruct representation of people of color in pop culture, illustrating how pop culture can shape opinions, perceptions and even public policy. Jorge's work has appeared on Elle.com, Essence.com, Racialicious, The Root, Alternet, and Feministing.

Check out Jorge's media appearances here.

Follow Jorge on Twitter at @thisisjorge.

Planned Parenthood President, Eva Longoria, Lilly Ledbetter to Speak at DNC

Planned Parenthood President, Eva Longoria, Lilly Ledbetter to Speak at DNC

by Jorge Rivas on August 22 2012, 2:05PM

The Democratic National Convention Committee unveiled a list of prominent women Wednesday that are scheduled to speak at the party’s upcoming convention, including Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, Lilly Ledbetter and actress Eva Longoria.

Topics: /NOW Blog, Politics

Obama Leads Romney Among Black Voters 94-0% (Yeah, as in Zero Percent)

Obama Leads Romney Among Black Voters 94-0% (Yeah, as in Zero Percent)

by Jorge Rivas on August 22 2012, 1:22PM

Wondering how Mitt Romney is doing with black voters? Not good.

Topics: /NOW Blog, Politics

Funny or Die Brings You Jan Brewer's 'Self-Deportation Station'

Funny or Die Brings You Jan Brewer’s ‘Self-Deportation Station’

by Jorge Rivas on August 22 2012, 1:05PM

Actress Mary Steenburgen does such a good job at impersonating Jan Brewer that you won’t know whether to laugh or cry after watching this video.

Topics: Immigration, /NOW Blog

Driver's Licenses for DREAMers? California Says It's Not Out of the Question

Driver’s Licenses for DREAMers? California Says It’s Not Out of the Question

by Jorge Rivas on August 22 2012, 11:59AM

Will Deferred Action applicants between 16-and-30-years old who are granted “temporary legal residents” status be eligible for driver’s license?

Topics: Immigration, /NOW Blog

Immigrants Make Up Same Share of U.S. Population Today as They Did a Century Ago [Infographic]

by Jorge Rivas on August 21 2012, 3:29PM

Immigrants make up roughly the same share of the U.S. population today as they did a century ago.

Topics: Immigration, /NOW Blog

Wyclef Jean to Headline Vets' Fundraiser at Republican Convention

Wyclef Jean to Headline Vets’ Fundraiser at Republican Convention

by Jorge Rivas on August 21 2012, 12:15PM

Wyclef Jean will not be gone till November because he’ll be performing at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida on August 29th.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Pew Report: Record Numbers of Latinos in US Colleges, Public Schools

Pew Report: Record Numbers of Latinos in US Colleges, Public Schools

by Jorge Rivas on August 21 2012, 11:59AM

Latinos are now, for the first time, the largest minority group among the nation’s four-year college and university students.

Topics: /NOW Blog, Schools & Youth

Federal Court Blocks School Reporting Provisions in Alabama’s HB 56 Immigration Law

by Jorge Rivas on August 20 2012, 6:02PM

On Monday, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta issued a ruling on Alabama’s immigration law, commonly referred to as HB56.

Topics: Immigration, /NOW Blog

64 Percent of New Yorkers Surveyed Say NYPD Favors Whites

64 Percent of New Yorkers Surveyed Say NYPD Favors Whites

by Jorge Rivas on August 20 2012, 4:24PM

A significant majority of New Yorkers surveyed in a New York Times poll say the Police Department favors whites over blacks.

Topics: Criminal Justice, /NOW Blog

Read a Young Willow Smith’s Heartfelt Letter to Tupac Asking Him to ‘Please Come Back’

by Jorge Rivas on August 20 2012, 1:54PM

“Can you please come back, can you come back so momy [sic] and me can be happy,” wrote the 11-year-old star in the letter she says she wrote “YEARS” ago.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Ohio GOP Election Official: Early Voting Should Not Accommodate Blacks

Ohio GOP Election Official: Early Voting Should Not Accommodate Blacks

by Jorge Rivas on August 20 2012, 12:29PM

An Ohio GOP election official who voted against the weekend voting rules that enabled thousands to cast ballots in the 2008 election said Sunday that he did not think that the state’s early voting procedures should accommodate African-Americans.

Topics: /NOW Blog, Politics

Former Black Panther Richard Aoki Named an FBI Informant

Former Black Panther Richard Aoki Named an FBI Informant

by Jorge Rivas on August 20 2012, 11:35AM

The man who armed the Black Panthers turns out to have been an FBI informant.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Whitney Houston's Last Film 'Sparkle' Flops at Box Office

Whitney Houston’s Last Film ‘Sparkle’ Flops at Box Office

by Jorge Rivas on August 20 2012, 10:47AM

The allure of Whitney Houston’s final performance didn’t drive many crowds to “Sparkle.”

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

PopChips Didn't Learn From Indian Ad Saga --They're On Mexicans Now

PopChips Didn’t Learn From Indian Ad Saga —They’re On Mexicans Now

by Jorge Rivas on August 17 2012, 11:20AM

Remember the fiasco earlier this year after PopChips ran commercials with Ashton Kutcher in brownface impersonating Indians?

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Two Young Black Poets From Philly on Hipster Racism [Video]

Two Young Black Poets From Philly on Hipster Racism [Video]

by Jorge Rivas on August 17 2012, 9:43AM

Brave New Voices poets take hipster liberal colorblind racist “anti-racists” to task.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Univision and NAACP Slam Debate Commission's All White Moderators

Univision and NAACP Slam Debate Commission’s All White Moderators

by Jorge Rivas on August 17 2012, 9:32AM

Univision president and CEO Randy Falco on Wednesday sent a letter to Janet H. Brown, the Commission on Presidential Debates’ executive director, expressing “disappointment on behalf of the millions of Hispanics who do not have a voice in the upcoming presidential debates.”

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Advocates Launch Fund to Help DREAMers Pay $465 'Deferred Action' Fee

Advocates Launch Fund to Help DREAMers Pay $465 ‘Deferred Action’ Fee

by Jorge Rivas on August 15 2012, 10:57AM

This represents the first step for more than a million DREAMers to pursue higher education, meaningful employment, and a chance to contribute to this country’s future.

Topics: Immigration, /NOW Blog

Michelle Obama Jokingly Scolds Gabby Douglas for Egg McMuffin

Michelle Obama Jokingly Scolds Gabby Douglas for Egg McMuffin

by Jorge Rivas on August 14 2012, 8:40AM

First Lady Michelle Obama, an advocate of healthy eating, and Gabby Douglas were guests on “Tonight Show” with Jay Leno on Monday night. When Douglas was asked how she celebrated her three gold Olympic medals, she said she splurged on…

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog, Olympics

Gabby Douglas Gets a Mural in Her Hometown and She's Going to be on 'Oprah'

Gabby Douglas Gets a Mural in Her Hometown and She’s Going to be on ‘Oprah’

by Jorge Rivas on August 13 2012, 2:32PM

Gabby Douglas will return to her hometown of Virginia Beach, Va to find a new 9-by-30 foot mural made in her honor.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Former Undocumented Immigrant Leo Manzano Wins Silver Medal for U.S.

Former Undocumented Immigrant Leo Manzano Wins Silver Medal for U.S.

by Jorge Rivas on August 8 2012, 9:41AM

Mexican-born, American runner Leo Manzano is the first American to medal in the 1,500-meter final since Jim Ryun won silver in 1968.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog, Olympics