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.

Georgia Rep. Fights Anti-Abortion Bill with 'Anti-Vasectomy Act'

Georgia Rep. Fights Anti-Abortion Bill with ‘Anti-Vasectomy Act’

by Jorge Rivas on February 24 2012, 9:00AM

Black state rep proposes vasectomy limits for men in response to anti-abortion bills sweeping the country.

Topics: Gender & Sexuality, /NOW Blog

Nicki Minaj: ' I Would Do a Really Good Job as a Prosecutor'

Nicki Minaj: ’ I Would Do a Really Good Job as a Prosecutor’

by Jorge Rivas on February 23 2012, 9:25AM

Nicki Minaj, 29, appeared on Vogue.com this week.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

LAPD Chief Supports Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants

LAPD Chief Supports Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants

by Jorge Rivas on February 23 2012, 9:24AM

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Wednesday that California should issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Topics: Immigration, /NOW Blog

Magic Johnson is Bringing 'Soul Train' Back [Video]

Magic Johnson is Bringing ‘Soul Train’ Back [Video]

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 4:21PM

Magic Johnson, who once appeared on “Soul Train” himself, is bringing the show back to television.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

UC Davis Students Peppered Sprayed by Campus Police File Lawsuit in Federal Court

UC Davis Students Peppered Sprayed by Campus Police File Lawsuit in Federal Court

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 3:50PM

Nineteen current and former UC Davis students filed a federal lawsuit against UC Davis over the University’s treatment of protesters during a Nov. 2011 demonstration in which campus police were caught on video dousing seated protesters with pepper spray.

Topics: Criminal Justice, /NOW Blog, Schools & Youth

Forgive New Mexico Gov's Haircuts, Her Gay Stylist Gave up on Her [Video]

Forgive New Mexico Gov’s Haircuts, Her Gay Stylist Gave up on Her [Video]

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 3:18PM

The Latina New Mexico Governor lost get hair stylist because of her stance on same-sex marriage.

Topics: /NOW Blog, Politics

Oakland Police Shoot Oscar Grant's Cousin

Oakland Police Shoot Oscar Grant’s Cousin

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 2:18PM

Meanwhile, police decline to file charges in the case of another unrelated shooting of a homeless man. So much for accountability.

Topics: Criminal Justice, /NOW Blog

NY Fox 5 News Anchor Wonders How Jeremy Lin's Eyes Hold Up on the Court [Video]

NY Fox 5 News Anchor Wonders How Jeremy Lin’s Eyes Hold Up on the Court [Video]

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 1:42PM

Just days after an ESPNews anchor was suspended for using a racial slur in a Jeremy Lin news story comes New York’s WNYW Fox 5 news anchor making a joke about Lin’s eyes.

Topics: Arts & Culture, Jeremy Lin, /NOW Blog

'Awkward Black Girl' Issa Rae's Dream: HBO with Creative Control [Video]

‘Awkward Black Girl’ Issa Rae’s Dream: HBO with Creative Control [Video]

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 12:59PM

Issa Rae says she wants to stay online with sponsorships or make it to HBO with full creative control.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Pre-Teen Calls Out LeBron James: 'Why Won't You Play in the Dunk Contest' [Video]

Pre-Teen Calls Out LeBron James: ‘Why Won’t You Play in the Dunk Contest’ [Video]

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 12:20PM

This young man from Portland, Oregon has a message for LeBron James: “Don’t let my Saturday night go to waste, man.”

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Chris Brown's First Line in New Rihanna Song: 'Been a Long Time, I've Been Missing Your Body' Infographic

Chris Brown’s First Line in New Rihanna Song: ‘Been a Long Time, I’ve Been Missing Your Body’

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 12:05PM

Perhaps it’s time Rihanna visit her 2009 interview with Diane Sawyer.

Topics: Arts & Culture, Chris Brown, /NOW Blog

Facebook Adds 'Ethnic' Tab to its Ad-Buying Platform; Latinos First Group Targeted

Facebook Adds ‘Ethnic’ Tab to its Ad-Buying Platform; Latinos First Group Targeted

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 10:00AM

This marks the first time Facebook has allowed marketers a direct means of targeting ethnic groups.

Topics: Media, /NOW Blog

It's Much Harder for Black and Latino Workers to Retire, Study Finds

It’s Much Harder for Black and Latino Workers to Retire, Study Finds

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 9:27AM

Elder poverty rates are twice as high among Blacks and Latinos compared to the U.S. population as a whole.

Topics: Economy, /NOW Blog

L.A. County: Sorry for Tens of Thousands of Deportations in Depression

L.A. County: Sorry for Tens of Thousands of Deportations in Depression

by Jorge Rivas on February 22 2012, 8:38AM

L.A. County Board of Supervisors formally apologized for deporting “tens of thousands of Mexicans and Mexican Americans living in L.A. County” during the Depression because they were supposedly taking jobs from white U.S. born citizens.

Topics: History, /NOW Blog

Listen to Lost Malcolm X Speech, 50 Years Later

by Jorge Rivas on February 21 2012, 4:37PM

On Feb. 21, 1965, the former Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X was assasinated. He was 39.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Court Slows Deported Dad's Case as 20K Sign Petition to Reunite With Kids

Court Slows Deported Dad’s Case as 20K Sign Petition to Reunite With Kids

by Jorge Rivas on February 21 2012, 3:42PM

The petition calls on the Department of Social Services in Allegheny County, NC. to ensure that Felipe Montes, a single-father who was deported to Mexico, not be permanently separated but instead be reunified with his three sons in the United States or Mexico.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Magic Johnson to Launch 24-hour Channel with ‘Uplifting Images of African Americans’

by Jorge Rivas on February 21 2012, 2:06PM

Magic Johnson is preparing to launch Aspire, a 24-hour channel with a focus on what Johnson called positive, uplifting images of African Americans.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

Nearly 47k Sign Petition to Fire XXL Mag. Editor Vanessa Satten

Nearly 47k Sign Petition to Fire XXL Mag. Editor Vanessa Satten

by Jorge Rivas on February 21 2012, 1:21PM

Close to 47,000 members of ColorOfChange.org, the nation’s largest online black civil rights organization, have signed a petition calling on Harris Publications to fire XXL Magazine editor Vanessa Satten.

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

More Violence But Fewer Prosecutions on American Indian Reservations

More Violence But Fewer Prosecutions on American Indian Reservations

by Jorge Rivas on February 21 2012, 11:11AM

The country’s 310 Indian reservations have violent crime rates that are more than two and a half times higher than the national average.

Topics: Criminal Justice, /NOW Blog

Ariz. Sheriff Accused of Threatening to Deport Ex Has Long History of Hate

Ariz. Sheriff Accused of Threatening to Deport Ex Has Long History of Hate

by Jorge Rivas on February 21 2012, 10:14AM

For those who follow immigration issues closely Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu was already on their radar for a history of having a tough stance on immigration issues.

Topics: Immigration, /NOW Blog