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.

Man With Golden Voice Ted Williams Heads To Rehab, How It All Unfolded

Man With Golden Voice Ted Williams Heads To Rehab, How It All Unfolded

by Jorge Rivas on January 13 2011, 11:00AM

An interactive look at how Ted Williams went from from hero to villain in less than two weeks.

Topics: Media

ELLE Cover Lightens The Most Beautiful Woman in the World

ELLE Cover Lightens The Most Beautiful Woman in the World

by Jorge Rivas on January 12 2011, 10:00AM

ELLE is at it again, this time they’ve lightened the most beautiful woman in the world.

Topics: Media

Oprah's Book Club Hasn't Included Female Authors Since 2004

Oprah’s Book Club Hasn’t Included Female Authors Since 2004

by Jorge Rivas on January 11 2011, 11:42AM

Oprah’s Book Club hasn’t read a woman novelist since 2004 and only three authors of color in the last decade.

Topics: Media

Sarah Palin's Latest Campaign Move? End Reality Show

Sarah Palin’s Latest Campaign Move? End Reality Show

by Jorge Rivas on January 10 2011, 2:55PM

The former Alaska governor continues her shameless presidential bid.

Topics: Politics

Fox News Affiliate Exploits Homeless Looking for New Golden Voice

Fox News Affiliate Exploits Homeless Looking for New Golden Voice

by Jorge Rivas on January 10 2011, 2:19PM

A Fox News affiliate in Indianapolis gets downright tacky in its search for the next Ted Williams.

Topics: Media

Today's Love Is in the Scott Sisters' Drive Away From a Miss. Prison

Today’s Love Is in the Scott Sisters’ Drive Away From a Miss. Prison

by Jorge Rivas on January 7 2011, 5:56PM

The Scott sisters drive away from the place they were wrongfully imprisoned for seventeen years.

Topics: Celebrate Love

Aretha Franklin Breaks Her Silence After Surgery, Says

Aretha Franklin Breaks Her Silence After Surgery, Says “Problem Resolved”

by Jorge Rivas on January 7 2011, 12:15PM

Aretha Franklin is opening up a bit about her health after her mystery surgery last month.

Topics: Arts & Culture, Health

Film Critic Roger Ebert Gets Schooled Over His

Film Critic Roger Ebert Gets Schooled Over His “Huck Finn” Read

by Jorge Rivas on January 6 2011, 12:39PM

Film critic Roger Ebert keeps putting his foot in his mouth.

Topics: Arts & Culture, Media

Homeless Ohio Man with Golden Radio Voice Gets a Job and Housing

Homeless Ohio Man with Golden Radio Voice Gets a Job and Housing

by Jorge Rivas on January 5 2011, 2:50PM

Ted Williams, homeless Ohio man with the “golden radio voice,” hired by NBA Team.

Topics: Jobs Crisis, Video

Today's Love Goes to Music Bringing Home and Family Closer

Today’s Love Goes to Music Bringing Home and Family Closer

by Jorge Rivas on January 4 2011, 5:02PM

“Holy moly me oh my, you’re the apple of my eye.”

Topics: Celebrate Love

Ohio Man With Golden Voice Tells His Tale of Jobless Crisis

Ohio Man With Golden Voice Tells His Tale of Jobless Crisis

by Jorge Rivas on January 4 2011, 3:04PM

Homeless man in Columbus, OH with a golden voice reminds us unemployment numbers are real for people of color.

Topics: Economy, Jobs Crisis

Two Young Girls Climb U.S./Mexico Border Fence in 18 Seconds

Two Young Girls Climb U.S./Mexico Border Fence in 18 Seconds

by Jorge Rivas on January 4 2011, 1:43PM

Is the fence along the U.S.-Mexican border a waste of money? See for yourself.

Topics: Immigration, Media

Nickelodeon Gets Diversity Points, But Still Overlooks Race

Nickelodeon Gets Diversity Points, But Still Overlooks Race

by Jorge Rivas on January 3 2011, 1:11PM

The network adds another young black actor to its line-up of sitcom stars.

Topics: Media

Oprah Winfrey Network Debuts Without Young People, Latinos

Oprah Winfrey Network Debuts Without Young People, Latinos

by Jorge Rivas on January 3 2011, 11:05AM

Critics still say it’s still an ambitious and well-received start.

Topics: Media

The Year in Race--Disasters, Deportations and DREAMs Rising

The Year in Race—Disasters, Deportations and DREAMs Rising

by Jorge Rivas on December 16 2010, 12:05PM

There’s much to be frustrated about, but also to celebrate. Jorge Rivas looks back on a year’s headlines in the fight for racial justice.

Topics: 2010: Year in Race

Fox News: 'Penélope Cruz is Having an Anchor Baby'

Fox News: ‘Penélope Cruz is Having an Anchor Baby’

by Jorge Rivas on December 14 2010, 11:36AM

Leave it to the network to insult Latinos on what’s supposed to be their own turf.

Topics: Immigration, Media

Fashion Photographer Bruce Weber's Moving Portrait of Little Haiti

Fashion Photographer Bruce Weber’s Moving Portrait of Little Haiti

by Jorge Rivas on December 14 2010, 10:04AM

Known for imagining all-American brands, Weber turns his lens to those who have been defined out of Americanness. Jorge Rivas takes a look.

Topics: Arts & Culture, Immigration

Blacks, Latinos Use Twitter Two Times More Than Whites

Blacks, Latinos Use Twitter Two Times More Than Whites

by Jorge Rivas on December 10 2010, 2:38PM

Despite a digital divide, blacks and Latinos are more than twice as likely to use Twitter than whites.

Topics: Media

Today's Unconditional Love Goes To Accepting Families

Today’s Unconditional Love Goes To Accepting Families

by Jorge Rivas on December 9 2010, 6:36PM

Because research now proves that it literally saves lives.

Topics: Celebrate Love

Oprah: 'I'm Not Even Kind of a Lesbian'

Oprah: ‘I’m Not Even Kind of a Lesbian’

by Jorge Rivas on December 9 2010, 4:39PM

And Barbara Walters is still asking people about their sexuality.

Topics: Arts & Culture, Oprah