As the CEO of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Carlos Medina and the team there have spent years helping their members in two key ways:
- Getting the training they need to better produce and market their products;
- Getting the introductions they need to B2B service providers to help them survive and thrive.
Both initiatives, which get their gusto from one-on-one conversations, align with Medina’s overarching goal: Helping the culture of the Hispanic community (actually, all underserved communities) find a greater mainstream audience and acceptance.
It’s the rationale being Que Pasa, a show Medina hosts and produces for NJ PBS that brings awareness to leaders in the Hispanic community.
“In the most basic sense, I’m a storyteller,” he said. “I think the more we tell each other’s stories, the more we understand each other’s cultures, the better off we will be as a state and a region and a country.”
His efforts have taken him to Broadway.
Medina currently is one of the co-producers of the Hills of California, which started a run on the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City late last month. The play, by British playwright Jez Butterworth premiered in London earlier this year and is expected to play on Broadway at least through the end of the holiday season.
The play, which features a (dying) mom and her four children and the struggles they are going through in the mid-70s, caught Medina’s eye for two reasons:
It was an opportunity to get involved in Broadway (to be clear, he is not the main producer, just one of many equity investors) — and an opportunity to see how a different medium can help him on his mission.
“I want to see in how many ways and in how many areas I can drive diversity,” he said. “This first play isn’t the best for diversity, it’s mainly a female white cast because that’s the story, but it has showed me the possibilities.
“I just love storytelling. The common theme between Que Pasa and other future projects is I love diverse storytelling. I don’t think New Jersey, or the country, has enough diverse storytellers.”
His role as a producer has brought him into a new world, but one in which another one of his great strengths — the ability to network — is proving to be a bonus.
“I am meeting all of these other producers, learning about their interests,” he said. “It’s incredible to see what everyone’s interests are.”
He’s not doing it alone.
Medina’s daughter Marisol, a 2024 college graduate who majored in musical theatre, is bringing her insights — as well as learning the industry in a way that other recent graduates may not get to see.
“She’s a co-producer like me,” Medina said. “So, she gets to go to a lot of key meetings.”
Whether her future career is on stage (certainly her dream) or behind the scenes, remains to be seen, but Medina is thrilled that his daughter is getting a chance to see so much of the industry so soon into her professional career.
This will not be a one-and-done effort.
Medina is now determining which project he will be a part of next. He declined to say how much he invests in each project — thought he admitted he’s not likely to get that money back.
“There are circumstances where there could be a profit, but that’s not the reason I’m doing this,” he said. “I’m looking for new ways to connect cultures, connect people and tell stories. That’s what is important.”
