![]() ![]() We love movies, and we go as a group, we go as a family - and we go often. And I knew it would be, because Latinos are reported by the Motion Picture Association as the highest frequency moviegoers of any ethnic group in the United States. We need to be able to see something else as a possibility for our lives, and what we go through every day." Just as much as food and shelter are a need, we need to be able to get out of our head. ![]() ![]() "I view entertainment as part of the needs of being human. And all across the United States, the urban center core has pretty much been turned into an entertainment desert. And there are no movie theaters, and those movie theaters are now churches, or flea markets or they've been torn down. Today, I live a few miles away from Boyle Heights, not far from where I grew up. "I grew up in Boyle Heights, the original suburb of Los Angeles, and there were three movie theaters within walking distance. We need to be able to dream." Moctesuma Esparza It's a business opportunity.' And it related back to my own childhood, where the most treasured moments that I have of memories with my dad was him taking me to the movies on his one day off on Monday, where I got to see Mexican movies, where of course Mexicans were the good guys, the bad guys, the guy that got the girl, the girl who managed to achieve her dreams." "And so I thought about what I had experienced, and said, 'This is a opportunity. Ten years later, when I did the same for the movie 'Selena,' I found that even the second-run movie theaters had closed in Latino communities. And I found that there were no first-run movie theaters in any Latino community in the United States. And so for 'Milagro Beanfield War,' which Bob Redford directed, I went to 20 cities to arrange benefit premieres where we raise scholarship money. I made movies like 'The Milagro Beanfield War,' 'The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez,' 'Selena.' As part of that career, I got to travel the United States organizing the premieres for my movies. "I had a career as a movie producer, a very successful and enriching career that allowed me to focus on my own cultural heritage. On where the idea for the company came from In a View From The Top conversation, Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson talks with Esparza about operating movie theaters in an age of streaming services, and whether there are more opportunities for Hispanic filmmakers and actors than there used to be. Instead, all five theaters - part of his Maya Cinemas company - aim to bring first-run movie theaters to underserved communities with large Latino populations. When Moctesuma Esparza opened his fifth movie theater in May, he wasn't aiming for the same kind of giant multiplexes seen in many malls across the country. Rodriguez/Getty Images) This article is more than 4 years old. Esparza is pictured here at the 24th Annual IMAGEN Awards in 2009 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Still curious? Check out our MAYA!MAS FAQ'sĪccount Management Esparza's company Maya Cinemas aims to bring first-run movie theaters to underserved communities with large Latino populations. 6 month minimum commitment required to join. Make your love of the movies work for you with Maya!Mas. In addition, your subscription tickets never expire. The more tickets in your plan, the more you save! You can also see a free Canal Maya Classic movie every month and 15% off concessions. Do you go to the movies a lot? Do you bring your family at least once a month? If you answered yes to either of these then Maya!Mas is for you! You can subscribe for up to 6 tickets per month.
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