We closed the week with good news! Actress, producer and activist, Zoe Saldana is launching a new digital media company that will focus on empowering Latinos.
The start-up will create cultural storytelling targeting millennial and Gen Z audiences, for distribution across social and digital platforms.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, BeSe (pronounced “bee-say”) will debut by the end of 2017. The name comes from the verb “to be” in two languages — in English “be” and in Spanish “se” — meaning to exist and know yourself. Its mission will be to amplify the voice and untold stories of cultural pioneers reflecting and shaping the collective American experience.
Daniel Batista, former SVP, Head of Content Licensing & Business Development at Mitú, will serve as president and COO, while Saldana is the founder and CEO of the company. BeSe will be also working with Plus Foundry, a platform which partners with influencers and brands to ideate, develop and launch transformative ventures.
Latinos are a growing community in America, but Latino stories have remained historically marginalized,” said Saldana. “I’m so excited to be leading BeSe, a truly uplifting brand that fills a niche for young audiences craving positive portrayals of the modern Latino experience in America. I’m grateful to partner with Daniel, Monica and Plus Foundry so that more voices can be heard and empower others to actively create their own futures.
“I’m incredibly excited to partner with Zoe in building BeSe into a media brand that creates purpose-driven content, helping fill the significant gap that exists in today’s media landscape,” said Batista.
Saldana, is also a producer and principal, along with sisters Cisely and Mariel, with Cinestar Pictures (Gone Missing,Rosemary’s Baby) and this June was honored with an Outstanding Achievement Award at the Latino Media Awards and Gala, culminating the annual NALIP Media Summit.
