March 2010 Latina Flick Picks

Sister Outsider Entertainment’s Flick Pick
By Elisha Miranda & Sofia Quintero

UGLY BETTY: SEASON 1

For this month’s theme, we return to episodic television because, by its nature, it introduces characters who are constantly placed in circumstances in which they are forced to learn and grow.  No one is a better learner than America Ferrer’s Betty Suarez who, in pursuit of her dream to publish her own magazine, must navigate the politics of Mode.  Having no interest in fashion, Betty finds herself subjected to a toxic environment that she accepts she cannot change. However, that is precisely why she makes every day at Mode count, mining lesson after lesson – professional and personal – to get closer to realizing her dream.

The first season of Ugly Betty chronicles her first few months at her new job as executive assistant to chief editor Daniel Meade. It is chock full of lessons for Betty, and as we watch her learn, we learn how to learn.  Take out your journal, pop in the disc, and write down the multiple ways that Betty demonstrates the following five ways to learn in the first season alone.

Be curious about something that ordinarily doesn’t interest you. You actually might learn something that does interest you or that can be applied to your passion.

Commit your inspirations to paper. These sparks are possible road signs to direct your learning.  You will take actions on some ideas, and others you won’t. But if nothing else, take them seriously enough to record them. Even though Betty is an executive assistant, she fleshed out her idea for the Fabia campaign inspired by the photograph of her mother.

Refuse to waste time learning certain things. Betty has no interest in fashion and doesn’t pretend to be an aspiring fashionista.  Nor does she listen to her sister Hilda who initially tries to convince her that her dream is unrealistic. These are two lessons to which Betty said no thanks because something are not worth knowing. Staying true to her goal gets her much farther at Mode than changing or abandoning it.

See opportunity at every turn – especially the wrong ones. It hurts Betty to discover why she was hired yet she decides to be grateful instead of angry or indignant, recognizing that she landed the opportunity of a lifetime. By focusing on the gift and not the delivery, she stayed in line to receive more opportunities to learn and advance.

At least try to change. Some things will stick, and others will not. The lessons really come from the effort.  Every time Betty tries something on – whether its an outfit or an outlook — she learns things about her business, her colleagues, and most of all, herself.

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