Reflecting on Community Support for Gina Torres’ leading role in ‘Pearson’ and Its Impact on TV Representation for Latinos

Afro-Latinos let an important opportunity slip through our fingers when we failed to fully support Gina Torres’s Suitsspinoff Pearson. As an accomplished Afro-Latina actress breaking ground in mainstream narrative storytelling, Gina Torres represented a beacon of representation—one that many of us celebrated loudly online but didn’t consistently show up for when it mattered most. The cancellation of Pearson after just one season was not just a loss for her career but a missed chance for our community to rally behind one of our own and demand the visibility we say we want.

Gina Torres’s role as Jessica Pearson on Suits was groundbreaking in itself—portraying a powerful, complex Afro-Latina woman navigating high-stakes corporate politics with intelligence and nuance. When Pearson was announced as a spinoff focused on her character’s journey, it was a chance for Afro-Latinos and broader Latinx audiences to see themselves reflected in a leading role on network television. It was a rare moment in mainstream storytelling to have an Afro-Latina lead with a fully fleshed narrative, not relegated to stereotypes or side characters.

Yet, despite the initial buzz and praise, the show struggled to maintain strong viewership. Part of this failure can be attributed to the systemic challenges in how audiences are built and how networks support diverse projects, but there’s also a truth we have to confront within our own community. If we want more Afro-Latino actors and actresses leading mainstream projects, if we want budgets to be allocated and shows renewed, we have to move beyond just social media shoutouts. We need to actively watch, promote, and engage with these projects—because networks and advertisers look closely at the numbers.

The truth is, getting a TV project greenlit is notoriously difficult. According to industry data, only about 2-3% of pilot scripts written in Hollywood ever become full series. And of those series, fewer than half last beyond their first season. Networks make these decisions based on a mix of ratings, demographic reach, advertising revenue, and critical reception. When a show led by a person of color doesn’t pull strong numbers quickly, it’s at greater risk of cancellation, often before it can find its full audience.

This means the stakes are higher for shows like Pearson—because they represent more than entertainment. They symbolize doors opening for our stories to be told authentically and widely. Yet without sustained viewer support, those doors slam shut. The cancellation of Pearson serves as a stark reminder that representation doesn’t just happen by magic or social media campaigns; it requires collective action and commitment.

Afro-Latinos, in particular, face a double bind. Our presence in Hollywood is already underrepresented, and when an opportunity for mainstream representation does arise, it is crucial that we not let it falter from lack of support. The failure to rally behind Gina Torres’s show wasn’t just a missed opportunity for her, but a setback for the community’s push toward visibility and inclusion.

If we are serious about demanding more Afro-Latino stories in mainstream media, it’s time to back those demands with real engagement. Watch the shows, stream the music, buy the books, share the content—not just once, but consistently. Network executives pay attention to viewership trends and social engagement; these metrics influence the budgets and longevity of projects.

In the end, Gina Torres’s Pearson was more than a TV show—it was a chance for Afro-Latinos to step into the spotlight, champion one of our own, and reshape the media landscape. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to not let that opportunity slip away again. Representation is not just about seeing ourselves on screen; it’s about showing up for the people who bring those stories to life.