The White House Correspondents Dinner weekend has concluded, but not until after Voto Latino hosted its seventh annual "Diversity in Media" reception gathering celebrities, newsmakers and members of the media in one room.

Voto Latino President and CEO Maria Teresa Kumar told Latin Post that the purpose for creating the "Diversity in Media" program was because there were not enough Latinas, African Americans, Asians and women represented on television and news representing issues that were impactful to their communities.

"We figured that if we put our friends together with producers of major T.V. networks in the news, that we would start seeing a conversation shift," said Kumar. "Our hope is that [at the reception] people network, but more importantly, we start seeing those results on television, and the stories that cover it and also who is covering those stories."

From Washington, D.C. last Friday, the program provided a platform for Golden Globe award-winner Gina Rodriguez, star of The CW's "Jane the Virgin," to talk about diversity in media and ultimately its effects in society.

"To me it's no question: It's equality," Rodriguez told Latin Post before the reception began. "It's about allowing every culture to be shined and allow them to be in a light that portrays them positively and uplifts the community."

Rodriguez added, "The truth is that we make art to reflect daily life, so when you walk out into that world, what is your daily life look like? If I want to be a true artist, then I'm going to reflect that, and reflecting that means diversity has to exist, not just with ethnicity but with religion, with gender equality, with sexual equalities. For me, diversity is a necessity for us to all create unity and create, in my opinion, tolerance."

Rodriguez told Latin Post about Voto Latino's continuing support long before she became Jane Gloriana Villanueva on The CW's hit primetime show, "Jane the Virgin."

"Voto Latino, they've always supported me in my efforts as a Latina in the industry to change the perception of Latinos in the media, to help change the perception of women in the media," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez acknowledged Kumar's support "even when nobody knew who [I was or] what I was doing," including when she starred in the 2012 Edward James Olmos film "Filly Brown" in 2012.

"Gina has been working for Voto Latino for now about five years, and it's amazing to see the trajectory of her career," said Kumar. "She is someone who is incredibly special, and she has a heart that really believes in giving back, and she does it every single day. Her star is just starting to rise, and even though it's just starting to rise, she, from the very beginning, has made it a powerful reminder that diversity in media needs to be a must, so I commend her for that."

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