Actor Jason Genao Reflects on the Impact of His Hispanic Heritage

Jason Genao, an actor in the Netflix show “On My Block,” discusses underrepresentation in show business.

Can you tell us about your upbringing?

I was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, to Dominican parents. My mother is fırst gen and was born in Long Island. My dad is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic.

How do you think your Dominican roots contribute to the success in your career?

I think the thing about growing up in a Dominican family is that we all sort of grew up in the same state of bordering poverty. So there’s just this dream of trying to get out that I think we all sort of run with. My family was big on dreaming and pushing past whatever it is that we were given to start with.

How did you know acting was for you?

I’ve always wanted to be an actor. Ever since I was little, my school had a drama club. And my drama teacher, she used to praise me and really pushed me. She was always making me the star of her plays.

A common issue in the industry is media under-representation.

Oh my god, yeah. I don’t even think people can fathom how underrepresented Latin culture is.

“On My Block” tackles this issue perfectly. A lot of people in the Latino community were able to see themselves on a screen. What does it mean for you to be a part of that impact?

I started the show at a young age, and people kept saying this show would change history. You can’t describe it, because you never intend to do these things. It’s crazy to think that I’m part of something, especially being from Jersey City, and being from the family that I’m from. “On My Block” was an amazing representation of the other side of Hispanic culture in America.

Can you share what empowering the Hispanic community means to you?

To empower Hispanic people is to believe that we all exist, and that we all exist in the same manner that other people exist. It’s to believe that a movie about Dominican people should be funded just as well as other movies.

You played such a big role as Ruby in “On My Block.” What kind of story did you want him to represent?

I think Ruby was one of the most amazing characters ever. He is so unapologetically himself. People like Ruby aren’t told that they should walk with their head high, they’re told that they should stand in the background and that they aren’t as deserving.

Ruby was an inspiration to me, because sometimes I still walk around shy or nervous to obtain the things that I want in life. He believed that he deserved everything. And I think that’s the most important story to tell people: that they’re deserving of everything, regardless of what they look like, or regardless of what the media and stories have told us we should look like to receive these things.