With the release of the film adaptation of “In The Heights” on June 10, New York City’s tourism board has launched a content platform celebrating its Latino heritage.

Titled “The Latino Experience in NYC,” this new platform was developed in partnership between Warner Bros., who produced this motion picture, and NYC & Company. Along with publicizing the movie, the NYC campaign will bring the cultures of the city’s Latino population, spanning across the city’s five boroughs, to the forefront. 

“The film gives us a unique opportunity to authentically showcase the rich and diverse Latino communities and heritage found right here in New York City,” said NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon, in a media statement. “With Washington Heights as the dynamic backdrop of the film, it’s only natural that we promote this vibrant neighborhood.”

Based upon the Tony-Award winning Broadway musical drama, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, “In The Heights'' is set in Washington Heights.

Both the stage and film versions present the stories of the neighborhood’s various residents. Its major character is Usnavi, a young man who manages a popular bodega and is saving money for a better life. 

Usnavi is played by Anthony Ramos, who is well-known for his dual roles as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in “Hamilton,” a musical also created by Miranda.

“The Latino Experience in NYC” will showcase Washington Heights through an online package of multimedia content relating to its on-screen appearance and real-life locations. This package will include a dozen exclusive interviews featuring the film’s cast and creative team; a new travel guide to Washington Heights; and behind-the-scenes photography of the film.

All of these materials can be accessed via NYC & Company’s website. 

However, Washington Heights is not the only NYC neighborhood tied to Latino heritage that’s featured in this package.

“The Latino Experience in NYC” will also promote Manhattan’s East Harlem neighborhood and Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. Additionally, new Culture Guides will promote Uruguayan and Peruvian culture in NYC, with itineraries on the Queens’ neighborhoods of Ridgewood, Sunset Park and Corona. An NYC guide to Mexican culture is also planned.

Overall, the package reflects NYC’s Latino population. A 2020 study by the Hispanic Federation cites that the New York City metro area is home to 4.8 million Latinos, having the second largest metropolitan area concentration in the country. The study also lists that New York State has the fourth largest Hispanic population in the United States.

Along with his Latino culture, Lin-Manuel Miranda drew upon Washington Heights as inspiration for creating this musical turned movie. He grew up in northern Manhattan and also was involved in the film production.

In a press statement, he explained, “I started writing ‘In The Heights’ because it felt like the most natural place in the world to set a musical. There’s music coming out of every corner and every apartment and every store, especially in the summer.”

“ ‘In The Heights’ exists because in so much of the entertainment world, particularly in musical theater, Latinos are invisible,” said Miranda, “and so, my mandate, my dare to myself when I started writing this with Quiara [Alegría Hudes, co-writer], was to put us on the map and tell the stories I wasn’t seeing [in the media].”

Other content in NYC & Company’s “The Latino Experience in NYC” includes “All In NYC: Portraits.” This video collection tells the stories of Latino small-business owners and community leaders across the five boroughs, including The Lit.Bar’s Noëlle Santos and The Bronx Beer Hall’s Anthony and Paul Ramirez.

This digital hub also features other similar resources. They are “Summer in the Bronx: An NYC Love Story,” “Where to See Latin-American Art in NYC Museums,” “Latin-American History and Culture Sites in NYC” and “10 of NYC's Best Latin-American Restaurants.” 

 NYC & Company plans to create and upload more related content on an ongoing basis at nycgo.com/TheLatinoExperience.