(Brantley) 'LATINOLOGUES' Created and written by Rick Najera and directed by Cheech Marin, long since de-Chonged, this is a series of loosely linked monologues delivered in character by Mr. Najera and three other talented Latino performers.

Although there are some well-known Latino actors like Jimmy Smits, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez (above) and Edward James Olmos, a report on Latino employment in Hollywood sponsored by the Screen Actors Guild found that the number of Latino performers in films and television was declining.

The production, which opened last night, is a series of loosely linked monologues delivered in character by four prominent Latino performers.

It's a distinction given to Latino performers (actors, film and television directors, and musicians) by the National Council of La Raza.

It was not just the main concert spot for Latino performers in New York, attracting stars from all parts of Latin America, it was one of the few places where Puerto Rican families from all over New York City could gather to celebrate their culture.

"There is no documentation, no legacy for Latino performers in this country," Ms. Gomez says.

The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is an award given to Latino performers (actors, film and television directors, and musicians) who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field.

"Down the line, I hope that when we're writing about Latino performers and writers, we're writing about them in the context of what they do," she said.

ALMA Award, a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field.

The nice thing about "THE 2006 ALMA AWARDS" (Monday at 9:30 p.m. on ABC), which honors Latino performers, is that the nominees aren't all the same as those on the other thousand awards telecasts.