The deaf community is hungry to see itself in the most positive way.

In a 2004 interview with the Dominican newspaper Listin Diario Lupe Ontiveros called El Norte "the film that always will remain in me. Outreach efforts
In August 2006 the Kaiser Permanente insurance company announced that Ontiveros would be the featured presenter in a new health-education DVD to be available in English and Spanish. The multicultural and bilingual series later introduced a deaf character Marco after a sign language-themed episode was suggested by the actress who has two Deaf adult sons.

Guadalupe "Lupe" Ontiveros (September 17 1942 – July 26 2012) was an American film and television actress. Ontiveros acted in numerous films like Selena and television shows often playing a maid or more recently an all-knowing grandmother.