An Homage To Latino Representation In Media
By Natalia Chairez
Still from Coco (2017)
When talking about Latino representation in the media, there’s always this bittersweet element to it. It’s like a gutwrencher nostalgic feeling with each sentiment. Whether it's the negative outdated stereotypes perpetuated by societal foreign perspectives mixed with the abundance of truth in the pureness of our people’s heart.
I’m grateful that day by day, more and more of our people are stepping into the spotlight to be in spaces where there aren’t enough of us. Because sure, we’ve evolved and grown a lot bigger than where we started, but we’re still heavily misrepresented in the media to this day.
Still from Barbie (2023)
As the daughter of immigrant parents, I understand the importance and at times, the need of validation, in spaces that don’t always feel like they belong to us as we grow up. I know what it’s like learning to make yourself small with the risk of being ridiculed by those who grew up different from you.
But those times have changed by a landslide.
In light of the current affairs of the new Trump presidency and his threat on the livelihoods of millions of immigrants in the U.S., it’s important now more than ever to be united and see the brightness in the impact we’ve had in this country.
It’s important more than ever to realize that Latinos are more than just the vessel for manual labor and hardwork, but that they’re also your next door neighbor. They’re someone’s parent, brother, sister, relative, and or best friend.
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But at the same time, they’re the actors you see on your television screen creating a storyline for eyes everywhere. They’re the singer spending hours in the studio culminating music from their roots and unique experiences to showcase to the world as their work of art. It seems these sentiments have gotten lost as more and more people come to light being full of hatred and a lack of empathy.
If it weren’t for those who decided they wanted better for their lives and did what was once considered impossible, the privilege and opportunity of knowing the world is our oyster would have never evolved into what we envision for ourselves now.
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Through many decades in developing and evolving media, we’ve had to pick up crumbs of recognition of our existence even if that was at the expense of the dignity and stereotypes of our people. Most people outside of the U.S. and Latin American countries mainly know us through what they have seen in, oftentimes, outdated stereotypes in the media, which has slowly but surely come around to changing.
Oftentimes, they will think everyone from Latin America is from Mexico and that we just eat tacos and burritos with tequila. We’re boiled down to being spicy and exotic people “taking Americans jobs” as the representation. And most of the time, we just take it. Hell, we’ll even defend it sometimes.
Today, we’ve been able to share such honorable recognitions of our culture and take up space where we once were made to feel we didn’t belong.
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Through the cultural phenomenon of reggaeton being integrated into daily life, the voice given to us through films and academy awards, entrepreneurs and business owners integrating cultural products and meals that once were frowned upon but have grown to be a staple in many communities.
This is why Latino representation in the media is one that I find bittersweet but ultimately one of the most rewarding and beautiful experiences I could ever have. Not just growing up to see more and more people on screen who look like me, but also seeing more people with similar stories pursue their passions for the world to see is something that fills my heart with so much love and pride.
I don’t think that’s a feeling that can be compared anywhere else. So even though the lives of many of us are being threatened, they will never take away our voice and our hearts full of love to give.
