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A lot of people don’t realize that I’m Latina, which is fine. One thing about being Latina is that there isn’t one look that comes with the territory. I don’t expect people to know my cultural background just by glancing at me. I do, however, expect that when I tell people my family is from Puerto Rico, that I will be believed and not accused of trying to be something that I’m not. It usually goes something like this: a person having a conversation with me discovers one way or another that I’m Puerto Rican and fluent in Spanish. That person then expresses their shock over these realizations for any number of reasons–common responses are, “You don’t look Latina” and “I thought you were black!” I never said I wasn’t black. And since when does being black and being Latina have to be mutually exclusive?
In my experience, people tend to have an uninformed and rather narrow view of what it means to be Puerto Rican. For me, not looking like some people’s idea of a typical Latina has been challenging and often painful. I constantly find myself trying to justify who I am, and why should I? I’m proud of my heritage and my family. Both of my parents are from Puerto Rico. They raised two kids in Brooklyn and later in New Jersey, where we ate arroz con gandules and pasteles and listened to salsa music. I feel just as at home in Puerto Rico, where I still have tons of family, including aunts, uncles and cousins. Puerto Rico is in my blood. And that has nothing to do with the color of my skin.
I’m not angry with anyone who doesn’t understand the complexities of race and culture. And I’m also not interested in having long, drawn out conversations about how it’s possible for me to look like this and speak Spanish. In fact, sometimes I make it a point not to mention my parents’ birthplace because I don’t always feel like having the inevitable discussion that follows. Instead, I let people look at me and come to their own conclusions. As I start to get my feet wet in Hollywood, I already know that there are certain parts I won’t even be considered for. The character can be Puerto Rican and speak Spanish just like me, but Hollywood defines Latina as Jennifer Lopez and Sofia Vergara. As beautiful as they are, we’re not all one race in Latin America. But I don’t go to auditions so that I can give history lessons to film executives. I’d rather skip the entire process.
I’m raising my son to understand who he is, and it’s my hope that he’ll never let others define him. It reflects poorly on us when we don’t educate ourselves about the rest of the world and what it looks like. I encourage people who are interested to learn more, do research and ask informed questions. If you’re lucky enough to visit various countries in Latin America, you’ll be baffled to see the blackest of the black and the lightest of the light living together. And I dare you to ask one of them to prove their latinidad.
@blackbeautydiva:wouldn't it have been easier for you to direct blogger to bo// ss// ip dot com for the full article? Because that's where you got it from & it's a week or 2 old. Besides all she was doing was pointing out the fact that many ppl tend to think that a black woman can't be of Hispanic heritage because of their skin color,that's all.
@BIGD4SHOW my best friend had very long hair and the more she had kids the *** it got and she also started getting acne all of her kids have long beautiful hair and beautiful skin so yea that could happen i seen it with my own eyes happen to my best friend lol kids take stuff away from you when you have them
@blackbeautydiva:wouldn't it have been easier for you to direct blogger to bo// ss// ip dot com for the full article? Because that's where you got it from & it's a week or 2 old. Besides all she was doing was pointing out the fact that many ppl tend to think that a black woman can't be of Hispanic heritage because of their skin color,that's all. --------------- Mock Rock Star * *********************
GILR I KNOW MTO IS ALWAYS LATE WITH SHI.TT
Yeah that's a Kim *** special...Her *** is flat as a table
Kim *** should market the *** pads
I can't believe her greedy, self-promoting *** hasn't tapped into that yet, she'd sell her feces if she thought someone would buy it
Question: What do men do when the clothes come off and the arse dissappears? Hmmmmmmm???
So the f*ck what. She's a black Puerto Rican. So was Sammie Davis Jr. Who cares. She's still BLACK. Get over it Lala. We already are. Now on to your flat azz: She's as fake as a $2 bill. From that fake *** to those jacked up fake eyelashes. Be consistent ladies. Don't show up with an azz today and none tomorrow. If you ain't got no azz buy TWO pairs of *** pads so you'll have a spare while one is in the cleaners. Fake Bishes.
*** IT FIGURES LALA IS COOL AS HELL AND I REALLY USED TO LIKE HER BUT AFTER HER RANTING IM NOT BLACK IM LATINA ITS LIKE AND SO WHAT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO CLAIM US THEN WE DON'T WANT TO CLAIM YOU!! NOW I BELIEVE SHE IS NOT BLACK BC SHE HAS A FLAT *** HAHAHA SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE TOPIC ALONE BUT SINCE YOU DIDN'T THERE YOU GO NO *** ROTFLMAO!!!
faundyb--i don't think that's what she's saying. she's saying don't assume that just because her skin is dark that she's not latin. there are lots of black latins, white latins, etc... i see people like that all the time (dark. white, mixed, brown latins)& i understand exactly where she's coming from. if you're not use to seeing it than you take it as a slap in the face, but it's not really. she's got more ties to puerto rico & that is her heritage... nothing wrong with that.
@ faundyb I agree with sweetvyc. I also don't think that's shes trying to deny her blackness or not claim it. But as a PR, she also has to represent where she comes from. I think she's just tired of people not recognizing and acknowleging what she is because of the way she looks. I understand where she is coming from. Darker Latinos like my family are looked at differently and aren't seen as being "Latino" because of skin color and african characteristics; it's ridiculous. We still come from the same place and are just as much Latino as the (white looking) Jlos and Ricky Martins. I think that’s what she’s trying to say.
There are black people in every country. I'm from Panama and we have a large black population as well as chinese. So its not out of the norm for me to see a black or chinese person to speak fluent spanish! It just depends in which culture the person was raised in...
So, yes you are 100% Puerto Rican, the only difference is that your of black decent and not spanish decent.
ARE YOU PEOPLE SERIOUS? LALA NEVER HAD NO BOOTY TO BEGIN WITH. SHE ALWAYS HAVE BIG THIGHS AND BIG BREAST....THATS IT. HER BOTTOM PART OF HER LEGS WERE ALWAYS SKINNY, LIKE A CHICKEN DRUM STICK. DON'T FORGET PICTURES GIVE AN ILLUSION. SOME WOMEN YOU CAN'T SEE THEIR BOOTY UNTIL THEY WEAR SOMETHING TIGHT. SOME WOMEN BOOTY IS WIDE, BUT FLAT IN VOLUME. THEN YOU HAVE THE CLOTHES THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR BODY SHAPE.
THE DRESS SHE SELECTED WAS HORRIBLE! EVERYBODY DOES NOT LOOK GOOD IN GATHERED PLEATS. SHE NEEDS A MAKEOVER. NOT A BAD LOOKING WOMAN, BUT HAS NO FASHION SENSE OR STYLE. AND YES, SHE DID HAVE ON BOOTY PADS. MANY WOMEN WEAR THEM BECAUSE THEY LACK ESTEEM ABOUT THEIR BODIES. BLAME THAT ON THE MEDIA AND COMPETITION TO 'BE LIKE' OTHER WOMEN.
