The videos were extremely powerful and made me ask, "Who would be the role models for Latinos?" "What would be our fruit--our Latino legacy?
People need to know that our culture is MORE than just reggaeton and Sofia Vergara. We share a culture that widely extends to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central and South America; different skin tones, different accents, but similar history of colonized people. We may not all look the same, but we share a language, el espanol, that are captures oral narratives, dichos, that get passed down through generations. From my personal experience, this camaraderie under our language and cultural roots are what knit us together as our community negotiates issues of patriarchy, religion, bi-cultural experiences and political issues.
Despite oppression and divide in our community, there is a legacy that can help inspire our urban youth. There are amazing and influential Latino poets, singers, actors, activists, and now Supreme Court Justices.
Below: (L-R) Jose Feliciano (Puerto Rican singer), Cesar Chavez (Mexican-American civil rights activist) and Celia Cruz (Cuban-American Singer).
With that said, I would love to embark on a film project that projects our Latino legacy and history. I would start it with this dicho:
“Dime con quien andas y te diré quien eres (Tell me who you associate with and I'll tell you who you are).”
Here are two links I came across that I saw fitting.
The link below describes accomplished Latinos that have made their mark in our history:
role models for latinos
The link below has snap shots of immigration, Latino discrimination and action:
images: the immigration battle
great michelle! thanks for these examples. beautifully articulated!
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