Hearst Magazines Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Heritage in "The Power of Us"

In June 2021 Hearst Magazines and Oprah Daily launched a new storytelling initiative titled Lift Every Voice which showcased conversations between young Black journalists and more than 50 Black elders The Power of Us is the second installment of this initiative which centers on the question How has Hispanic and Latinx culture shaped Americaamp8220I invite you to just dive in as six journalists speak to creators like actor Anthony Ramos and singer Becky G to share their own stories and how their cultural identity has impacted them and the world around themamp8221 Oprah Winfrey says in the initiativeamp8217s launch videoThe following are highlights from each publication39s contribution to The Power of UsOprah Daily ArtsIn Oprah Daily actress and comedian Aida Rodriguez writes candidly about how one of the most important messages she pushes through in her work is about the contributions of Latinx people to American society It includes interviews with a variety of actors creators authors and personalities including Anthony Ramos who starred in the hit musicals In the Heights and Hamilton television writer Santa Sierra actress and Gentefied writer Julissa Calderon author and activist Sulma ArzuBrown singer Yendry and radio personality Enrique SantosRodriguez asks each of them when they began celebrating Hispanic Heritage MonthRamos like many Latinos didnamp8217t start celebrating until later in life amp8220Definitely when I got olderquot he says quotI learned we had this amp8216monthamp8217 to celebrate and reflect on who we are Thatamp8217s dopeamp8221It took author ArzuBrown a little while to feel the sense of festivity too quotI started celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month about eight years ago when I authored my first book Bad Hair Does Not ExistPelo Malo No Existe which was illustrated by AfroLatina Isidra Sabioamp8221 she says amp8220Even though the celebration was proclaimed in 1989 I was not conscious of this unifying month until I was given an invitation to partake because of my booksquotYou can find the full interviews with Rodriguez and each of the Hispanic and Latinx artists hereHouse Beautiful DesignFor House Beautiful journalist Christina Perez interviews eight Hispanic and Latinx designers about their culture tradition and heritage and how each influences their work Perez also writes about the immense variety of voices and forms of cultural expression within the Latinx and Hispanic communitiesamp8220Those of us who selfidentify as Hispanic or Latinx over 606 million in the US according to the latest census know that we are also as diverse a population as they comequot she writes quotSome of us have ties to the Caribbean some to Mexico some to South America some to Spain Africa and beyondquotLandscape artist Fernando Wong who is half Hispanic and half Chinese shared how growing up in Panama never made him think too much about his own heritage amp8220We have Panamanians that are all colors on the color spectrumquot he says quotWe never asked amp8216Where are you fromamp8217 because weamp8217re all mixedamp8221The designs Wong has created were inspired by the tropical forests of Panama and other Latin American countries he visited as a swimmer during his childhood amp8220I went to a lot of countries to compete the Dominican Republic Colombia Venezuela Chile Mexico Honduras Argentinaquot he says quotIt really showed me the diversity thatamp8217s out there all the unique ways of lifeamp8221Designer and TV host Evette Rios shares how one room the kitchen had a major impact on her As with many Latinx families it was a center of family activity amp8220When it came time for food prep the table doubled as an additional workspace and I remember all of us sitting around that table doing our part prepping a big or elaborate recipeamp8221 she saysFull length interviews can be found hereELLE Fashion FantasticoWhether itamp8217s headturning designs from Oscar de la Renta Cristamp243bal Balenciaga or Carolina Herrera Latinx and Hispanics have had a major presence in the fashion world Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker sat down with four designers for ELLE who work across the fields of jewelry textiles hair shoes handbags and apparelMarina Larroudamp233 founder of luxury shoe and apparel line Larroudamp233 finds pride and joy in sourcing her products from Brazil her home country amp8220For my line I wanted the work to come from my home country and when I got my first samples from Brazil I started crying because they were perfectquot she says quotIf I had known if there had been a way for people like me to see the level of work possible in Brazil I would have started working with those factories years agoamp8221Lulu Cordero founder of hair product line Bomba Curls speaks about the lack of Black Latinx and AfroLatinx representation in the arts amp8220With the exception of icons Celia Cruz and Johnny Ventura there was no one who looked like mequot she recalls quotI never saw myself in US Latin media outletsamp8221 Seeing women like Naomi Campbell and Oprah Winfrey in Englishlanguage media made her feel seen amp8220For the first time in my life I saw women on TV that were glamorous educated successful and looked like my mom and Iamp8221Full interviews with these four designers can be found hereGood Housekeeping HolidaysFor Good Housekeeping journalist Irina Gonzalez interviews six Latinx and Hispanics about what it is about the holidays that makes them so special Camila Alves McConaughey a Brazilianborn entrepreneur and founder of online community Women of Today shares one of her most cherished Christmas traditions When she was young her grandfather dressed up as Santa Claus for the entertainment of the family When she was old enough to figure out who Santa really was McConaughey would put on the costume herself and hand out candy and toys to the street kids in her neighborhoodamp8220Now my kids save up money throughout the year and then before Christmas we buy things for kids in need in Brazil Africa and in the United States as wellquot she said quotThatamp8217s our version of what my grandfather did for our familyamp8221Food is a big part of holiday memories for Maramp237a de La Luz Robledo cofounder of Robledo Family Winery a business she runs with her nine children Robledoamp8217s daughter Vanessa talks about one tradition in particular amp8220For Christmas my momamp8217s favorite was cooking the tamales Weamp8217d all go to my momamp8217s house and she cooks sometimes three turkeys The holidays are a downtime in our business so thatamp8217s when she likes to entertain the mostamp8221Full interviews can be found hereCosmopolitan MusicFor Cosmopolitan writer Marjua Estevez spoke with some of the hottest young Latin names in music about their experiences in the industry the idols they loved growing up and the impact that Latin music has made in American cultureFor Dominican singersongwriter Amara La Negra Celia Cruz was a big inspiration She was the only mainstream artist that looked like her amp8220She was a Black Latina singer who made it worldwidequot La Negra says quotHer music to this day plays everywhereamp8221 For her Latin music is like an amalgamation of sabor flavor rhythm culture sound and family amp8220Itamp8217s a melting pot of so many things that I believe make us beautifulamp8221 she saysCharttopping Bachata singersongwriter Prince Royce shares that Marc Anthonyamp8217s impact on salsa music was a major influence for him and how modern Latin icons like Gloria Estefan Ricky Martin Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias expanded the reach of today39s Latinx music in the USIn the Heights star and Latin Grammynominated singersongwriter Leslie Grace also shared how recent hits amp8220Despacitoamp8221 and amp8220I Like It Like Thatamp8221 have changed the industry and opened doors for other Latin artists to hit the mainstreamamp8220People have become more curious to ask amp8216What does this word meanamp8217 or 39How do I dance this style39quot Grace says quotIn pop culture today thereamp8217s more inclusion Weamp8217re using tropical sounds and even different percussive instruments that are very common in Latin music because of artists that have been able to bridge certain gapsamp8221Full interviews can be found hereDelish FoodPuerto Rican food columnist Illyanna Maisonet interviewed six Latin chefs for Delish about the impact of Latin cuisine on the US the food that makes them feel connected to their culture and what it means to have a more diverse food worldBricia Lopez coowner of Guelaguetza in Los Angeles and author of Oaxaca Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico said amp8220People don39t make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches anymore they make quesadillas Salsa outsells ketchup Chipotle restaurant stock is worth a lot And now people are asking for Mexican food from specific regions That39s the impact we39ve had on the countryquotMole a thick heavily spiced and flavorful sauce from Mexicoamp8217s state of Puebla is the dish that defines Lopez amp8220Itamp8217s complex and evolves into so many things like we doquot she says quotEmpanadas with Mole Amarillo or Mole Estofado that my mom made which has almonds and olivesamp8221Nelson German executive chef and owner of alaMar Kitchen ampamp Bar and Sobre Mesa in Oakland Calif notes amp8220The best way to learn about someone39s culture is through food Food brings people together sets the tone it39s everything Someone who39s racist will eat some other culture39s food and might appreciate that culture more it makes them more openminded It brings Mexico and the Dominican Republic to the United States for people who donamp8217t want to travel to those countriesquotWhen Maisonet asks German if he celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month he adamantly responds amp8220No Itamp8217s Hispanic Heritage Month every day for us being here This is our lifeamp8221Full interviews can be found hereA note from the writer As a proud LatinxAmerican and the child of immigrants it truly warms my heart to see initiatives like The Power of Us hit the mainstream across such iconic publications as ELLE Cosmopolitan and Delish among others Representation matters and this is just the beginning of what Latinx and Hispanics are accomplishing doing in the US and abroadClick the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Hearst Magazines Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Heritage in "The Power of Us"

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Juan Ayala

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Hearst Magazines Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Heritage in "The Power of Us"

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Juan Ayala

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