Top stories written by Latinas delivered to you each month in partnership with #WeAllGrow Latina
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
She took me under her wing and was like, “you’re okay, you’re safe, you’re normal…In fact, you’re not just normal. You’re revered.”
Faun Harjo, in conversation with Quispe López
LET’S CELEBRATE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH BY SHING A MUCH-DESERVED SPOTLIGHT ON INDIGENOUS LATINES
For us, November is not about sailing the ocean blue in 1492. It is a time to celebrate the Indigenous people who were the original stewards of this land before it was stolen from them.
It’s time to reflect, learn and educate ourselves and one another about the true history of this country. For HipLatina, Sofía Aguilar highlighted nine films about Indigenous LATAM history to watch this month and throughout the year. From blockbusters like Roma to indie films like Gone with the River, this list highlights stories that are hard to find in mainstream media. And while representation for Indigenous folks on screen still has a long way to go, V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi wrote about six Indigenous creatives who are making their marks in Hollywood.
Stories about Native communities are too often confined to inaccurate textbooks or outdated stereotypes on screen. We need more opportunities for Indigenous journalists to tell Indigenous stories. Period. Check out Quechua Two-Spirit writer Quispe López, interview with Faun Harjo on the restorative healing power of Powwows for Two-Spirit people.
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WAKANDA
It’s not surprising to me that it took U.S. Black entertainment, not Latine media, to tell dignified stories of Indigeneity in a major motion picture.
Dash Harris
THE NEW BLACK PANTHER AND WHAT IT GIVES US
Even before the latest Black Panther release, Namor, played by Tenoch Huerta Mejía, and the underwater kingdom Talokan, was making waves. To center the history and culture of an Indigenous Maya and Aztec-inspired community in any film, much less a blockbuster like Marvel’s Black Panther is extraordinary, to say the least.
Wakanda Forever serves as a mirror, as we ask ourselves: why now? It is clearly not a coincidence that a film by a Black director starring a majority Black cast was one of the first to show Mayan and Indigenous roots, as writer Dash Harris explains for Refinery29. The truth is, as Latine media continues to represent us as light-skinned and white-passing, we are erasing history and many people along with it.
In Wakanda Forever, colonialism serves as a monster that looms over the entire film. But some parts of the film don’t go far enough, as Cristina Escobar explains for Popsugar, “In Wakanda Forever, only Namor is human. We celebrate his body, but his compatriots are more alien than Indigenous. It’s an odd choice (and it is a choice, comic books notwithstanding) for a film that was so smart and so pointed in celebrating and uplifting an anti-colonial definition of beauty and agency when it comes to its Black characters.”
Even with some of the film’s flaws, it’s clear they did their homework. Marina E. Franco interviewed Gerardo Aldana y Villalobos an author and professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who was invited to help create a new world that would be historically accurate. “Aldana says having a major blockbuster respectfully and faithfully show aspects of Indigenous culture can be an educational tool.”
THIS HOLIDAY SZN – SHOP WITH YOUR HEART
USE YOUR WALLET TO REFLECT AND SUPPORT YOUR VALUES
It’s that time of year again! Capitalism’s favorite season is in full swing, and as we wade through the sea of Instagram ads and Cyber Monday emails, we’re highlighting our favorite lists so far.
Whether you’re looking for a perfect gift for your skin-obsessed prima or a holiday sweater for the ultimate Bad Bunny fan, these lists have everything you’ll need from Latine brands. And because we all know our wallet is a way to invest in our values, we’ve included a list of gifts for your favorite intersectional feminist that supports grassroots organizations across California.
LATINAS ON THE BYLINES 💬
🧠 Think About It
Column: Latino support for Karen Bass shows voters rejecting Black-brown strife
📰 In the News
Latinas are poised to hit a new high in Congress — but not from the anticipated GOP ‘red wave’
🤩 We’re Here for This
Liniker receives standing ovation after becoming the first Trans artist to win a Latin Grammy
