Latina Heritage Life

I fucking LOVE being Latina. That’s it. Thanks for reading byeeeeee!

Jajajaja ay que necia as my mom would say. Pero en serio, I don’t know if my mood was activated at the Bad Bunny show I went to a few weeks ago, being around so many Latines shaking our asses together and scream singing every word in Spanish, or feeling closer to my younger Gen Z cousins over our love for Bad Bunny, or my family group chat, o no se que, but lately I feel like I need to show off my Latinidad. Asi pero bien FUERRRTE para que todo el mundo lo sepa.

I love that I was raised doing the lavadora and encouraged to shake my ass since I could walk. I love that even though my birth certificate says my name is Sarah, I am Sarita to my entire family. I love that I had Selena as a role model to look up to. I love that we have all silently scream “RITCHIEEEEE!” to ourselves at the end of Santo and Johnny’s “Sleepwalk.” I love that every Latine I know loves and craves the chisme, even when they don’t even know the people who are involved. I love that we watched Sabado Gigante with my grandparents every Saturday, and we all had to shut up when Walter Mercado was telling our horoscopes. I always loved how Walter emphasized “Capricorrrrrrnio.” I love that I watched so many novelas growing up like Marimar, Carita de Angel, Niño Que Vino Del Mar, Amigas y Rivales, Rosalinda, Esmeralda, and Cazos de la Vida Real.

I love that we pierce baby girl ears before they can remember. I love when we gas each other up it’s always “Ea! Ea! Ea! Ea!” I love how different our language is even though it’s technically all Spanish. I love being able to speak Spanglish and having the privilege of speaking 2 languages. I love our slang and catchphrases, por ejemplo “guey,” “a huevo,” “no mames,” “wixar,” “fresa,” “no jodas,” “no que no?!” just to name a few. I love how my grandma always cuts words off like “ ‘tas loca!!!” I love my grandpa’s dirty bombas from his youth in Yucatán.

I love how Latina women ALWAYS take the centerpieces home. I love how we all know “sana sana colita de rana.” I love that even though we know we’re always late, we just accept this as part of our culture :) So when we say we’re on our way, it means we haven’t left the house, but intend to! I love how we love to bond over cafecito and conchas. I love how we all run to the dancefloor when Suavemente or Caballo Dorado come on. I love how much we love our families, to the point where we sacrifice our own well-being for the sake of our children and future generation’s well-being. I love that I can go to my family for literally anything and they will make it happen for me. I love how resourceful we are and can turn anything into gold.

I love how complicated our histories are, and how it demonstrates how we are survivors. I love our food and music. I love my grandparents milanesa, salbutes, frijol con puerco, cochinita pibil, y Huevos Motuleños. I love that we make our food with so much love. I love moviendo mi culo a cumbia, merengue, salsa, and reggaeton. I love that you can be Black Latine and White Latine and Brown Latine and Asian Latine and more. I love how you can choose to identify as Latine/o/a/x or none at all.

I love that this is my experience of being Latina, and this apenas covers the surface. I love that every Latine experience is different, and how equally beautiful they are.