Is Latinidad the Latest Fad for Global Artists?

Spanish singer Rosalia surrounded by brown skinned dancers

Lately, Latinidad has taken the entertainment world by storm. Artists from all corners are dancing to reggaeton, dembow, and other Latin beats.

And while this excitement has spotlighted Latin culture on the global stage, the distinction between appreciation and appropriation is becoming increasingly blurred. The sentiment of "ahora todos quieren ser Latinos" is becoming ever more evident. This raises the question: Are artists intentionally being vague about their Latinidad?


The Echoes of the Latin Explosion

Take a step back to the '90s, a time when the "Latin Explosion" dominated the global entertainment landscape. Spanish pop singer Enrique Iglesias emerged as a leading figure during this period. Even with their Spanish roots, he, along with stars like Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, rode the wave of Latin popularity, often being referred to as Latino.

There’s no doubt that the Latin fever was at an all-time high. Remember when Geri Halliwell, former Spice Girl, dropped "Mi Chico Latino" in 1999? Yep, she went full Latina mode even though she's all British. And how about Nelly Furtado? While she's Canadian with Portuguese heritage, her 2006 album "Loose" showcased distinct Latin pop beats, which often led people to mistakenly identify her as Latina. And the list goes on.

During this period, the Latine community yearned for more visibility and representation. Even if this representation was imperfect, it was a start. Yet, as time has evolved, so have our expectations and definitions of what’s Hispanic and what’s Latino.

When the infectious beats of "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee broke records in 2017, it opened the floodgates for Latin collaborations, a phenomenon sometimes dubbed “The Despacito Effect.” Reggaeton, once frowned upon, deemed lower-class, and closely associated with the Afro-Latine community, now finds itself in the mainstream, looking significantly paler.

Several English-speaking artists jumped on the reggaeton bandwagon, including Justin Bieber with his "Despacito" remix, where he sang in Spanish (or at least imitated the language), Beyonce teaming up with J Balvin for “Mi Gente,” Madonna collaborating with Maluma on “Medellín,” and Drake pairing with Bad Bunny for “MIA.”

Many artists, like Justin Bieber, Drake, and Madonna, choose to sing in Spanish, albeit phonetically, when featuring on a Latin track, but may not consistently integrate the language into their music. While we’re all for embracing multilingualism, there's a difference between a genuine appreciation and understanding of the language and occasional use solely for commercial advantage.

Meanwhile, Spaniards like Rosalía, despite their European roots, have basked in the spotlight of being mislabeled a "Latina," taking home Latin Grammys and thriving on a legacy of colonial exploitation of native Latin-American cultures.

But beyond individual choices, the inner workings of the entertainment industry are deeply entrenched in biases. It's not only about artists like Rosalía and Enrique Iglesias navigating ambiguous cultural boundaries; it's about an industry with a longstanding inclination to put a "whitewashed" face on predominantly Black artistic expressions.

Cultural Crossroads: Appreciation or Appropriation?

The Latine community's internal struggles with colorism and anti-Blackness cast a long shadow. This ingrained prejudice creates a platform where artists like J Balvin, not of Afro-Latino descent, earn accolades in categories rooted in Black Latin heritage. Meanwhile, true torchbearers of the genre, like Ivy Queen and Tego Calderon, despite their monumental contributions, remain unsung heroes.

Despite the rich tapestry of Afro-Latin culture and music, the entertainment industry often sidelines its key contributors. The vibrant rhythms of salsa, merengue, and reggaeton are deeply rooted in the African diaspora, tracing back to centuries of cultural exchange between indigenous communities, African slaves, and Spanish colonizers in the Caribbean and South America. Yet, the narrative that's been presented in mainstream media often whitewashes this historical context, erasing black faces from the spotlight and rendering their contributions invisible.

Mislabeling artists like Enrique Iglesias and Rosalía as "Latino" may seem innocuous, but it has profound implications. There's a distinction between "Latino" (referring to individuals from Latin America), "Hispanic" (those from Spanish-speaking countries), and "Spanish" (referring to Spain). By not understanding or respecting these nuances, the industry overlooks the vast diversity of the Latine community and risks perpetuating colonialist narratives.

Furthermore, the frequent mislabeling further obscures the contributions of Afro-Latine artists, who not only hail from Latin America but also play instrumental roles in developing the music genres we know and love today. Recognizing these artists for their groundbreaking work is a step towards rectifying centuries of erasure and misunderstanding.

As global consumers of music, it's essential to be vigilant and demand accuracy, authenticity, and inclusivity. By holding the industry accountable, there's hope for a future where Latine and Afro-Latine artists are not just a footnote, but are celebrated and acknowledged for the rich cultural legacy they've crafted.

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).