In The Community
"Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Image credit: Editorial Simon & Schuster
This beautifully written coming-of-age novel follows the story of two Mexican-American boys, Aristotle and Dante, as they navigate the challenges of growing up, friendship, and falling in love. “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” is a tender exploration of identity, family, and self-acceptance, so it will open your eyes to many aspects of the queer experience. It also has a 2022 movie adaptation directed by Cuban Aitch Alberto that you can watch when you’re done!
"Brief Story from the Green Planet" (2019)
Image credit: IMDB
Speaking of movies, “Brief Story from the Green Planet” is the first one on the list. Directed by Argentine filmmaker Santiago Loza, this is a sci-fi adventure movie that follows Tania, a transgender woman who recently lost her beloved grandmother and is grieving. Soon after this sad news, she accidentally discovers that her grandmother was hosting an alien at her home. With the help of two friends, Tania goes on the journey of returning the alien where it belongs. The characters are vulnerable and resilient, and the movie presents a metaphor that’s for viewers to unravel for themselves.
“Juliet Takes a Breath” by Gabby Rivera
Image credit: Editorial Riverdale Avenue Books
The next book on the list is written by Gabby Rivera and it’s a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story about a gay Latina from the Bronx. The book follows Juliet as she grapples with her identity and goes on a journey of self-discovery when she interns for a feminist writer she admires. Juliet’s journey in “Juliet Takes a Breath” is a raw portrayal of intersectionality, feminism, and queer identity. It’s an important read not only for queer Latinos but also for people who want to understand queer experiences a bit better.
"Gentefied" (2020-2021)
Image credit: Netflix
If you’re in the mood for binging a good show, “Gentefied” has two seasons you can dive into. This is a dramedy show that follows three Mexican-American cousins in East Los Angeles as they navigate the challenges of gentrification, family, and their own identities. The show includes queer storylines, notably featuring Ana, a queer artist who struggles to balance her passion with her family's expectations. It’s an enjoyable show that will make you laugh but it also delivers important messages about life, family, love, and the Latino experience.
"The Grief Keeper" by Alexandra Villasante
Image credit: Editorial Putnam
Written by Alexandra Villasante of Uruguayan descent, “The Grief Keeper” is a YA novel that follows Marisol, a Salvadoran refugee who agrees to participate in a secret government experiment to keep her sister safe. The experiment consists of becoming a grief keeper, someone who takes another person’s grief into their own body to save a life. It’s a risky experiment, but Marisol didn’t expect that one of the risks would be falling in love. It's a powerful story about trauma, love, queer love, and the lengths we'll go to protect the people we love.
"Vida" (2018-2020)
Image credit: IMDB
“Vida” is a must-watch that will make you feel and also break you a little. Created by Tanya Saracho, a talented Mexican-American actress, playwright, dramaturge, and screenwriter, “Vida” draws inspiration from the short story “Pour Vida” by Richard Villegas Jr. This Starz series is boldly queer with elements of magical realism and it follows the journey of Emma (Mishel Prada) and Lyn (Melissa Barrera) as they return to their Boyle Heights home after their mother's death. Their return forces them to confront their past and how much they’ve changed since they left. At its core, Vida is about peeling back the layers to discover our true selves, making it quite relatable. It only has two seasons, so it's perfect for a good TV show binge session.
“They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera
Image credit: Harper Collins Publishers
Written by Adam Silvera of Puerto Rican descent, “They Both Die at the End” is a YA, LGBTQ+ novel that follows Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio as they face their final day on Earth. They don’t want to spend it on their own, so they use an app to search for people to share their last few precious hours alive and they find each other. It’s a groundbreaking story about two Latino gay boys and the power of love, which is very important to highlight in the Latino community as it sometimes struggles with LGBTQ+ acceptance.
"The Firefly" (2015)
Image credit: IMDB
“The Firefly” is known as the first Colombian movie ever made about lesbians. Even though it’s a bit of an oldie, it’s worth a watch. It’s a romance, fantasy, and drama film directed by Colombian director, screenwriter, and producer Ana Maria Hermida. “The Firefly” follows Lucia who has been married to a banker for 4 years but she’s just not happy. One day, she gets the news that her estranged brother died in a car accident on his wedding day. Lucia visits her brother’s grieving fiancée, Mariana, and they strike up an unexpected bond that soon turns romantic. Will she continue in a loveless marriage or be with Mariana? It’s quite an exploration of grief, coming to terms with one’s identity, and love.
“Loving in the War Years” by Cherrie Moraga
Image credit: South End Press
Cherrie Moraga is a Chicana writer, feminist, and activist who published “Loving in the War Years” in 1983, a time when gay Chicano identities were being censored. It’s a classic Chicano feminist work that explores themes like Chicano identity, white-passing privilege, LGBTQ+ identity and unapologetically embracing it, feminism, and solidarity with women of color. It’s a classic for a reason and it has been a validating read for countless Chicanos since its publication.
"Love, Victor" (2020-2022)
Image credit: IMDB
Last but not least, “Love, Victor” is a teen comedy-drama inspired and set in the same world as “Love, Simon,” the 2018 movie. “Love, Victor” follows Victor, a teen of Puerto Rican and Colombian descent who’s struggling with his sexual orientation. While “Love, Simon” deals with the struggles of coming out to others when you’re not ready, “Love, Victor” deals with coming to terms with your sexuality and navigating the challenging aspects of that. It has 3 seasons you can binge and you’ll definitely enjoy Simon’s journey.
Latino USA
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 Futuro Media Group
Hosted by Maria Hinojosa, a well-established, award-winning reporter who has been the first Latina in many newsrooms, “Latino USA” is a great source of news from a Latino perspective. If you want to be aware of Latino politics, social issues, and culture that the mainstream media often misses, this is the podcast to add to your roster. Hinojosa’s interviews are particularly insightful and her overall storytelling is engaging and informative, so this is a must-listen to stay up-to-date on Latino news. “Latino USA” has been around since 1992 as a radio program, and now a podcast, making it the longest-running Latino-focused program on public media in the U.S. You can check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast networks.
Tamarindo
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 Tamarindo Podcast
“Tamarindo” is hosted by Brenda Gonzalez and Ana Sheila Victorino and it’s one of those light-hearted podcasts that discuss politics, culture, and personal development. It’s a very conversational podcast that brings attention to important issues in the Latino community, including race, gender, and representation. You can expect insightful interviews with changemakers and creatives, and conversations that invite personal reflection, champion advocacy, and encourage self-care. Visit their website to check out the latest episodes or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
100 Latina Birthdays
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 100 Latina Birthdays
Brought to you by reporters in Chicago, “100 Latina Birthdays” is an original documentary series podcast from LWC Studios. It dives deep into the issue of health and wellness by investigating the health and lifetime outcomes of Latinas in the U.S. The premise of the series is to explore Latina health from birth to age 100. In its first season, the episodes focus on Latinas during their perinatal journeys, childhood, and adolescence, covering their experiences up until age 20. The stories are insightful and essential for understanding the health challenges Latinas face during each milestone. If you're interested in the intersections of health, culture, and community, this podcast is a must-listen while you wait for season 2 to come out. You can find it on the "100 Latina Birthdays" website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major platforms.
Birthful
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 Birthful Podcast
Hosted by Venezuelan Adriana Lozada, an advanced birth doula and postpartum educator, “Birthful” is all about pregnancy and the postpartum experience. As a former journalist, Lozada uses her skills to interview top experts in the fields as well as parents, to provide relevant, useful information and encourage deep knowledge about the transformational power of giving birth. The episodes of this podcast offer a lot of insight into pregnancy, so if you’re on that journey, it can be immensely valuable to you and help you navigate this stage of your life. You can check the episodes out on their website or listen on Apple Podcasts, among other platforms.
In the Business with Juan & Anjelica
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 In the Business with Juan & Anjelica
If you’re in your entrepreneurial era, then you already know how important it is to learn from people who have already found success in the business world. Especially Latinos! “In the Business with Juan & Anjelica” is a good source of that. It’s hosted by Juan Alanis, founder and CEO of Big Oak Tree Media, and Anjelica Cazares, founder of the Latina Leadership Podcast (which we’ll discuss next). “In the Business” is a blend of personal stories, business insights, and cultural reflection. As Mexican Americans and entrepreneurs, Alanis and Cazares bring a unique perspective to the conversation and they interview professionals across a variety of fields. It’s the perfect podcast to go with your morning coffee and you’ll learn something new with each episode. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Latina Leadership Podcast
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 Latina Leadership Podcast
Anjelica Cazares has a lot to say about entrepreneurship, but also about women’s health and wellness. Cazares is particularly passionate about helping women connect and learn from each other, so she created a space for that. The “Latina Leadership Podcast” is a weekly program where Latinas from all walks of life can have open conversations about their unique journeys through insightful interviews. With co-hosts Carolina Arenas, Olga Rodriguez, and Susie Barrera, Cazares explores the diversity and richness of the experiences Latinas have in the U.S. Particularly when it comes to achieving positions of power at any level, which is often an uphill battle. You can listen on their website or Apple Podcasts, among other platforms.
Vibin’ & Kinda Thrivin’
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 Vibin’ & Kinda Thrivin’
Hosted by Vee Rivera and Alessandra Gonzalez, “Vibin' & Kinda Thrivin'” is a fun girl talk podcast where they discuss many relevant topics. Including mental health, social media (and the crazy stories that often come up there), motherhood, and more. The goal of the podcast is to just vibe while also providing Latinas in their 30s with a sense of community. It’s also a good source of laughter! This is a laid-back podcast that makes you feel like you’re sitting with two friends, exploring lighthearted and complex topics alike, depending on the day. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Podcast One, and Spotify, among other platforms.
Unbreakable Latina
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 Unbreakable Latina
“Unbreakable Latina” is a space where Latinas can speak about the things they usually keep quiet about being first-generation. Hosted by Melina, a first-generation Mexican American, this is the podcast to check out if you want content that relates to your experience with family, relationships, career, education, mental health, and everything in between. It’s also worth checking out if you want to understand perspectives and experiences outside of your own. Expect discussions about parentification, setting boundaries, heartaches, coming out to Latino parents, and so much more. You can listen on their website, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more.
Alt.Latino
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Music is life and it’s also one of the best expressions of culture and heritage. “Alt.Latino” celebrates the richness of Latino culture through music and sitting down with established artists or rising stars. Hosted by Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre, this is the podcast to stay up-to-date with the music world from a Latino perspective. It’s also a good way to discover Latino voices in the industry! You can listen to this podcast on NPR, Apple Podcasts, and more.
La Lista
Image credit: © Copyright 2024 La Lista
Last but not least, “La Lista” is a podcast focused on Latinx writers and their identities. Hosted by Rubén Mendive, a queer immigrant of Mexican and Chilean descent, each episode of the podcast focuses on a different Latinx writer. The honest and engaging nterviews provide a space for writers and artists to talk about their unique backgrounds. Each interviewee opens up about their childhood and they take listeners through the journeys that led them to where they are today, offering perspective, insights, and representation. You can listen to the episodes on Apple Podcasts!
One of the countless Latinas touched by Frida Kahlo’s work is Carla Gutierrez, an Emmy and Eddie nominated documentary editor who developed a strong connection with the artist. In an interview with Luz Media through Zoom, Gutierrez said, “I discovered her really young. I was a new immigrant and I saw her painting Self-portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States, and I was like, “Who is this artist that’s showing my own feelings to myself? That was the beginning of my obsession with her.”
That emotional connection with Kahlo and her work continued throughout Gutierrez’s life and is now cemented in her latest project and directorial debut, “Frida,” a raw and intimate documentary that tells the artist’s story through her own words from diaries, letters, essays, and interviews. Kahlo’s words, which are delivered in heartfelt narration by Fernanda Echevarría del Rivero, are accompanied by photos and her unforgettable artwork, brought to life through lyrical animations that add movement and feeling.
When asked why she decided to make this documentary, Gutierrez explained, “One of the reasons is because I hadn’t seen a documentary really focus on her voice. When I started looking into the story, I saw that she actually had a lot to say about her own life, and her words were out there in archival material. So I saw that there was an opportunity to let her actually speak and tell us her own story.”
And that’s exactly what she accomplished.
“Frida” tells the story of her life in chronological order, covering her childhood, the devastating accident that changed her life, and her tumultuous relationship with the famed muralist Diego Rivera, all the way up to her death. However, the documentary goes beyond a simple biography by showing her internal, emotional journey into becoming the artist and icon that she is today, and it feels like she’s truly the one speaking.
It’s an intimate narrative that doesn’t shy away from what many may think of as the “ugly” parts of life and doesn’t try to embellish either. In watching this documentary, viewers will feel like they’re sitting down with Kahlo herself as she opens up her inner world to them, revealing her joy, pain, love of life, and shortcomings.
Gutierrez also shared that, due to finding Kahlo’s work at such a pivotal time in her life, she developed an emotional connection with the artist. “Obviously, there’s millions of people in the world that have that emotional connection. So who am I [...] to say ‘Well then, I’ll tell her story’? But I was coming to her with that emotional connection and emotional understanding of the Latino culture, [...] and a lot of experience as a documentary editor putting these stories together [...], so I felt like I could bring something into this story,” she explained.
“Frida” is a project fueled by passion, creativity, and a desire to amplify the real voice of Frida Kahlo. As Gutierrez put it, “The aim is [...] how do we show somebody beyond the icon image we have of them? Which is kind of reduced and flattened. I think a lot of people see Frida as very empowered and she knew herself, but we really wanted to show the complexity and messiness that we all have.” Gutierrez continued by saying, “She [Frida Kahlo] guided us. In all the writings that we have of her, she’s not describing the things that happened; she’s telling us how she felt.”
The project is also fueled by Latino talent, as almost everyone who worked on it, from production and sound effects to animations and additional crew, is Latino, based in the U.S. and Mexico. As a predominantly Latino and female production, something Gutierrez is very proud of, the team was particularly passionate about honoring Kahlo and her art.
Portrait of Carla Gutiérrez, the director of the documentary "Frida"
Like many artists, Frida Kahlo’s recognition started growing after she died in 1954, so the world didn’t have the opportunity to dissect and understand her work with her. The iconic status that she gained after her death is still an amazing achievement, but there’s a tendency to separate her from her legacy.
“Frida” shows us that we can, indeed, understand the artist and her work with her. She left her feelings in her paintings and her words for us to find. This documentary unearths Frida Kahlo in a fresh, intimate way, allowing us a precious glimpse into who she really was as a woman. In showing us the depth and nuance of Kahlo, the documentary leaves viewers with valuable insights about resilience, vulnerability, womanhood, and more.
We asked Gutierrez what she hopes Latinas get out of this earnest documentary and she said, “In general, I want everybody to find the courage in what Frida did in expressing herself at her most intimate through her art. It was a process of catharsis for her and, in a way, it was therapy. What she lost in life, she kinda found in the creative process, and she did it with a lot of honesty and rawness.”
She continued, “I want Latinas to be inspired by that because sometimes in our culture, that’s not necessarily an important thing. Especially for women. To talk about how we feel, our heartaches, our experiences. They’re the most important things to speak about with honesty and it’s something that can help you and also the person listening.”
Viewers of this movie might be inspired to take a page out of Frida Kahlo’s book and live life as authentically, fiercely, and loudly as possible. “Frida” released March 14, 2023 on Prime Video.
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