In The Community
Georgia is a powerful woman with great looks. At 31-years-old, she has two children: her 15-year-old daughter Ginny who is normally very responsible but has also grown used to dealing with her mom’s antics, and the adorable but shy nine-year-old Austin who is good-natured in emotion. Georgia seems like the girl next door who loves the good life in addition to her children. Ginny on the other hand seems to be her mom’s polar opposite in most cases: more serious, and definitely getting a good bout of teen angst to go along with her antisocial personality.
Scott Porter Georgia GIF by NETFLIXGiphy
When the family moves to Westbury, Massachusetts after the death of Georgia’s husband, life for Ginny starts to change: she makes friends, has boys interested in her for the first time, and also comes to terms with many things a biracial individual deals with. From acknowledging her Blackness in a way she has never had to do, to abandoning her natural hair texture in favor of a look that resembles her white friends’ hair, Ginny’s story acknowledges many inconvenient truths of existing as a biracial child.
Ginny’s is a classic coming of age story but with a serious update. Dating her half-Taiwanese boyfriend leads to a scene that says a lot about the perception of race and the “oppression Olympics” that can come from misunderstanding other’s bicultural experiences (Ginny’s “I speak more Mandarin” than you line to Hunter’s “You’re barely Black” retort had us shook). Growing up biracial in the United States isn’t easy, and is something many first, second, and third generation Latinx children can relate to. Often feeling not enough with similar feelings of existing with one foot in one world and the other foot in another makes this show even more relatable while watching.
Scott Porter Georgia GIF by NETFLIXGiphy
The show effectivley combats many stereotypes biracial kids often face, including the hate speech and microaggressions we deal with quite often (“that’s the whitest Black girl I’ve ever seen” is one Ginny faces). Latinx kids can deeply relate to the things Ginny deals with, even if it is in her experience as a biracial Black and white woman. From the inability to address what she’s feeling to finding community in Bracia, the darker skinned Black girl at school.
One of the most important actions Ginny takes in dealing with the insecurity that comes with “otherness” is being able to take ownership of her narrative. Though we don’t approve of blackmailing your AP English teacher, we can definitely take a step back and appreciate the nuance Ginny’s newfound empowerment brings. The writers also took a misstep when they learned into a common “slut shaming” narrative when they chose to reference Taylor Swift and her dating history.
Without taking control of our narratives and embracing our “otherness”, we cannot undo stereotypes that society places on us. It’s up to us to understand our stories and embrace them accordingly. Use this show as an inspiration to do so mija, you got this!
Gentefied has started filming for Season 2 and we are ready to tune in! Gentefied is a Netflix original centered around a family fighting gentrification in their LA neighborhood. The show captivated our hearts as we saw Ana fall in love with Yessika, Erik and Lidia have their baby and as Chris tried to figure out his identity. Created by Marvin Lemus and Linda Yvette Chávez, the show’s characters have complex identities and struggles on what it means to be bicultural.
With the second season underway we’re excited to find out what happens between Erik and Lidia while also wondering if Ana and Yessika will get back together. We’re hoping to find out good news about Pop’s deportation as the patriarch of the family, and we’re wondering if Chris will continue being the Chef for Mama Fina’s or go on to pursue different aspirations.
All in all, we’re excited to have a show that reflects our cultura back! There are too few shows so when one sticks around we’re muy excited! To get us ready for the second season of Gentefied, we’re doing a recap of the main characters on the show. For now all we can do is wait and rewatch Season 1! Valentine’s Day plans anyone?
Valentines Day Love GIF by NETFLIXGiphy
Joaquín Cosío as Casimiro “Pop” Morales
The patriarch of the family, Pop finds himself in trouble as the restaurant he owned with his late wife is in trouble of getting shut down. With a soon-to-be gentrified community and raised rents, he is unable to find new clientele and his usual customers are being priced out of the neighborhood, leaving Pop with little to no options. He finds himself questioning his life as his grandchildren support him on the journey to keep Mama Fina’s open. But will that be enough to keep Pop’s legacy afloat?
GiphyJ.J. Soria as Erik Morales
The character played by J.J. Soria starts off as a hardcore, machista type of guy but as the show goes on, we get to see the layers peeled back and his true nature come to light with a more sensitive, intelligent tone. With a baby on the way and the thought of potentially losing Mama Fina’s, Erik must figure out a way to keep both the restaurant and his baby’s mother in his life. It’s up to him to navigate his life with a new perspective.
Chris Whatever GIF by NETFLIXGiphyKarrie Martin as Ana Morales
Karrie Martin plays Ana Morales, an aspiring artist who struggles to connect with her mother. She reflects the generational differences as she pursues a career that her mother does not take seriously. While her mother is not outwardly against her relationship with Yessika, it is evident that Ana’s lifestyle is very different from what her mother envisioned for her. Ana’s character is complex in various ways as she navigates through different opportunities in her gentrifying neighborhood. It begs the question, can upward mobility Latinx people gentrify their own neighborhoods?
GiphyCarlos Santos as Chris Morales
It’s not fun to feel disenchanted and Chris Morales, played by Carlos Santos, is feeling those exact feelings as Season 1 of Gentefied kicks off. His character gives us the opportunity to reflect on how out of place we often feel as first-generation or immigrants. Chris plays a chef who is navigating fine dining restaurants and ends up working for Mama Fina’s in what ends up being a questionable decision. His culinary background means making tacos al pastor but making it fancy – something the locals push back on while he dreams of owning his own fine-dining eatery one day to put his skills on display and make his overbearing father proud.
Julissa Calderon as Yessika Castillo
Yessika Castillo, played by Julissa Calderon, has a strong relationship with Ana that we immediately become invested in. They have been in each other’s lives since young girls and they grow up to pursue a romantic relationship that leaves us gushing about their love. All is well, until Yessika’s activism takes a priority over supporting Ana’s grandfather in keeping Mama Fina’s doors open. Can you blame Yessika though? After all, we’re seeing our own neighborhoods being gentrified with $8 tacos pandering to its nonresidents.
Annie Gonzalez as Lidia Solis
Lidia, played by Annie Gonzalez, is the highly educated Latina that is aspiring to leave her neighborhood in pursuit of a better life for her and her baby, Erik’s son. Even with a baby on the way, Lidia is a strong independent woman that isn’t seeking validation from Erik or anyone else in her life. After all, she now has a baby to care for. We stan seeing a professional woman break glass ceilings, but will it come at the cost of her true love?
