By Jeniffer Velazquez
Here is your own personally-curated list of books, stories & magazines with a little extra Latinx & LGBTQ style!
Maria Roman of TransLatin@ Coalition talks with GLAAD’s Anthony Ramos
Last week on Instagram Live, Anthony Allen Ramos sat down with Maria Roman, VP and COO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, to discuss the organization’s mission to support the Trans community by providing them with life-saving resources. The live can still be streamed on GLAAD’s Instagram account here.
Queer Mexican rapper featured in World Cup ad
It’s no secret that commercial breaks during significant sporting events are the most impactful platforms on television. In a nice moment for queer Latinx representation, Taco Bell aired an ad on FOX Sports and Telemundo that features Niña Dioz’s newest song “Siéntelo.” Dioz, described as Mexico’s first openly-queer rapper, praised the ad for its celebration of Latin culture and showing Latin youth that “anything is possible”. The ad airs until December 18th, but you can watch it on demand here and below.
Central-American LGBT+ podcast platforms activists
Produced by All Out, “Voces diversas de Centroamérica” (“Diverse Voices of Central America”) is a new Spanish-language “resistance” podcast that will tell the stories of LGBT+ activists in Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. All four episodes have premiered and can be streamed here.
Ariana DeBose graces the cover of Elle magazine for “Women in Hollywood” issue
The Broadway veteran was among seven other female creatives, including “Don’t Worry Darling” director Olivia Wilde and “Insecure” actress Issa Rae. In her interview, she discusses her upbringing, being only the second Latina to win an Academy Award for acting, and what it means to be queer Afro-Latina in Hollywood. The full interview can be read here.
CSUN’s “El Nuevo Sol” to release a book on Afro Latinx Stories
“El Nuevo Sol” is a multilingual, multimedia publication at the California State University, Northridge that uplifts and serves the Latinx community. Following their 2021 podcast platforming Afro-Latinx, Black-Latinx, and Afro-Latin American stories, “El Nuevo Sol” compiled those interviews into their upcoming book: Afro-Latinx Stories. You can follow “El Nuevo Sol” for updates on their Instagram page here.
Adam Silvera’s The First To Die At The End hit bookshelves last month
Five years after the release of his International #1 Bestseller They Both Die At The End, Adam Silvera returns to its dystopian world with a world-building prequel. “Death-Cast” is a highly-accurate service that calls to inform people that they will die that day; and the new story begins the night before the service goes live. You can dive into the “Death-Cast” universe, and follow the new LGBT romantic leads here.
Los Angeles Times to highlight Latinx representation and progress in new project
After releasing its findings on Hollywood’s Latino culture gap last summer, the LA Times has recently announced a new project that aims to spotlight Latinos “who are doing the work”. LA Vanguardia aims to be a “survey of the rising [creatives] who are shaping the culture you are living in now”. The inaugural class of LA Vanguardia can be read here.
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes showcases the journey across the Southern Border
LA Plaza’s newest exhibit uses a variety of multimedia forms to explore the treacherous journey across the Southern border through the eyes of immigrants who have walked it. The Undocumented Migration Project will be on exhibit until July. More information, exhibits, and tickets can be obtained here.
Blue, red, and purple waves: The Latinx vote shakes up midterms
This month’s midterm elections kept the country on its toes, as several races were too close to call even hours after the last polls had closed. While the “Latino Vote” has been under a microscope for the last few elections, these midterms gave us a much deeper insight into this fascinating, far-from-monolithic voting group. Faith San Martin at Annenberg Media explores what the midterms show about the current state of the Latino vote here.