Inna Grechka
LTC 4902
Dr. Rebecca Salois
08/12/2021
I have to agree with lack of dark-skinned and Afro-Latinx in the musical In the Heights. This crucial detail should not have been over looked especially with our current socio climate. Not too long ago, there was a whole movement for Black Lives Matter so to have left that out is a disappointment. If the movie was meant to be a representation of Latino Culture it should have represented more color, as there are Latinos of all ranges of skin tones. As we know, Spain colonized in the Americas where people of indigenous decent originated. As the population dwindled down from the diseases conquistadors brought along with them, slaves from Africa had to be shipped over to make up for the lack of labor force. The broad spectrum of color in the Latin community stems from that crucial time in history. To miss out on the variety the culture has was definitely a letdown. By doing so, we are not embracing the community in its entirety.
This perpetuates colorism in the Latino Culture as it is feeding more into the stereotype of what “latinos should look like.” We cannot idolize only light skinned Latinos in the media, there has to be more social responsibility.
In the Heights is commonly praised by its diverse and inclusive casts, however this might not be the entire truth. While in the Heights does showcase Hispanic culture in a way that is rarely done, it idolizes light-skinned Hispanics and misrepresents other races that are engraved in the culture. Hispanic come in all races and colors, after all we were colonized by different European countries and we are a mix of African, European, and indigenous. I believe that many people are bothered by the lack of dark-skinned and Afro-Latinx cast members in main roles because it perpetuates an unrealistic image of what being Hispanic looks like. Aside from this, it showcases a scenario that is not necessarily true. When you visit South America, you not only encounter light-skinned people, but instead you find dark-skinned, Asian, indigenous, among others. Even though I believe that it was never the intention of the film to perpetuate colorism within the Latinx community, by failing to give a voice to communities that have been marginalized in the past such as Afro-Latinx, it promotes an unrealistic image of what being Hispanic looks like: curly hair, tan, and voluptuous. Although In the Heights stirs away from the mainstream casting, it fails to provide variety and diversity within the Hispanic community.
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