Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
dimanche 8 novembre 2020
"I Will Not Be the Last": Kamala Harris's Victory Speech Sent Inspiration to Girls Everywhere
Kamala Harris was first out on the stage in Wilmington, DE, tonight, as she and Joe Biden addressed the American people for the first time as vice president-elect and president-elect of the United States. While Biden's speech focused on unifying the American people and laying out key policies, Harris used her time to frame the race as a mandate not only against Donald Trump, but for the upholding of democracy. Along the way, she took stock of her own place in history, as now the first woman, Black woman, and woman of South Asian descent to be elected as vice president.
Harris began her speech with a poignant quote from the late Congressman John Lewis: "Democracy is not a state, it is an act." What he meant, she explained, "is that America's democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it, and never take it for granted." It was a gesture toward the struggle that many Americans went through to vote and make their voices heard this election, whether they were standing in poll lines for hours or fighting to get themselves registered.
"When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching," Harris said, "you ushered in a new day for America."
In the most emotional section of the speech, Harris focused on her own history and that of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. "When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't quite imagine this moment," Harris said. "But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible, and so I am thinking about her, and about the generations of women, Black women, Asian, white, Latina, Native American women, who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight." Black women in particular, Harris said, "are often too often overlooked, but so often prove they are the backbone of our democracy."
Drawing the speech to its powerful close, Harris turned to both President-elect Biden and the future of the country. "What a testament it is to Joe's character," she said, "that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers and select a woman as his vice president. But while I might be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last."
"Every little girl watching tonight," Harris went on, "sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."
"I Will Not Be the Last": Kamala Harris's Victory Speech Sent Inspiration to Girls Everywhere
Kamala Harris was first out on the stage in Wilmington, DE, tonight, as she and Joe Biden addressed the American people for the first time as vice president-elect and president-elect of the United States. While Biden's speech focused on unifying the American people and laying out key policies, Harris used her time to frame the race as a mandate not only against Donald Trump, but for the upholding of democracy. Along the way, she took stock of her own place in history, as now the first woman, Black woman, and woman of South Asian descent to be elected as vice president.
Harris began her speech with a poignant quote from the late Congressman John Lewis: "Democracy is not a state, it is an act." What he meant, she explained, "is that America's democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it, and never take it for granted." It was a gesture toward the struggle that many Americans went through to vote and make their voices heard this election, whether they were standing in poll lines for hours or fighting to get themselves registered.
"When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching," Harris said, "you ushered in a new day for America."
In the most emotional section of the speech, Harris focused on her own history and that of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. "When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't quite imagine this moment," Harris said. "But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible, and so I am thinking about her, and about the generations of women, Black women, Asian, white, Latina, Native American women, who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight." Black women in particular, Harris said, "are often too often overlooked, but so often prove they are the backbone of our democracy."
Drawing the speech to its powerful close, Harris turned to both President-elect Biden and the future of the country. "What a testament it is to Joe's character," she said, "that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers and select a woman as his vice president. But while I might be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last."
"Every little girl watching tonight," Harris went on, "sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."
"I Will Not Be the Last": Kamala Harris's Victory Speech Sent Inspiration to Girls Everywhere
Kamala Harris was first out on the stage in Wilmington, DE, tonight, as she and Joe Biden addressed the American people for the first time as Vice President-elect and President-elect of the United States. While Biden's speech focused on unifying the American people and laying out key policies, Harris used her time to frame race as a mandate not only against Donald Trump, but for the upholding of democracy. Along the way, she took stock of her own place in history, as now the first woman, Black woman, and woman of South Asian descent to be elected as vice president.
Harris began her speech with a poignant quote from the late Congressman John Lewis: "Democracy is not a state, it is an act." What he meant, she explained, "is that America's democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it, and never take it for granted." It was a gesture towards the struggle that many Americans went through to vote and make their voices heard this election, whether they were standing in poll lines for hours or fighting to get themselves registered.
"When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching," Harris said, "you ushered in a new day for America."
In the most emotional section of the speech, Harris focused on her own history and that of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. "When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't quite imagine this moment," Harris said. "But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible, and so I am thinking about her, and about the generations of women, Black women, Asian, white, Latina, Native American women, who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight." Black women in particular, Harris said, "are often too often overlooked, but so often prove they are the backbone of our democracy."
Drawing the speech to its powerful close, Harris turned to both President-elect Biden and the future of the country. "What a testament it is to Joe's character," she said, "that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers and select a woman as his vice president. But while I might be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last."
"Every little girl watching tonight," Harris went on, "sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."
samedi 3 octobre 2020
5 Latina-Owned Brands to Support For Hispanic Heritage Month and Forever
If you don't live under a rock with no WiFi, you'll know that between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in the US. This celebration that started in 1988 is all about highlighting and honoring Latinx in this country, and although at POPSUGAR Latina, we do that 365 days of the year, we don't want to miss the opportunity to shout out these Latina-owned brands that you're going to love. From the most original upcycled fashion to empowering and quirky jewelry, keep scrolling to find the new musts for the season that you're going to wear with pride.
mardi 15 septembre 2020
mardi 8 septembre 2020
"We're Being Confronted": Energy Healer Millana Snow on Racism in Wellness
Millana Snow has been in the wellness world for 10 years, which means she's seen a lot. She's experienced a lot. And here's one thing she knows: the lack of diversity in fitness has been an issue for a long time.
"When the Black Lives Matter movement really got the attention that it needed to have, people came to me because they identified me as a Black woman in the space of healing," said Snow, an energy healer and the founder of Wellness Official. "But I have been helping people in this way for 10 years."
It was frustrating, Snow told POPSUGAR. She had been sharing her message and her skills for a long time, and yet, it seemed like they weren't valid or valued "until there was social pressure for people to align themselves with people that looked like me." Snow is Black, Latina, and white, and she does what she does "independent of what physical form I come in," she explained. "It was like I was getting attention because of the way that I looked as a Black woman, instead of just getting the respect as a person who has been doing the work for a long time and has a lot to share."
"It's the unseen, unconscious pattern of taking from those that you think that you can benefit from because you perceive them to be less than you."
In her years in wellness, Snow has experienced the effects of racism herself, something she's only recently shared publicly. In her previous business, Snow had a difficult experience with her business partners, one she described as bullying and slanderous. "It just so happened that these were two white women," she said. At first, she didn't realize it had anything to do with race. The wake-up call came when she saw Get Out, the groundbreaking Jordan Peele movie that personified the horrors of racism and modern colonization.
"In my own way, symbolically, that was actually my experience," Snow explained. "There was a deeper implication, because of this pattern in history of what colonizing actually is. It doesn't mean that it's just white people that do that. It's the unseen, unconscious pattern of taking from those that you think that you can benefit from, because you perceive them to be less than you." She points out that it's not just Black people who experience this either. "Frankly, it's happening to people of every gender, race, cultural background."
Related: Naomi Osaka Brought 7 Face Coverings Total to the US Open - Each Honors a Black Life Lost
Snow has also experienced what she called the "other side" of racism in wellness. When she first started out in wellness, she got a lot of attention. "I was getting a lot of press," she said. "I'm a model. I did a lot of TV and fashion. I'm a light-skinned woman." She realized, though, that she was being tokenized. "When they needed someone of color, I was the one that was OK to put in that role." It was that experience that informed the way she runs Wellness Official: instead of being the token Black voice, she said, "I can be the reason why everyone gets a seat at the table."
At the end of the day, Snow said, "we're being confronted": about systemic racism and our own shortcomings, in wellness and in every sphere. But she put it bluntly: "If we don't actually start caring and putting a priority on the sh*t that really matters, we're going to go to a very dark place that will be very hard to get out of."
"Let's do the work first," Snow said. "Then you'll see that everything else just feels better."
"We're Being Confronted": Energy Healer Millana Snow on Racism in Wellness
Millana Snow has been in the wellness world for 10 years, which means she's seen a lot. She's experienced a lot. And here's one thing she knows: the lack of diversity in fitness has been an issue for a long time.
"When the Black Lives Matter movement really got the attention that it needed to have, people came to me because they identified me as a Black woman in the space of healing," said Snow, an energy healer and the founder of Wellness Official. "But I have been helping people in this way for 10 years."
It was frustrating, Snow told POPSUGAR. She had been sharing her message and her skills for a long time, and yet, it seemed like they weren't valid or valued "until there was social pressure for people to align themselves with people that looked like me." Snow is Black, Latina, and white, and she does what she does "independent of what physical form I come in," she explained. "It was like I was getting attention because of the way that I looked as a Black woman, instead of just getting the respect as a person who has been doing the work for a long time and has a lot to share."
"It's the unseen, unconscious pattern of taking from those that you think that you can benefit from because you perceive them to be less than you."
In her years in wellness, Snow has experienced the effects of racism herself, something she's only recently shared publicly. In her previous business, Snow had a difficult experience with her business partners, one she described as bullying and slanderous. "It just so happened that these were two white women," she said. At first, she didn't realize it had anything to do with race. The wake-up call came when she saw Get Out, the groundbreaking Jordan Peele movie that personified the horrors of racism and modern colonization.
"In my own way, symbolically, that was actually my experience," Snow explained. "There was a deeper implication, because of this pattern in history of what colonizing actually is. It doesn't mean that it's just white people that do that. It's the unseen, unconscious pattern of taking from those that you think that you can benefit from, because you perceive them to be less than you." She points out that it's not just Black people who experience this either. "Frankly, it's happening to people of every gender, race, cultural background."
Related: Naomi Osaka Brought 7 Face Coverings Total to the US Open - Each Honors a Black Life Lost
Snow has also experienced what she called the "other side" of racism in wellness. When she first started out in wellness, she got a lot of attention. "I was getting a lot of press," she said. "I'm a model. I did a lot of TV and fashion. I'm a light-skinned woman." She realized, though, that she was being tokenized. "When they needed someone of color, I was the one that was OK to put in that role." It was that experience that informed the way she runs Wellness Official: instead of being the token Black voice, she said, "I can be the reason why everyone gets a seat at the table."
At the end of the day, Snow said, "we're being confronted": about systemic racism and our own shortcomings, in wellness and in every sphere. But she put it bluntly: "If we don't actually start caring and putting a priority on the sh*t that really matters, we're going to go to a very dark place that will be very hard to get out of."
"Let's do the work first," Snow said. "Then you'll see that everything else just feels better."
vendredi 4 septembre 2020
"We're Being Confronted": Energy Healer Millana Snow on Racism in Wellness
Millana Snow has been in the wellness world for ten years, which means she's seen a lot. She's experienced a lot. And one thing she knows: the lack of diversity in fitness has been an issue for a long time.
"When the Black Lives Matter movement really got the attention that it needed to have, people came to me because they identified me as a Black woman in the space of healing," said Snow, an energy healer and the founder of Wellness Official. "But I have been helping people in this way for ten years."
It was frustrating, Snow told POPSUGAR. She had been sharing her message and her skills for a long time, and yet, it seemed like they weren't valid or valued "until there was social pressure for people to align themselves with people that looked like me." Snow is Black, Latina, and white, and she does what she does "independent of what physical form I come in," she explained. "It was like I was getting attention because of the way that I looked as a Black woman, instead of just getting the respect as a person who has been doing the work for a long time and has a lot to share."
"It's the unseen, unconscious pattern of taking from those that you think that you can benefit from, because you perceive them to be less than you."
In her years in wellness, Snow has experienced the effects of racism herself, something she's only recently shared publicly. In her previous business, Snow had a difficult experience with her business partners, one she described as bullying and slanderous. "It just so happened that these were two white women," she said. At first, she didn't realize it had anything to do with race. The wake-up call came when she saw Get Out, the groundbreaking Jordan Peele movie that personified the horrors of racism and modern colonization.
"In my own way, symbolically, that was actually my experience," Snow explained. "There was a deeper implication, because of this pattern in history of what colonizing actually is. It doesn't mean that it's just white people that do that. It's the unseen, unconscious pattern of taking from those that you think that you can benefit from, because you perceive them to be less than you." She points out that it's not just Black people who experience this either. "Frankly, it's happening to people of every gender, race, cultural background."
Snow has also experienced what she called the "other side" of racism in wellness. When she first started out in wellness, she got a lot of attention. "I was getting a lot of press," she said. "I'm a model. I did a lot of TV and fashion. I'm a light-skinned woman." She realized, though, that she was being tokenized. "When they needed someone of color, I was the one that was OK to put in that role." It was that experience of that informed the way she runs Wellness Official: instead of being the token Black voice, she said, "I can be the reason why everyone gets a seat at the table."
At the end of the day, Snow said, "we're being confronted": about systemic racism and our own shortcomings, in wellness and in every sphere. But she put it bluntly: "If we don't actually start caring and putting a priority on the sh*t that really matters, we're going to go to a very dark place that will be very hard to get out of."
"Let's do the work first," Snow said. "Then you'll see that everything else just feels better."
"We're Being Confronted": Energy Healer Millana Snow on Racism in Wellness
Millana Snow has been in the wellness world for ten years, which means she's seen a lot. She's experienced a lot. And one thing she knows: the lack of diversity in fitness has been an issue for a long time.
"When the Black Lives Matter movement really got the attention that it needed to have, people came to me because they identified me as a Black woman in the space of healing," said Snow, an energy healer and the founder of Wellness Official. "But I have been helping people in this way for ten years."
It was frustrating, Snow told POPSUGAR. She had been sharing her message and her skills for a long time, and yet, it seemed like they weren't valid or valued "until there was social pressure for people to align themselves with people that looked like me." Snow is Black, Latina, and white, and she does what she does "independent of what physical form I come in," she explained. "It was like I was getting attention because of the way that I looked as a Black woman, instead of just getting the respect as a person who has been doing the work for a long time and has a lot to share."
"It's the unseen, unconscious pattern of taking from those that you think that you can benefit from, because you perceive them to be less than you."
In her years in wellness, Snow has experienced the effects of racism herself, something she's only recently shared publicly. In her previous business, Snow had a difficult experience with her business partners, one she described as bullying and slanderous. "It just so happened that these were two white women," she said. At first, she didn't realize it had anything to do with race. The wake-up call came when she saw Get Out, the groundbreaking Jordan Peele movie that personified the horrors of racism and modern colonization.
"In my own way, symbolically, that was actually my experience," Snow explained. "There was a deeper implication, because of this pattern in history of what colonizing actually is. It doesn't mean that it's just white people that do that. It's the unseen, unconscious pattern of taking from those that you think that you can benefit from, because you perceive them to be less than you." She points out that it's not just Black people who experience this either. "Frankly, it's happening to people of every gender, race, cultural background."
Snow has also experienced what she called the "other side" of racism in wellness. When she first started out in wellness, she got a lot of attention. "I was getting a lot of press," she said. "I'm a model. I did a lot of TV and fashion. I'm a light-skinned woman." She realized, though, that she was being tokenized. "When they needed someone of color, I was the one that was OK to put in that role." It was that experience of that informed the way she runs Wellness Official: instead of being the token Black voice, she said, "I can be the reason why everyone gets a seat at the table."
At the end of the day, Snow said, "we're being confronted": about systemic racism and our own shortcomings, in wellness and in every sphere. But she put it bluntly: "If we don't actually start caring and putting a priority on the sh*t that really matters, we're going to go to a very dark place that will be very hard to get out of."
"Let's do the work first," Snow said. "Then you'll see that everything else just feels better."
mardi 14 juillet 2020
5 Films and TV Shows With a Strong Latina Lead
There's nothing like watching a movie or TV show and thinking, "Wow, I can totally relate to the lead's experiences." For Latinas in the US, this isn't necessarily the case that often, because we barely see ourselves represented in the main characters. It's so important and necessary to see more Latinas showcased in a strong and positive role, rather than just as the submissive maid, or the heavily accented comedic relief.
That's why we've rounded up 5 movies and TV shows with a strong Latina leads that you can stream on Canela.TV, the new minority and women-owned service that provides free access to unique, culturally relevant content for Hispanics and Latinx. From groundbreaking women, to boss ladies, this selection will provide new role models Latinas - and women in general - can look up to. Keep scrolling to find more.
vendredi 10 juillet 2020
The New Generation of Ladies in Reggaetón and Latin Trap Demand Your Attention
It can take some women well into their 30s to unlearn lifelong lessons of subservience and demand what they desire in the bedroom, but 26-year-old Cazzu is already making music that prioritizes her sexuality. The Argentine singer-rapper's airy voice is often heard alongside reggaetoneros in songs where they stunt their sexual prowess – yet her verses are routinely the edgiest of all.
"Como yo, ninguna, yo le gano a todas / Ven cómeme toda," ("Like me, there isn't another, I beat all of them / Come eat all of me"), she sings in the 2018 hit "Toda (Remix)," which helped catapult her to international fame. The ascending sensual voice in el movimiento credits her ability to openly express her carnal cravings through song to the growing force of women in Latin trap and reggaetón.
"We now feel more comfortable and liberated to say what we want to say in our music. I feel like I'm not always trying to talk about how to be a woman, but just making music, simply making art," Cazzu, born Julieta Cazzuchelli, tells POPSUGAR during a phone call from her home music studio in Buenos Aires.
While women have always had a role in reggaetón, up until recently, it was largely limited to dancers and back-up singers. In the days of paris de marquesina of the late '90s and early '00s, women's tantalizing moans and twists authenticated the male artists' claims of corporeal mastery.
Although legendary rapera Ivy Queen fiercely challenged her contemporaries' overt objectification and misogynistic lyrics, she was long the only woman given a mainstream platform to do so, to such an extent that the early contributions of fellow female rappers like Puerto Rico's Lisa M and the Dominican Republic's Demphra are habitually forgotten. She wasn't the only woman in the game, but in a male-dominated genre, Ivy, the undeniable reina del reggaetón, was the only one who was allowed to shine.
During the genre's second coming, there are several female faces. Singers like Natti Natasha, Karol G, Anitta, and Becky G have not only infiltrated the old boys' club, but they are among reggaetón and trap en Español's most dominant voices.
Last year, Colombiana Karol G and Dominican-born Natti Natasha became the first women in more than four years to be nominated for Best New Artist at the 2019 Latin Billboard awards. During the Premio Lo Nuestro award show that same year, Natti had more nominations than any other artist, male or female, and she nabbed four awards, two of them alongside California-based Chicana Becky G for their joint hit "Sin Pijama."
Together, the women [...] are taking up space. They are present. They are bold. They are sexually explicit. They are powerful. They are united.
Together, the women, who have bangers throughout Billboard's Hot Latin charts, are taking up space. They are present. They are bold. They are sexually explicit. They are powerful. They are united. Yet, they are also just four women.
"There's more than before, but there's still not enough. Look at the men. Count them. You can't. But you can count the girls on one hand," Catalyna, an emerging Orlando, Fla.-based singer signed to reggaetón heavyweight Yandel's Y Entertainment, tells POPSUGAR from her recording studio. "But there are a lot of girls out there. I see them. We just haven't blown yet."
The folky soul-voiced Puerto Rico-born songstress is among the newer generation of talented and energetic female artists sizzling in el movimiento's underground that have yet to detonate into the mainstream. They are singers and rappers inspired by the genre's tra-tra originators and empowered by the solidarity of current pop matriarchs.
They are blending boom-bap reggaetón beats with slowed-down trap sounds, R&B runs, pop appeal, and punk-rock aesthetics. They hail from the genre's birthplace in the Caribbean as well as Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and the multitudes of Latinx-populated cities in the US.
They make music for the mamis que mandan, for the self-assured girls who don't "change for no d*ck," for the boss ladies who hustle to pay their own rent, for the autonomous shorties who have their "cuerpos y almas desnudas," and for the independent women who'd rather be shaking their ass than waiting at home for cheating lovers to act right. But they each offer something fresh and distinct to the genre.
"Hearing amazing music and talent from several women gives you variety. With only four, you're getting the same sound over and over. Even if it's good, that's not enough," says the Dominican-born and New York-raised Jenn Morel from her home in Los Angeles.
The blistering dancer-rapera is inspired by the OGs: Ivy, Daddy Yankee, and El General. Their influence is conspicuous in her hard delivery of lightning-fast rhymes. "Preferiste jugar, ahora me va a conocer / Yo me voy con mi combo a fuego / Nadie no' va a parar, aquí vamo' a amanecer / Que se prenda este sandungueo" ("You preferred to play, now you're going to know me / I am going with my combo on fire / No one is going to stop, we're going till dawn / Let this party light up"), she raps in her April bop "No Quiero Novio" featuring fellow soaring acts Mariah and Elisama.
As Jenn reintroduces the old-school gruff to a genre she says has gotten "un poquito suave" ("a little soft"), others are embracing the gentler stylings, blending unhurried rhythms with R&B lush. Paloma Mami is the proprietress of the soul and reggaetón musical crossroad. The New York City-born, 20-year-old Chilena effortlessly places her buttery rifts over slowed-down, pan-Caribbean rhythms, delivering Spanglish hits that incite confidence in their millennial and Gen Z femme listeners.
"Mi cuerpo es un arte / Nadie lo toca, soy como la Mona Lisa" ("My body is art / No one touches it, I'm like the Mona Lisa"), she sings in "No Te Enamores," her first single under Sony Music Entertainment. In 2018, she became the first Chilean artist to snag a deal with the record label.
"Having multiple females in the game is inspiring. You have different points of views you can connect with. We haven't had that," the entrancing singer, born Paloma Rocío Castillo, tells POPSUGAR from her hotel room in Miami, adding that she wants to bring elegance to a genre that's more often associated with vulgarity.
Meanwhile, Cazzu thrives in the obscene. When she's not bragging about having a "doctorate in sex," she's rapping about drugs and violence. But, as a woman, she says her foul-mouthed musical storytelling isn't expected, welcomed, or even believed most of the time.
"It's weird that a girl is talking about drugs. But to be a woman doesn't take away the possibility of living a bad, dangerous, or ugly life," she says. "It's my dream and expectation that women can be free from conditions. I want us to be free to make music that we want to make, sound how we want to sound, and dress how we want to dress without being prosecuted or seen as fake."
Like her, a wave of young artists are on the come up in rap en Español. In Colombia, Farina's hard-hitting, accelerated flow helped pave the way for the South American country's musical explosion that birthed the global careers of Karol G, J Balvin and Maluma. But her talent, steadily gaining recognition after she was signed by Sony Music US Latin in 2018, hasn't crossed borders like her contemporaries – yet.
It's my dream and expectation that women can be free from conditions.
In the US, a handful of bilingual rappers are also flirting with Latin trap. Some, like Harlem-based Dominican-Cuban hitmaker Melii, naturally tosses Spanish bars into her mostly-English bangers like "Nena" and "HML." Others, like Miami-born Puerto Rican-Cuban hazy trapera Mariah spits chiefly in Spanish, occasionally sprinkling slow-pounding rhymes in her second tongue.
For Peruana Anna Mvze, who has been making "Latina heat" in Washington DC, for several years, flowing uniformly between both languages has become a hallmark. "Soy la mas dura, ella es feca. She might be cute, but her attitude fea," she raps in her single "Sí o No."
As el movimiento reemerges on the international stage, women's names are as prominent as many of the genre's leading male performers. But their force has yet to be realized, or even fully imagined. While men are entering the scene almost daily and landing collaborations with major talents like Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny just as quickly, the feminine voices in the mainstream remain barely a quintet. For the hungry young ladies next up, that's not enough. Their thunderous arrival, they say, is long overdue.
"Women deserve the same. It's wack that it's always been the guys moving. It's about time. It's past time. After all, who run the world? Girls," Paloma Mami says.
The New Generation of Ladies in Reggaetón and Latin Trap Demand Your Attention
It can take some women well into their 30s to unlearn lifelong lessons of subservience and demand what they desire in the bedroom, but 26-year-old Cazzu is already making music that prioritizes her sexuality. The Argentine singer-rapper's airy voice is often heard alongside reggaetoneros in songs where they stunt their sexual prowess – yet her verses are routinely the edgiest of all.
"Como yo, ninguna, yo le gano a todas / Ven cómeme toda," ("Like me, there isn't another, I beat all of them / Come eat all of me"), she sings in the 2018 hit "Toda (Remix)," which helped catapult her to international fame. The ascending sensual voice in el movimiento credits her ability to openly express her carnal cravings through song to the growing force of women in Latin trap and reggaetón.
"We now feel more comfortable and liberated to say what we want to say in our music. I feel like I'm not always trying to talk about how to be a woman, but just making music, simply making art," Cazzu, born Julieta Cazzuchelli, tells POPSUGAR during a phone call from her home music studio in Buenos Aires.
While women have always had a role in reggaetón, up until recently, it was largely limited to dancers and back-up singers. In the days of paris de marquesina of the late '90s and early '00s, women's tantalizing moans and twists authenticated the male artists' claims of corporeal mastery.
Although legendary rapera Ivy Queen fiercely challenged her contemporaries' overt objectification and misogynistic lyrics, she was long the only woman given a mainstream platform to do so, to such an extent that the early contributions of fellow female rappers like Puerto Rico's Lisa M and the Dominican Republic's Demphra are habitually forgotten. She wasn't the only woman in the game, but in a male-dominated genre, Ivy, the undeniable reina del reggaetón, was the only one who was allowed to shine.
During the genre's second coming, there are several female faces. Singers like Natti Natasha, Karol G, Anitta, and Becky G have not only infiltrated the old boys' club, but they are among reggaetón and trap en Español's most dominant voices.
Last year, Colombiana Karol G and Dominican-born Natti Natasha became the first women in more than four years to be nominated for Best New Artist at the 2019 Latin Billboard awards. During the Premio Lo Nuestro award show that same year, Natti had more nominations than any other artist, male or female, and she nabbed four awards, two of them alongside California-based Chicana Becky G for their joint hit "Sin Pijama."
Together, the women [...] are taking up space. They are present. They are bold. They are sexually explicit. They are powerful. They are united.
Together, the women, who have bangers throughout Billboard's Hot Latin charts, are taking up space. They are present. They are bold. They are sexually explicit. They are powerful. They are united. Yet, they are also just four women.
"There's more than before, but there's still not enough. Look at the men. Count them. You can't. But you can count the girls on one hand," Catalyna, an emerging Orlando, Fla.-based singer signed to reggaetón heavyweight Yandel's Y Entertainment, tells POPSUGAR from her recording studio. "But there are a lot of girls out there. I see them. We just haven't blown yet."
The folky soul-voiced Puerto Rico-born songstress is among the newer generation of talented and energetic female artists sizzling in el movimiento's underground that have yet to detonate into the mainstream. They are singers and rappers inspired by the genre's tra-tra originators and empowered by the solidarity of current pop matriarchs.
They are blending boom-bap reggaetón beats with slowed-down trap sounds, R&B runs, pop appeal, and punk-rock aesthetics. They hail from the genre's birthplace in the Caribbean as well as Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and the multitudes of Latinx-populated cities in the US.
They make music for the mamis que mandan, for the self-assured girls who don't "change for no d*ck," for the boss ladies who hustle to pay their own rent, for the autonomous shorties who have their "cuerpos y almas desnudas," and for the independent women who'd rather be shaking their ass than waiting at home for cheating lovers to act right. But they each offer something fresh and distinct to the genre.
"Hearing amazing music and talent from several women gives you variety. With only four, you're getting the same sound over and over. Even if it's good, that's not enough," says the Dominican-born and New York-raised Jenn Morel from her home in Los Angeles.
The blistering dancer-rapera is inspired by the OGs: Ivy, Daddy Yankee, and El General. Their influence is conspicuous in her hard delivery of lightning-fast rhymes. "Preferiste jugar, ahora me va a conocer / Yo me voy con mi combo a fuego / Nadie no' va a parar, aquí vamo' a amanecer / Que se prenda este sandungueo" ("You preferred to play, now you're going to know me / I am going with my combo on fire / No one is going to stop, we're going till dawn / Let this party light up"), she raps in her April bop "No Quiero Novio" featuring fellow soaring acts Mariah and Elisama.
As Jenn reintroduces the old-school gruff to a genre she says has gotten "un poquito suave" ("a little soft"), others are embracing the gentler stylings, blending unhurried rhythms with R&B lush. Paloma Mami is the proprietress of the soul and reggaetón musical crossroad. The New York City-born, 20-year-old Chilena effortlessly places her buttery rifts over slowed-down, pan-Caribbean rhythms, delivering Spanglish hits that incite confidence in their millennial and Gen Z femme listeners.
"Mi cuerpo es un arte / Nadie lo toca, soy como la Mona Lisa" ("My body is art / No one touches it, I'm like the Mona Lisa"), she sings in "No Te Enamores," her first single under Sony Music Entertainment. In 2018, she became the first Chilean artist to snag a deal with the record label.
"Having multiple females in the game is inspiring. You have different points of views you can connect with. We haven't had that," the entrancing singer, born Paloma Rocío Castillo, tells POPSUGAR from her hotel room in Miami, adding that she wants to bring elegance to a genre that's more often associated with vulgarity.
Meanwhile, Cazzu thrives in the obscene. When she's not bragging about having a "doctorate in sex," she's rapping about drugs and violence. But, as a woman, she says her foul-mouthed musical storytelling isn't expected, welcomed, or even believed most of the time.
"It's weird that a girl is talking about drugs. But to be a woman doesn't take away the possibility of living a bad, dangerous, or ugly life," she says. "It's my dream and expectation that women can be free from conditions. I want us to be free to make music that we want to make, sound how we want to sound, and dress how we want to dress without being prosecuted or seen as fake."
Like her, a wave of young artists are on the come up in rap en Español. In Colombia, Farina's hard-hitting, accelerated flow helped pave the way for the South American country's musical explosion that birthed the global careers of Karol G, J Balvin and Maluma. But her talent, steadily gaining recognition after she was signed by Sony Music US Latin in 2018, hasn't crossed borders like her contemporaries – yet.
It's my dream and expectation that women can be free from conditions.
In the US, a handful of bilingual rappers are also flirting with Latin trap. Some, like Harlem-based Dominican-Cuban hitmaker Melii, naturally tosses Spanish bars into her mostly-English bangers like "Nena" and "HML." Others, like Miami-born Puerto Rican-Cuban hazy trapera Mariah spits chiefly in Spanish, occasionally sprinkling slow-pounding rhymes in her second tongue.
For Peruana Anna Mvze, who has been making "Latina heat" in Washington DC, for several years, flowing uniformly between both languages has become a hallmark. "Soy la mas dura, ella es feca. She might be cute, but her attitude fea," she raps in her single "Sí o No."
As el movimiento reemerges on the international stage, women's names are as prominent as many of the genre's leading male performers. But their force has yet to be realized, or even fully imagined. While men are entering the scene almost daily and landing collaborations with major talents like Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny just as quickly, the feminine voices in the mainstream remain barely a quintet. For the hungry young ladies next up, that's not enough. Their thunderous arrival, they say, is long overdue.
"Women deserve the same. It's wack that it's always been the guys moving. It's about time. It's past time. After all, who run the world? Girls," Paloma Mami says.
mardi 16 juin 2020
"Tu Lucha Es Mi Lucha": 5 Ways White Latinx Can Show Up For the Black Community
"Tu lucha es mi lucha," read several protest signs sprinkled throughout the ongoing nationwide protests confronting systemic racism and demanding justice for victims of police brutality, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, David McAtee, and so many others. "Your struggle is my struggle."
Latinx pushes for equality in the United States have long overlapped with Black-led movements. It's important to point out that many of the socio-political strides that have benefited the Latinx community were hard-earned by Black leaders and activists. (The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Immigration Act of 1965 are just a few examples.) At this critical crossroads, white Latinx have a duty to show support and stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.
Now is not the time for empty allyship. That has only gotten us so far in the past. Now is not the time to center white Latinx voices. There are Afro-Latinx who need to be heard. Now is not the time to compare struggles. Both communities undoubtedly face oppression, but anti-Black discrimination and oppression have been a shameful staple of this nation since its establishment. The fight to dismantle white supremacy has been fought for centuries. It is ongoing, and it demands our participation. Ahead, read about some of the ways white Latinx can show up for the Black community.
Protest
For starters, consider being physically present and joining one of the many demonstrations happening across the nation on a daily basis. As many have pointed out, these protests have been invaluable, leading to real change like the reduction of police funds, a move toward dismantling the Minneapolis Police Department, and the removal of various Confederate statues. For those unable to join a protest out of concern for their immigration status or the coronavirus pandemic, there are various ways to show support from home.
Confront Anti-Blackness
Colorism and anti-Blackness are unfortunately prevalent within the Latinx community. Colonialism and the sustainment of Eurocentric beauty standards are in part to blame, but it's on each individual to reject and call out anti-Blackness in its many manifestations, from overt discrimination to microaggressions and seemingly "harmless" jokes or slang.
So, next time you hear someone drop a phrase like "mejorar la raza" - even in jest - be prepared to have a conversation. Literary resources like Black in Latin America and The Afro-Latin@ Reader are helpful recommendations for those who might need more information or historical context. Self-reflection is also key, and it's important to take some time to do an honest assessment of your own past remarks, judgments, or instances of cultural appropriation so that the same missteps are not repeated.
Engage With Friends and Family Members
Though a similar action item, it's one worth explicitly mentioning: engage with your family and friends about these current events. Talk to your abuela who might not understand the Black Lives Matter movement. Talk to your primos who might be apathetic or politically disengaged. Talk to your friends about potentially attending a protest or circulating a petition.
Whereas social media offers a space to disseminate resources with like-minded followers, it's also important to have those difficult one-on-one conversations with loved ones who may share different beliefs. If there's a language barrier or you're missing some of the relevant Spanish terminology, refer to this helpful vocabulary guide put together by Angie Esparza.
Educate Yourself
As you thoughtfully and productively engage with others - perhaps with more regularity - enlightening one's own self and establishing that foundational knowledge is also essential. Various documentaries and books about systemic and interpersonal racism offer a starting point, but to learn more specifically about the shared histories between Black and Latinx communities in the United States, check out An African American and Latinx History of the United States, Neither Enemies Nor Friends, and The Young Lords.
Fill Your Feed With Intersectional Groups and Resource Hubs
First and foremost, turn to Black-led activist groups or your local Black Lives Matter chapter to remain up to date on nearby demonstrations, relevant civic meetings, and other action items. In addition, consider following and supporting intersectional activist groups, coalitions, and resources like AfroResistance, Gran Varones, Mijente, Latina Rebels, Ain't I Latina?, I Got Your Black, and Blactina Media, to name a few.
samedi 30 mai 2020
Why Hoop Earrings Mean So Much to Me as a Latina
I was probably less than a year old the first time I wore hoop earrings. In fact, mami had my ears pierced by my pediatrician only months after I was born. She decorated them with pretty diamond studs, then eventually I graduated to small hoop earrings.
Mami had a few pairs herself, and I remember being in my pre-teens trying them on in the mirror and loving how they framed my face, brought out my sculpted jawline, and instantly added edge to my look. I felt pretty, I felt womanly, and I felt like I looked "really Latina" - whatever that meant.
But it actually makes sense if you really think about it. Latinas have been adorning their ears with hoops for centuries. It's part of our culture as a result of our African ancestry. My mom wore them, my older cousin Liza wore them, and many of my favorite artists like Selena Quintanilla, the ladies from TLC, and Jennifer Lopez wore them.
Putting on a pair of hoops filled me with confidence and pride.
Putting on a pair of hoops filled me with confidence and pride. Those heavy earrings, though, eventually started to take a toll on my delicate little ears.
In fifth grade, my left earlobe ripped from constantly wearing hoops and hanging earrings, and from forgetting to take them off before bed. A plastic surgeon had to stitch it back up. The surgery itself is referred to as earlobe repair surgery, and it's actually more common than you'd think, especially among women of color.
I went at least one full year without wearing anything but stud earrings, but eventually hoops were back in my life again. Once I started college, though, I put all my hoop earrings away again after hearing comments not just from white people but even by POCs themselves that referred to hoops as "hood" or "ghetto."
I didn't want to go into college being stereotyped as this "spicy" and "ghetto" Latina, and the pride I felt whenever I wore hoop earrings now turned into shame. Looking back, I'm sad I allowed myself to conform to what white society told me was stylish and acceptable.
I put all my hoop earrings away after hearing comments not just from white people - but even by POCs themselves - that referred to them as "hood" or "ghetto."
My left ear eventually ripped again my senior year of college, and after getting surgery the second time around, I told myself I was never going to re-pierce my ears again. However, I'd find myself occasionally craving earrings and would go on long internet hunts to find decent clip-ons.
I'll never forget the first time I found myself a pair of hoop clip-on earrings. I loved the way they made my face look but I retired them for a while after my boyfriend at the time expressed he didn't like them because they made me look like "Johanna from the Block." That was it. No more hoop earrings for me. I was going to pursue a career in journalism now. I needed to be taken seriously - not stereotyped.
My clip-on hoops days.
A lot has changed since my college days. For starters, WOC - Latinas included - have resisted the white beauty standards that have been pushed on us for centuries. We have reclaimed our pride and our beauty. And so many of us, regardless of age or occupation, proudly let our hoops dangle as we confidently stride down the street.
All the complejos I had when I was younger about being Latina and the fears I had about how white America viewed me have gone away. In fact, I proudly wear my Latiniad on my sleeve regardless of how uncomfortable it might make someone feel. So of course, it only makes sense that the time would be right for me to finally wear the hoop earrings I grew up wearing with so much pride.
I got my ears re-pierced in February, right before the pandemic really hit the US. I'm so glad I did because putting on a pair of hoops on my low days has really done a lot in terms of lifting my spirits. I feel beautiful, I feel proud, I feel like a badass Latina who can get through any obstacle that's placed in front of her. I love you hoops, and I'm just sorry I ever doubted your magic in the first place.
jeudi 14 mai 2020
10 Latina Brujas to Follow Right Now to Help You Get Through This Pandemic
In the past few years we've seen a significant amount of Latina feminists proudly reclaiming their inner bruja and embracing the spiritual practices of our African and Indigenous ancestors. For centuries, spiritual practices such as Santería, the Oshun faith, Yoruba, Macumba, Vodou, and more were highly stigmatized and demonized.
Spiritual beliefs outside of the Christian/Catholic faith pushed by our Spanish colonizers were seen as "evil." Spiritual healers or brujas were reduced to negative stereotypes and perceived as cruel, manipulative, and and dangerous. The modern brujas or witches of today are not just embracing these practices, but they are also building community and providing healing and support during difficult times like today.
The global pandemic has left many feeling anxious and worried about getting sick, our loved ones getting sick, and even how we're going to pay the bills. Add social distancing to the mix and that's enough to impact our psyches and lead to feelings we have no control over.
Now more than ever is the time to care for our souls and prioritize not just our physical health but also our mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. Fortunately, there are quite a few magical mujeres on Instagram who are making a point to provide content and support for anyone in need right now. They recognize that the spiritual effect of this pandemic can not be ignored and spiritual wellness is crucial.
From Reiki healers, to astrologers, and tarot card readers, here's a look at a few of our favorite Latina brujas who are helping us find joy in our darkest days.
10 Latina Brujas to Follow Right Now to Help You Get Through This Pandemic
In the past few years we've seen a significant amount of Latina feminists proudly reclaiming their inner bruja and embracing the spiritual practices of our African and Indigenous ancestors. For centuries, spiritual practices such as Santería, the Oshun faith, Yoruba, Macumba, Vodou, and more were highly stigmatized and demonized.
Spiritual beliefs outside of the Christian/Catholic faith pushed by our Spanish colonizers were seen as "evil." Spiritual healers or brujas were reduced to negative stereotypes and perceived as cruel, manipulative, and and dangerous. The modern brujas or witches of today are not just embracing these practices, but they are also building community and providing healing and support during difficult times like today.
The global pandemic has left many feeling anxious and worried about getting sick, our loved ones getting sick, and even how we're going to pay the bills. Add social distancing to the mix and that's enough to impact our psyches and lead to feelings we have no control over.
Now more than ever is the time to care for our souls and prioritize not just our physical health but also our mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. Fortunately, there are quite a few magical mujeres on Instagram who are making a point to provide content and support for anyone in need right now. They recognize that the spiritual effect of this pandemic can not be ignored and spiritual wellness is crucial.
From Reiki healers, to astrologers, and tarot card readers, here's a look at a few of our favorite Latina brujas who are helping us find joy in our darkest days.
samedi 9 mai 2020
I Can't Wait to Be Able to Give Mi Mamá a Hug Again
Image Source: Maria G. Valdez
The second Sunday of May hasn't affected me in the almost nine years that I've been living in the United States. In the Dominican Republic, Mother's Day is celebrated the last Sunday of May, so that's the day I would FaceTime my mom to find my family together having lunch and congratulate all the mamás there.
This year, however, something is different. American Mother's Day is coming at me hard. I hear my friends' plans of surprising their mothers by showing up at their houses to drop off flowers or presents, or just to see them in person - at a distance - and tell them they love them. I wish I could do that. I wish seeing my mom were as easy as driving to her house.
Yes, technology is great, and before this pandemic, that's how I'd join in the celebrations back home. But I also knew when I'd be back in the DR hugging and kissing everyone, telling them about my adventures in New York City, and, obviously, dodging the "Y el novio?" question young Latinas are bombarded with the minute we step into a room full of our relatives.
Image Source: Robert Vasquez Photography
Today, I don't know for sure when I'll be able to see my parents in person. I do know this will pass, and I do know flying will eventually become second nature to me again. But in the meantime, the uncertainty of the when is making me feel more nostalgic than ever.
I haven't seen my mother since January, when I was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday and her birthday - they happen to be in the same week - back home. We hugged tight and said our I-love-yous before I left for the airport, not knowing it would be the last time for a while we'd be able to embrace like that.
I miss her so much. Like most Latinas, I rely a lot on mi mamá. She's my rock, my confidante. She's the person I call when I need anything, when I need to talk to someone, when I need advice, or when I want to celebrate a milestone or accomplishment. She's been my biggest cheerleader and supporter throughout my whole life, even when I wasn't the best daughter.
When NYC started closing down, I called her and told her that toilet paper, paper towels, and any form of disinfectant were scarce in the city. In true Latina mom form, she found all three and shipped them to me the next day so that I wouldn't need anything. I still don't know how she did it.
Image Source: Maria G. Valdez
She's unstoppable and powerful, and she'll stop at nothing until she knows my siblings and I are taken care of. She reminds us to wear masks and gloves if we need to go outside for any reason and keeps us in check with the grocery items we need to get so we have just what we need throughout the week.
My mom is the type of person that will really leave a mark on your life if you meet her, and that mark is exponentially bigger on me, her daughter. That's why not being able to hug her, kiss her, or even see her in person is hitting me a little harder this Mother's Day, and I know I'm going to go through the same range of emotions on Dominican Mother's Day, as my Dominican friends and I get creative in order to surprise our moms.
Don't get me wrong, we'll most likely do a Zoom lunch and have a wonderful time, laughing, reminiscing, and planning for the future, but I can't wait for the time when I get to see my mom in person and give her the biggest hug of my life.
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