Representation matters. Naming your roots matters. 

In this article, we’re taking a deeper look at why heritage deserves to be named, and the significant impact it has on us as Latinas. 

While the term Latina connects us in many ways and creates a shared identity that bridges borders, languages, and generations, it’s important that we don’t blur those connections. Yes, we’re united–but we also carry unique layers of culture, history, and heritage that deserve to be seen and celebrated. 

We might share common experiences, but our cultural backgrounds shape our individual journeys in different ways. Stand proudly in that. Demand that heritage is named–not erased or generalized.  

Read on to discover how we honor the mezcla of different Latinas! 

Pan-Latinidad as a Starting Point 

Pan-Latinidad is defined by Google as “the concept of solidarity and shared identity among people of Latin American descent, often transcending national borders and individual cultural differences.” 

It emerged as a kind of catch-all concept that could encompass Latino communities and cultures in the mainstream. However, the reality is that we cannot all be placed under the same umbrella. There are differences to be recognized, celebrated, and uplifted–and that’s a beautiful thing. 

This is why representation matters. 

Your Heritage is Important and Essential 

For many second-and next-gen Latinas, learning about our family’s country–its music, food, slang, and customs–is a way of connecting with the first generation. It’s a way of keeping a little piece of their homeland alive through us, while blending it with the American customs we’ve grown up with. 

There is power in claiming your specific roots. 

There is pride in saying: I am Honduran-American. I am Mexican-American. I am Dominican-American. I am Columbian-American. 

You are Latina–and you can make space for the specifics.

Don’t shrink yourself because someone else might think it’s “too much”. Your heritage is not an extra detail, it’s the main event.  

Visibility and Representation matter  

Naming your heritage gives it visibility. It makes space for your culture in a world that often overlooks it. 

Many Latin American countries are underrepresented in media and pop culture. That’s why it’s powerful when we name our countries, share our customs, and celebrate our traditions out loud. Whether through music, film, writing, art, or conversation–visibility starts with naming. 

Your roots matter. Your story matters. Your culture and heritage deserve to stand on their own, and not be blurred into a generalized identity. 

Being Latina is powerful, but when we take pride in getting specific, when we say where we’re from with pride, when we honor our heritage out loud–that’s revolutionary.