respuestas published

fall 2023
rESPUESTAS
La Gente Newsmagazine
volume 52
issue I

3 EDITOR’S NOTE
4 STAFF
5 The MAKING OF
respuestas
JONATHAN VALENZUELA MEJÍA
6 Y TU, ¿Cuando
vuelves?
ANDREA ALVAREZ
8 ¿Y Porque Ahora Todos
Quieren Ser Latinos?: THE
HISTORY OF REGGaETÓN AND
ITS RISE TO POPULARITY
JACKY BARRAGÁN
table of
contents
14 Commercialization of
Dia de los Muertos : Is
Visibility Coming at Too
High a Price (Literally)?
ISABELA ANGULO
16 IS MY SPANISH
MY LATINIDAD?
DAISY QUIÑONES
17 RESPUESTAS
THE PLAYLIST
RADIO TEAM
18 RESPUESTAS
THE PHOTOSHOOT
VISUALS TEAM
10 WHY LATINES SHOULD
CARE ABOUT THE
PALESTINE-ISRAEL
CONFLICT
ALEXIA JIMENEZ
21 ¿QUIEN SOY YO?: AT
THE CROSSROADS OF
LATINIDAD
JONATHAN VALENZUELA MEJÍA
12 HOW DOES INDIGENOUS
ERASURE IMPACT LATINES?
TOMMY CORREA
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2

EDitor’s
note
¿Qué significa respuestas? ¿Cómo podemos usar las
respuestas para conocernos mejor a nosotros mismos
o al mundo en el que vivimos?
These are questions that come to mind when dissecting the term
respuestas, answers. Since the dawn of time, people all around the
world have been questioning everything around them. The act of questioning,
intertwined with seeking answers to these questions, is something that is innately
human. Respuestas not only encourages us to continue to question like our predecessors
have, but also to find answers for these questions. It tells us that questions are crucial, driving
the society we live in; but just as important, if not more, are the answers we search for as a result of
these questions.
Being introspective, questioning the systems that are in place, ourselves and our identities, who we are and who we
want to be, what changes in the world we want to see and how we can be the cause for change itself—all of this is
only part of the journey. The answers that we find for these questions are what lead us to discovering the inner workings
of the world we live in; they are what help lead us to self reflection and
reflection of our environment. These respuestas not only guide self reflection, but, as seen throughout the
history of humankind, are the guiding force for our advancement as a society—whether that be
technologically or culturally.
As Latines, it is important that we keep questioning. Questioning makes our voices heard, voices that deserve to be
heard and, most importantly, deserve to be listened to. Within the Latine community there are a lot of
issues that need to be addressed; many questions to be asked and many more answers to be found. By
seeking these respuestas, we can slowly push for needed change within our communities and in the world around us.
Changes that transform our communities and communities around the world for the better.
Fall is a time where the leaves shed off the trees, where the old dies off in preparation for the new. Fall in itself is a
harbinger for change. Fall is a time in which individuals and communities ponder their dreams, aspirations, and goals
for themselves and the world they live in; it signifies a time to question the idea of new beginnings. With that I say:
what a more perfect time for La Gente to lay the groundwork for rebirth and change, lay the groundwork for continuing
to uphold the values that we have as a magazine, and begin to tackle new and lingering issues that affect the Latine
community in and around the UCLA campus.
Respuestas simply translated means answers, but to us here at La Gente, it signifies so much more than that.
JACKY BARRAGÁN
SIEMPRE PARA LA GENTE,
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 2023-2024
3

Staff
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Jacky BarragÁn
MANAGING EDITOR
JONATHAN
VALENZUELA MEJÍA
HEAD OF MARKETING
PAULINA FERNÁNDEZ-
GARCIA
CONTENT EDITORS
ISABELA ZAVALA
ISABELA ANGULO
SPANISH CONTENT EDITOR
ANDREA ALVAREZ
COPY EDITORS
DAISY QUIÑONES
ALEXIA JIMENEZ
HEADS OF VISUALS AND LAYOUT
MELISSA MORALES
TOMMY CORREA
RADIO EDITOR
NAOMI OROZCO
VISUALS/LAYOUT INTERNS
MISSY SOTO
DARLENE SANZON
ADRIAN ALVAREZ
DANIEL ORTEGA
RADIO INTERNS
EVELYN CASTILLO
NATASHA FRANCO
GEORGINA RIOS
RYANN MITCHELL
LUPITA FERNÁNDEZ
GARCIA
SOCIAL MEDIA INTERNS
EDUARD GOMEZ
DAYANARA URBINA
WRITING INTERNS
JAZMIN CHAVEZ
RAUL AGUILERA
JACQUELINE JACOBO
LUCIACELESTE GARCíA
OLIVIA ZEPEDA
MATT ESPINOZA
ANDREA HERNÁNDEZ
BRETTANY VALENZUELA
JAVIER MURILLO JR.
STEPHANIE MACIAS
SPANISH INTERN
CRIS AVITIA-CAMACHO
COPY/WRITING INTERNS
LISETTE SERANNO
MARI GARCIA
CHRISTINE BARNFIELD
NATALIA ZELEDON
ARIANNA MACIAS
iAN BASTIDA
JESSICA HERNANDEZ
4

THE MAKING OF
Respuestas
by jonathan valenzuela MejíA
“Ahora sé que ya mi respuesta encontré (Che c’è una risposta per me)”
-Laura Pausini in Mi Respuesta/La Mia Risposta
I first pitched Respuestas when I was a freshman in La Gente, and while it wasn’t selected as the theme that year,
the idea always stuck around with me. Respuestas was inspired by Laura Pausini’s 1998 album, Mi Respuesta, also
known as La Mia Risposta in her native Italian. This so happens to be one of my favorite albums of all time.
I was in the last quarter of my freshman year, and had just moved to LA from the Bay Area by myself. I was looking
for answers on if this was the right move because I had left all the comforts of home and my family for the first time
since graduating high school. The idea for Respuestas as an issue for La Gente aged alongside me during my time at
UCLA. It came to me when I wondered what to make of my limited time in college. However, now Respuestas
reflects on who we are here at UCLA, as a community of Latines brought together during a time in which the world
has shifted so much and so quickly. We reflect on our own experiences and see what we can get from within
ourselves.
Writing Respuestas has helped me look for and understand answers to the questions I’ve asked about my life before.
“What is our place as Latines on this campus? In this world? What are the issues impacting our fellow Latines that
we may not know about? Or our community as a whole?” In my own writing, and that of my peers, I’ve come to
comprehend ideas, perspectives, and thoughts that I couldn’t even conceive of before. Now Respuestas means
questioning everything and seeking, along with answering, all these questions and thoughts you have for yourself,
your community and others. It does mean ‘answers’ in Spanish after all. The theme for this fall is meant to
evoke reflection and self discovery, in whatever way it may look like for you. Don’t necessarily
wait on others to do it for you.
Respuestas doesn’t just represent a journey or looking for answers, but it also
represents a new start for La Gente. It represents an era where we as an
organization ask ourselves what we want to contribute and who we
want to be in the UCLA space.
We hope that Respuestas can help you answer your questions
as much as it has for us.
5

Y TU,
¿Cuando
vuelves?
BY
ANDREA
ALVAREZ
Nadie se quiere ir. Se van por necesidad.
Variations of this saying are often heard when we ask, “Who would leave behind the land of their ancestors for the
capitalist North American monster?” It is devastating push factors that force many to leave behind their home
countries in search of promising socioeconomic opportunities in the U.S. Although many leave hoping to someday
return to the lives and loved ones left behind, these reunions often take years, decades, or in some cases, never
occur. For many undocumented migrants, returning to their home countries becomes a distant wish that cannot be
fulfilled. While it is possible to leave the country, re-entering is often a life-threatening gamble where years of work
and sacrifices are at risk of being lost. In past decades, it was possible for migrants from Latin America to
temporarily enter the U.S. for work and return to their home countries after each work season concluded. Over time,
however, tougher immigration laws and the militarization of the U.S./Mexico border forced temporary migration to
become permanent. The intensification of immigration laws not only made the journey into the country more
difficult and dangerous but also brought forth the illegalization of migrants. Consequently, “illegality”
has served to invisibilize and exclude migrants from U.S. society, keeping them socioeconomically and
racially subordinate. 1
According to anthropologist and scholar of migration and race, Nicholas De Genova, “immigration
laws serve as instruments to supply and refine the parameters of both discipline and coercion.” 2
As a result of the illegalization of migrants, migrant labor is kept cheap, expendable, and
exploitable through what De Genova describes as “labor subordination.” However, illegalization
is not the sole reason for the commodification of undocumented migrant labor and their
forced erasure. Instead, it is deportability” as a consequence of illegalization that keeps many
undocumented migrants subjugated to exploitative working environments. 3 Left with virtually
no other employment options, migrants will often endure long shifts of arduous physical
labor in order to support themselves and their families in the U.S. and back home.
Labor migrations are patterned, meaning they are most often produced from the same
countries for a number of similar reasons, such as economic and/or political instability. 4
Therefore, the label of “illegal” is not only present in the workplace but, as described by
De Genova, “materializes around [the undocumented] wherever they go.” 5
The stigma around “illegality” has led to the racialization of migrants, namely Mexicans
and all other Latines, as “illegals” or “illegal aliens,” regardless of their immigration and
citizenship status. 6 Consequently, the “visual of illegality” created through the
racialization of migrants creates a divide between those that “belong” in the country and
the outsiders that should be “sent back.” 7
Visual by Melissa Morales
6
1 Nicholas P. De Genova. “Migrant ‘Illegality’ and Deportability in Everyday Life.”Annual
Review of Anthropology, vol. 31, 2002, pp. 419–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4132887.
2 Nicholas P. De Genova
3 Nicholas P. De Genova
4 Roy, Ananya. Public Affairs 110. May 2023. University of California, Los Angeles. Lecture.
5 Nicholas P. De Genova
6 Nicholas P. De Genova
7 Katarzyna Marciniak (2013) “Legal/Illegal: Protesting Citizenship in Fortress America.” Citizenship Studies 12 (2): 260–277.

This then contributes to the narrative that
Mexicans and other Latine groups are unassimilable
and burdensome to an all-American
society– a narrative that has only been aggravated
in recent years via racist politicians
and their policies. According to sociologist Sylvia
Zamora at Loyola Marymount University, “the
association of Mexicans with ‘illegality’ and
its associated characteristics of criminality
and foreignness [represent] the greatest
burden to their social and economic
integration in U.S. society.” 8 Not only does
the racialization of Mexicans and other
Latine groups as illegals further ostracize
them, but undocumented migrants
themselves come to internalize these
sentiments. And, according to Zamora,
they begin to feel powerless and inferior
as a result of “dehumanizing narratives
that justify beliefs that immigrants do not
deserve the privileges bestowed by
citizenship.” 9
Undocumented Latines quickly come to view
and accept their positions in the U.S. relative
to citizenship, race, andsocioeconomic status,
which often leads to internalizing feelings that
they ‘belong’ at the bottom of the social hierarchy.
Fear of deportation hinders them from seeking
outmore than is allowed to them, as they sacrifice
theirhousing, education, career, and healthcareneeds
and desires in an effort to remain in the country. While
those who tirelessly advocate for the deportation of
undocumented migrants joyfully vacation in Latin America,
many of our paisanos remain in a labyrinth of legality/illegality,
unable to return to their homelands.
Y tú, ¿Cuándo vuelves?
Cuando nos dejen de ilegalizar.
8 Sylvia Zamora (2018) Mexican illegality, black citizenship, and white power: immigrant perceptions of the U.S. socioracial
hierarchy, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 44:11, 1897-1914.
9 Sylvia Zamora
7

¿Y Porque Ahora Todos
Quieren Ser Latinos?: THE
HISTORY OF REGGaETÓN AND
ITS RISE TO POPULARITY
Latin culture has always been appreciated and celebrated by Latines worldwide. However, it wasn’t until recently
that Latine culture, and the identity that comes with it, began to be seen as socially palatable or even cool.
Worldwide, people easily recognize the iconic fast beat rhythm that’s the start of Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina,” which
quickly became a party classic after its debut in 2004. However, Latin music, specifically the genre of reggaetón, has
not always been popular or acclaimed like it is today. In its early history, reggaetón was not the genre that the
masses wanted to be known for, as it was shamed and ostracized, particularly by non-latines and latines of lighter
complexion alike.
With a genre as popular as reggaetón, there is much discourse over its origins—a discourse that continues to
prevail. To many, the building of the Panama Canal is the cannon event for the genre now known as reggaetón.
Through the analysis of its origins via the mixing pot of cultures resulting from Jamaican and Barbadian labor for
the Panama Canal, it can be concluded that reggaetón is undeniably African by nature, and we have our Afro-Latine
community and members of the African diaspora to thank for the musical gold that is so quintessential to Latines
today. This can be seen through its linkage to reggae via artists like El General and Nando Boom, who sang reggae
en Español, and all of reggaetón’s Afro-Latin and Caribbean elements, as well as its resonance with Afro diasporic
music. 1 Furthermore, reggaetón was born not only not only from reggae, but dancehall and rap/hip-hop. Early
reggaetoneros like the big star Tego Calderón cite their music to be hip-hop-like lyrics over a reggaetón beat. 2 He
goes on to say that reggaetón is something for all Puerto Ricans to embrace; no matter their stripes, it is their
music. 3
Unfortunately, in its early history, reggaetón was not embraced by the majority of Latines. Reggaetón was and
continues to be an inherently political genre. Themes of poverty, injustice, and racism were deeply anchored in the
genre, and are highlighted in the lyrics of songs by Tego Calderón and Ivy Queen. 4 In the podcast LOUD, hosted by Ivy
Queen herself, further discourse on the political nature of reggaetón is discussed, where reggaetón is described as a
way for poor, young kids with black or brown skin to be heard; it’s about la resistencia. 5 Given its hugely political and
resistant roots, reggaetón went through an unofficial ban in Puerto Rico in the 1990s, with the Puerto Rican Police
Department raiding multiple record stores in and around the San Juan area for underground rap (later developed into
reggaetón) and reggae records. 6 These raids signified a censorship of reggaetón, forefronted by conservative media
monitoring groups and Governor Pedro Rosselló’s ‘Mano Dura’ policy that labeled early reggaetón as obscene, vulgar,
and promoting unwanted and/or illicit activities in young people. 7
1 Raquel Z Rivera et al., Reggaetón. (North Carolina: Duke University Press, 2009), 24-112.
2 Raquel Z Rivera et al
3 Raquel Z Rivera et al
4 Bethonie Butler, “Reggaeton needed a racial reckoning. Afro-Latinos are leading it,” The Washington Post,November 23, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/11/23/reggaeton-afro-latin-grammys/
5 Isabelia Herrera, “Reggaeton’s History Is Complex. A New Podcast Helps Us Listen That Way,” The New York Times, August 16, 2021, https://www.
nytimes.com/2021/08/11/arts/music/reggaeton-loud-podcast.html
6 Raquel Z Rivera et al
7 Raquel Z Rivera et al
8
BY JACKY BARRAGÁN

Visual by Tommy Correa
Furthermore, in the early
2000s, major U.S. labels did
not see reggaetón’s potential.
After the success of Daddy
Yankee’s album Barrio Fino in
2004, some labels signed on
artists, but they quickly lost interest
due to their belief that reggaetón’s
popularity would cease overtime. 8
Nowadays, we see just how popular
reggaetón and Latin music as a whole has
become. Reggaetón is one of the world’s fastest
growing genres, with it being heard worldwide
thanks to artists such as Bad Bunny, Karol G, J Balvin,
and Ozuna. However, in recent years, we’ve seen it
stray away from its African and Afro-Latine roots, with what
is termed the blanqueamiento of reggaetón and Latin music as a
whole. It wasn’t until reggaetón’s representation started to stray
away from Afro-Latine artists and focus on its lighter complexion
counterparts, that reggaetón really began to take the world and not just
Panama and Puerto Rico, by storm. This is evident with artists like Daddy Yankee in
the early 2000s, and now Bad Bunny and J Balvin in reggaetón’s rebirth in 2016. Artists like
Bad Bunny have risen to fame and become incredibly successful in a genre that was pioneered by
Afro-Latines without fully acknowledging the complexities that have allowed them to gain fame in a way that
their Afro-Latine counterparts have been unable to. This is evident through lyrics in Bad Bunny’s song “El Apagón,”
which references Tego Calderón’s “Métele Sazón.” Given Bad Bunny’s fame, most people attribute the lyrics “Sazón,
Batería, y Reggaetón” to him and not Tego, the Afro-Latine artist whom he references. In his Time magazine article,
Bad Bunny says that Tego Calderón is the biggest reggaetón singer in response to being asked about colorism and
racism in the genre; he does not delve into the racism that Afro-Latine artists have faced within the music industry. 9
When presented with the opportunity to talk about racism and colorism in the Latine community, according to many
fans, he failed to understand his position as a lighter skinned Latine. Instead, he chose to fall into the harmful ideas
of mestizaje and the idea that Latines of all colors share the same lived experiences.
Additionally, with the rise of reggaetón’s popularity is a new generation of non-Latin artists trying to utilize the genre
to kick start their rise to fame. The prime culprit for this is Spanish artist Rosalía, who uses Latine identity and
culture in order to further her career. Rosalía, being a whole white woman of Spanish descent, claims to be Latina
because she knows it benefits her to remove herself from whiteness and make music in the popular genre. Through
Rosalía claiming to be Latina on Billboard’s “Growing Up Latino,” and swiping awards from actual Latine artists at
the Latin Grammys, Rosalía exemplifies a new generation of colonization—this time through music. This new age of
colonization silences Afro-Latine voices and erases the African and political history of reggaetón, which is
unacceptable. Therefore, through reggaetón’s rise to popularity and its faces becoming increasingly of lighter
complexion and even including white Spaniards, it’s important to remember and honor reggaetón’s Afro-Latin roots
and support Afro-Latine artists, because in the end, we would not have the beloved genre without them.
8 Catherine Osborne, “Bad Bunny and the Political History of Reggaeton,” Foreign Policy, accessed November 19, 2023, https://foreignpolicy.
com/2022/09/02/bad-bunny-vma-reggaeton-music-puerto-rico-colombia-panama-jamaica/
9 Andrew R Chow et al., “‘I Make Music Like I’m the Only Person in the World.’ Bad Bunny on Coachella, Hollywood, and Life on Top” Time Magazine, March
28, 2023, https://time.com/6266336/bad-bunny-interview-coachella/
9

WHY LATINES SHOULD CARE
ABOUT THE PALESTINE-
ISRAEL CONFLICT
BY
ALEXIA
JIMENEZ
What is going on in Palestine is inhumane and devastating to say the least. It’s completely reasonable to be
overwhelmed with all these social media posts and Tik Toks showing buildings blowing up, and young children in
agony, covered in blood, stuck under rubble. It’s easy to feel that this situation isn’t affecting our lives personally and
that we should just ignore it. Some may think there is no reason we should care, because we are regular civilians
who have no power over this kind of thing. It’s not happening to us, so why should we even bother, right? Mi gente,
wake up! This grave issue cannot be ignored. Over 12,000 innocent lives have been lost—this is genocide. People,
human beings just like you, like me, with hopes and dreams, are now gone. This can continue on and thousands
more can die, or we can choose to advocate for those unable to advocate for themselves. Our own homelands have
also fallen victim to Israeli oppression, which is one of the many reasons why we should care. 1
If you aren’t aware of what is going on in Israel right now, here’s a brief rundown, but I highly encourage you to
educate yourselves on this issue further, as being informed can help all of us in the long run. In 1947, the United
Nations voted for Palestine to be split into two separate Jewish and Palestinian states. Jewish people resided in the
Palestinian region and wanted their own state: Israel. Given that this land belonged to them, Palestinians opposed
this idea, and they did not want Israelis to colonize and take their land away from them. Conflict rose when Israel
took more Palestinian land and declared itself a nation on May 14th, 1948. Furious with this result, five Arab
countries attacked Israel, who fought back, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced out of their
homes. When the fighting ended, Israel controlled most of the territory that once belonged to Palestine. This conflict
has been ongoing for over 75 years.
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas fired rockets into Israel and stormed Israeli cities near the border. Israel declared war
and administered a “complete siege of Gaza.” That is, the Gaza Strip, where 2 million Palestanians currently
reside. Israeli forces have been bombing Gaza City every single day since October 7th. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. They
have bombed hospitals, schools, churches, homes, ambulances, escape routes. On top of this, Israeli forces have
trapped Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and have limited the amount of aid that can enter. They have cut off water,
food, electricity, and the internet, impacting all aspects of daily life and collapsing the entire health system in Gaza.
Israel has committed war crimes that should not be hard to condemn. There are thousands of people trapped, who
are low on resources and forced to endure these bombings and massacres every single day, with no place to go
because of the Israeli government’s inhumane armed decisions. This war has killed over 12,000 Palestinians and
displaced 1.5 million from their homes. 2
This tragedy is happening to Palestinians right now; however, Palestine is not the first country that Israel has
attacked. Israel has been involved in oppression against countries all around the world. These countries include
some of our own. Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, Panama, Peru,
and the list goes on. 3 Some of our very own homes have fallen victim to Israel.
1 Noriega, Christina. “Why Latin America’s ‘Pink Tide’ Is Taking a Stand against Israel.” Al Jazeera, November 9, 2023. https://www.aljazeera.com/
news/2023/11/9/why-latin-americas-pink-tide-is-taking-a-stand-against-israel.
2 Press, The Associated. “Live Updates: Who Official Says Gaza Hospital Situation ‘Catastrophic.’” AP News, November 21, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-11-20-2023-9913a29b48afc4a75e724674fe51bd82#.
3 Al Jazeera. “Israel’s Latin American Trail of Terror.” Al Jazeera, June 5, 2003. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2003/6/5/israels-latin-american-trail-of-terror.
10

Visual by Alexia Jimenez
Palestinian struggle for freedom is connected to struggles all around the world. This is one of the many
reasons we should all care.
From 1975 to 1979, 83% of El Salvador’s military imports came from Israel. They also helped train ANSESAL,
an infamous death squad that later killed tens of thousands of civilian activists. Israel helped fund El
Salvador’s civil war between the right-wing landowning class against left-wing popular organizations.
Continuing in Central America, Guatemalan armed forces who were trained by Israel were responsible for the
now known Mayan Genocide. This mass murder killed over 200,000+ indigenous Mayans and displaced over
1 million Indigenous people. Like in El Salvador, Israel also funded Guatemala and gave them over $38
billion for arms so that this genocide could continue. Since then, Israel and Guatemala have maintained strong
diplomatic ties, as Guatemala was the first country to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017. This
diplomatic relationship, like many others, was formed with a far-right wing government that shares many of
its ideals and views with the Israeli state. These ideals ensure Israel’s stay in power and the oppression of the
innocent.
A more recent case of Israeli oppression in Latin America occurred in 2021, when Colombians protested
against neoliberal policies enacted by the government of the then President, Ivan Duque. These protestors
were met with deadly repression by the police government of Ivan Duque, and hundreds of civilians were
injured or killed. Israel is Colombia’s military’s chief weapon supplier and is involved with Colombian military
training, assisting in the Colombian government’s persecution of innocent civilians. Colombian police and
army brutally wiped out their own people whilst using Israeli training and weapons. These examples are just a
few ways in which Israel has contributed to colonialism across Latin America.
Colonization, exploitation, and war are familiar to us. As Latines, our ancestors have endured years of
colonization and genocide before. They lived through dire times like these, and we would not be here if they
didn’t fight back. This is what’s currently happening to Palestinians. This can be a lot to take in, but living it,
as you can imagine, is so much worse. Palestinians need us, they need our advocacy. In order to help, you
can bring attention to what’s happening in Gaza. This includes taking part in protests, marches, and vigils to
show your solidarity with Gaza, as well as participating in the current boycotts. Spreading awareness on this
grave issue and encouraging others to educate themselves and speak up can also be so much more powerful
than we realize. We can either sit back and watch thousands more die, or we can do something now.
11

How does Indigenous
Erasure IMPACT
Latines?
BY TOMMY CORREA
12
Saludos, amiguis. To know who you are is to know where you come from. However, over the centuries,
Europeans have done so much to obscure the Indigenous presence on these continents, and now much of our oral
and family histories have been hidden away from us. For Latines with at least some Indigenous
ancestry, tracing our lineages back is like trying to map the stars, but the further you venture back, the more
pollution there is blocking them out. The obscurity from our ancestries leads to a plethora of
questions.
When it comes to understanding one’s Indigenous roots, there is a spectrum of sorts. On one end, there are those
that deny their Indigenous roots, and on the other, those who hold strongly to their Indigenous roots with any other
mindset imaginable in between. Now, let’s hear what questions and answers other
Indigenous Latines at UCLA have to share along this spectrum.
Dr. Lauren Guerra, professor
Dr. Lauren Guerra, a lecturer here in the Chicanx and Central American Studies Department, is Guatemalan and
Ecuadorian. She reveals one part of this spectrum as she is aware of her Indigenous roots but
“unfortunately has been rather disconnected from” them and does not know which tribe her family is from. Although
she had limited exposure to Indigenous traditions growing up, Dr. Guerra notes that Indigenous practices have
carried on through her syncretic faith of curandería and brujería. When asked if being
unaware of her Indigenous roots has ever created any questions for her, Dr. Guerra answered, “The best way to
describe myself is that I don’t fit perfectly in a box. I embrace the complexity!”
José María, second-year Cucapá
Conversely, José María, a second-year student, knows of their Cucapá roots in Baja California. José María traces
their lineage back to their grandmother. They tell us, “My grandmother (who was the only one who knew our
mother tongue) didn’t teach my aunts so they wouldn’t be discriminated against in school. My grandmother took
care of me growing up from time to time so she tried to teach me our language.” Their story is an example of the
tragic yet common reason Indigenous languages die out. It is either abandon one’s Indigenous culture, or keep it at
risk of discrimination.
Being Indigenous to this continent but not to the United States created questions for José María growing up. Under
the impression that “American Indian” was for Natives of the U.S. alone rather than the whole
continent, they were rather unsure of how to answer when asked about their race on documents after
coming to the U.S.

Another question that arose for José María was why people were treating their mother with more Cucapá features
differently than those in their family with less Indigenous features. They recall, “...growing up, strangers would often
question if my mom was really my mom simply because she was more Indigenous looking, which I didn’t
understand at the time why, but now I realize they were being colorist and thought there was no way this
Indigenous woman could have a white child.”
Olivia Salazar, second-year Zapotec
Olivia Salazar is a second year student coming from the Zapotecs of Oaxaca. She grew up aware of her Zapotec
roots, learning the stories passed down to her from her grandparents; however, she did not grasp the “richness” of
her roots until high school. It was not until then that Salazar began to push back against Eurocentrism by leaning
into her Zapotec roots.
Knowing about her ancestry and being involved in Indigenous circles, she sees clearly where Indigenous peoples
tend to fall across the various American societies: at the bottom. Despite being toward the bottom of the social
pyramid, she notes that it is oftentimes Indigenous people that “produce the labor that keeps our respective countries
running.” However, with all the knowledge Salazar has gained, she still makes note that “most cultural stories
and language are lost to us.”
Across these three stories, we see some of the different ways that knowledge of our Indigenous ancestries carries
on, or how a lack thereof can lead to issues at times. With so much work to erase Indigenous peoples off of this
continent both in the past and present, it becomes difficult to understand our world now. Even then, Indigenous ways
of life have endured, either through faith or food or some place else. With such beautiful customs and languages, it
is a shame that the view of our Indigenous ancestors and their ways of life have become murky with pollution. We
are left with a handful of stars and dreams of nights past, when they all shimmered across the sky.
Visual by Tommy Correa
13

Commercialization of Dia de
los Muertos : Is Visibility
Coming at Too High a Price
(Literally)?
BY ISABELA ANGULO
Día de Los Muertos, with its decorative sugar skulls and elaborate displays of cempasúchil and papel picado, is
known for its vibrant celebration of those who have passed and its uniquely spirited perspective of death. Stemming
from the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica and mixed with the Spanish Catholic influence brought forth in the
16th century, 1 the holiday is a reflection of the complex and tangled history of our people and the syncretic nature of
Latine culture. Today, the holiday is characterized by Latin pride and honor of the dead.
14
However, recent concerns about the commercialization of the holiday have emerged, especially in the United States.
The sudden increase in the popularity of the holiday, while partly related to the rise of the Latine population in the
U.S., 2 is mostly due to its introduction into popular culture; as observed with the Day of the Dead Barbie, Day of the
Dead Nike sneakers, and more. 3 We saw it with Disney, and their outrageous attempt to trademark the phrase “Día
de los Muertos” before the release of Coco. 4 Sin vergüenza. Although these things bring visibility to our people, a
visibility that we have been longing for decades, it comes at a price – literally. Without caution, small invasions like
this can begin to blur the lines between appropriation and celebration, as what happened with Cinco de Mayo. What
may seem like a commemoration of Latinidad and our history at its face, is really just an excuse to sell
stereotypical and gimmicky “Latine” merchandise and liquor. 5 Without proper recognition of the roots or the people
behind it, these adoptions of our culture into the mainstream seem like a slap in the face.
Día de Los Muertos was initially popularized in the United States by Chicanos in East Los Angeles in the 1970s.
Chicanos working for Self Help Graphics, an arts organization that aims to support Latine artists within the
community, decided to promote the holiday. 6 In an interview with Yes!Magazine, executive director of SHG Betty
Avila stated that the inspiration for this idea sprung from the notion that Latine people in the United States needed
a holiday to solidify their mixed identity. 7 It was an outcry against the active commodification of Mexican-American
heritage with holidays like Cinco de Mayo. SHG’s events have become not only a place to celebrate our roots but also
one for political activism. 8
This is not the first time, and definitely not the last, that Día de Los Muertos has been used as a platform for
political movements and statements. The well-known imagery of La Calavera Catrina, an image created decades ago
by Mexican printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada, was intended to be a satire of the obsession of the wealthy Mexican
elite with European high society. 9
1 Muñoz-Ledo, Rocío. “¿Cuál es el origen e historia del Día de Muertos en México y por qué se celebra?” CNN. Oct. 31, 2023. Accessed Oct. 20, 2023.
2 “Beyond Sugar Skulls: The History and Culture of Dia de los Muertos.” PBS Education. Oct. 31, 2019. Accessed Oct. 20, 2023.
3 Sandoval, Mathew. “How commercialization over the centuries transformed the Day of the Dead.” The Conversation. Oct. 27, 2021. Accessed Nov. 1,
2023.
4 Rodriguez, Cindy. “Day of the Dead trademark request draws backlash for Disney.” CNN. May 11, 2013. Accessed Nov. 2, 2023.
5 Morales, Priscilla. “Understanding Cinco de Mayo.” Carnegie Mellon University. Apr. 20, 2023. Accessed Nov. 1, 2023.
6 Mejorado, Renekah. “Traditions and Change: The Transformation of Día de los Muertos in the United States.” SAAM. Oct. 27, 2022. Accessed Nov. 1, 2023.
7 Kolhatkar, Sonali. “Chicano Artists Resist Commercialization of Día de los Muertos.” Yes!Magazine. Oct. 28, 2021. Accessed Nov. 2, 2023.
8 “Dia de los Muertos in Los Angeles.” Self Help Graphics and Art. 2023. Accessed Oct. 25, 2023.
9 “The history behind the iconic Dia de los Muertos look.” abc7. Nov. 1, 2023. Accessed Nov. 2, 2023.

Furthermore, in 2019, the San Diego State Department of Chicano and Chicana Studies created a large ofrenda that
not only honored dead loved ones but also honored those who lost their lives attempting to migrate to the United
States. 10 Given the newfound consideration that Día de Los Muertos provides for Latinidad, it is vital to seize control of
the narrative of this holiday before it escapes us and becomes a holiday akin to “Cinco de Drinko.”
We must make use of the platform that the mass attraction to this holiday supplies and be
purposeful with our public celebrations, whether it be to simply educate on the beauty
of Latinidad or to make social and political progress. Furthermore, we must rejoice
in the fact that the popularity of this holiday means progress, but also
recognize the call to action that it represents.
The Latine population in the United States has had to battle, long
and hard, for our voices to be heard and respected among the
majority. Past and present generations have learned to be
ashamed of their background for being different. 11 Suddenly,
one of our beloved holidays becomes trendy and negative
attitudes towards Latinidad dissipate just like that? At
least for a day or two it seems. When those celebrating
do not bother to learn about its significance or even
think about the Latine people who call it tradition, it
is not acceptance, it is theft. It sends a message
that we are seen as more of a commodity than
people, something they can profit off of and then
forget. America has to decide if they will support
the Latine people as a whole, not pick and
choose the pretty, colorful, profitable parts
and leave the rest.
I am not implying that these few attempts
at exploitation completely negate the cultural
visibility that widespread celebrations of the
holiday provide us. I appreciate the genuine
attempts to learn about Latine culture and
celebrations of Día de Los Muertos, no matter
who you are. It is a beautiful experience to
share culture and I am by no means trying to
gatekeep the holiday. However, I do believe that
we need to be skeptical of attempts to bring
Latinidad into the mainstream by those outside of
the culture. We cannot compromise our heritage for
the sake of this backwards form of acceptance. I
believe that at this moment in time, it is pivotal for
Latine people in the United States to ask themselves:
what do we deserve from this nation? What do we want to
get out of our shared celebrations and how can we use Día de
Los Muertos for the betterment of our community?
10 Lopez, Diane. “Day of the Dead takes on political issues.” The Daily Aztec. Nov. 6, 2019.
Accessed Nov.1, 2023.
11 Lopez, Mark et al. “Latinos and discrimination.” Pew Research Center. Oct. 25, 2018.
Accessed Nov. 2, 2023.
Visual by Tommy Correa
15

IS MY SPANISH
MY LATINIDAD?
BY DAISY QUIÑONES
I wish I could speak with my grandma.
She’s not dead—though she always talks about how we’ll miss her “cuando regrese a Dios.” She’s not
that far from me—when she’s not in México, she’s only a 25 minute drive away in South Central.
I just can’t hold a conversation in Spanish. I’m a “no sabo,” a term that makes fun of people
with imperfect Spanish. While “no sabo” is meant to label those that can’t speak any
Spanish, it’s also used as an insult any time someone makes just one, trivial error.
Simply using the wrong gender can provoke it. It’s usually a joke, but there’s no
denying that it has exclusionary tones to it.
I’m not entirely clueless. I can read, write, and occasionally hold a
conversation. After all, Spanish was my first language. It brought me
together with my community. Most importantly, it meant that when my
grandma spoke to me, I could respond.
I don’t know exactly when all of that stopped. I know that when
I got a little older,my parents thought that having daughters that
had perfect English would mean that they’d get into good
colleges and secure better futures. So, there was less
Spanish from them. We also started attending predominantly
white schools, where I was teased for having an accent
when saying words like “tortilla,”or for correcting the
pronunciation of my last name to teachers. I quickly
learned to water down my accent, to pronounce words the
same way that the white girls next to me would. Because
my Spanish was already slipping, I’d do whatever I could to
avoid talking to my grandparents. I did this especially with
my grandma, who barely knows English. That sounds awful,
I know. But it’s embarrassing when your tíos, primos, and
even your parents tease you for talking slower as you try
thinking of the translations for simple sentences. They
criticize instead of offering to help. So I grew anxious when it
came to speaking. And that anxiety lead to dread.
Looking back, it happened so quickly. One moment, I was
praying with my grandma in her dining room. The next, she would
try telling me how proud she was of my grades, or try sneaking in a
joke about my dad—and all I could respond with was a blank stare,
a broken heart, and the feeling that I was growing further from her,
my family, and my culture.
For the longest time, I thought that my weak Spanish was why I didn’t
belong, and that I wasn’t Mexican or Latina enough. But that’s because I
perceived Spanish as my only connection with others. There’s such a strong
emphasis within Latine culture (at least in the U.S.) on Spanish being our
Latinidad, that it often overshadows the other ways that we connect with one another.
16
Visual by Melissa Morales

What makes us Latine is the way we extend ourselves to one another. It’s the generosity we give to those we’ve just
met. The way we share the best restaurants around us that sell the foods from our countries. How we’ll say “que
vaya con Dios” because, even if we’re not all Catholic, it’s the way we show that we care for each other’s well being.
My obsession with my Spanish made it so easy to forget these ways that we connect, and even the ways that I
connect with my grandma. We connect through the way she compliments my curls every time I wear my hair down:
“¡Mira el pelo chino! ¡Ay, mi hermosa nieta!” And in the way that she steals flowers from her neighbor’s rose bush
and gives them to me with a smile and nothing more. We connect every time she patiently waits for me to get out a
sentence in Spanish. And when I make a mistake, she’ll be the only one not to laugh. Instead, she jumps in to help
me with the words I’m struggling with. She’ll even try saying a few words in her broken English, just to remind me
that she gets the struggle.
My grandma has shown me that Spanish isn’t what makes us Latine. Our Latinidad is in the constant efforts we
make to build that bridge with one another.It’s because of her that I’ve been relearning
Spanish. It’s no longer that I see it as my way of proving my Latinidad. Rather, I see it as me creating one more
bridge to connect with my grandma.
LA GENTE RADIO STAFF PRESENTS
RespuestaS
THE PLAYLIST
Listen to songs curated by our radio staff
by scanning the Spotify link or QR code!
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self-reflection, growth, discovery and much
more. From all artists of a variety of genres!
17

LA GENTE VISUALS STAFF PRESENTS
Respuestas
THE PHOTOSHOOT
18

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20

¿QUIEN SOY YO?:
AT THE
CROSSROADS
OF LATINIDAD
Latines, we come in all shapes, sizes, colors, heritages, anything.
We are a vibrant community that encompasses a variety of people with
no set way of existing. But why have we for years continuously denied and
gatekept other Latines, particularly those of mixed heritage?
We have to ask ourselves why this happens, and push for a more inclusive community. For
this article, I interviewed individuals who reflect about their experiences with their own mixed
heritages. They express what it means to be Latine at a time when cultural experiences have
been radically shifting in the past couple of years.
Pictured: Makyla Burson
“...In the Latine community, it’s a lot harder to be accepted in a lot of different ways…”
Makyla Burson, affectionately known as Kyla, is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Chicano/a and Central
American Studies. She identifies as being both Black and Mexican and navigates these identities every day at
UCLA. Many times, she feels excluded by both communities, as she feels that she’s “not enough” for either. Nonetheless,
she feels deeply rooted in both of her origins, especially with her Mexican heritage, as she often visits her
grandmother who helps her remain connected to this side of her identity.
She speaks Spanish, eats traditional meals, and remains tied to her Catholic faith and more—all aspects that tie her
with her Latinidad. For her, being Latina means having strong family ties, even through hardships or negative interactions
from the past. However, there are moments where her two identities come at odds.
Kyla recalls being teased by her cousins since she didn’t know a Spanish song that they all knew, and this was used
to make her feel excluded from her Latinidad. Apart from this, another conflict arises as she feels that oftentimes,
she’s preferred in the Black community over the Latine because she better fits their beauty standards due to her
lighter skin and looser curls. Instances of exclusion have made Kyla feel embarrassed by her heritage, but she also
feels angry about the imposition of a standard for Latinidad, in particular one that ties Latinidad only with Mexican
culture. Her disappointment in the community is reflected through our conversation, as she brought up that, as a
community, “we should know better by now” due to the greater ongoing conversations of diversity.
For Kyla, the conversations of inclusion have to start at home and in the classroom, where people can change their
mindsets and attitudes. For her, education is important to bring change for all ages, especially considering how
children who educate themselves can educate their families about these issues, even if it doesn’t always go well. In
her job as a tutor, she’s seen firsthand how a single class can change the trajectory of people. She further
elaborated on a Chicana/o Studies class that talked about Afro-Latines and covered the story of Blaxicans.
She expressed that this personally helped identify herself. It helped to hear about Black people in Mexico and
address the disregard of Afro-Latines. Ultimately, she hopes for greater diversity and open-mindedness within the
Latine community. In her opinion, friendships are where people can learn the most about the issues different people
face. In expanding social circles and getting comfortable with diverse people, they can be better supported and
incorporated into the community.
BY JONATHAN VALENZUELA MEJíA
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“At the end of the day, acceptance is at the core of it, and just being nice to people.”
Sophie Wells is a senior majoring in Civil Engineering with a minor in Film. She identifies as being British and
Argentine, identities that she navigates UCLA with and that have shaped the entirety of her life. To Sophie, she
doesn’t feel “Latina enough.” She feels she constantly has to prove her Latinidad because she doesn’t speak
Spanish, so she has tried to join organizations and groups for Latine students.
Ultimately, she felt isolated due to her relatively different upbringing, mainly when it came to her linguistic ability. To
her, this made her feel that she wasn’t “full Latina.” She looks back to conversations she had with her mom and the
worries she had should her children learn Spanish. Her mother feared that they would feel isolated, a feeling that
many other immigrants also experience when raising children.
Sophie has incorporated her Latine identity into her daily life through the music she listens to and the foods she
eats, especially empanadas and dulce de leche, two iconic Argentine dishes. She grew up calling guacamole
“palta,” the word for the food used in Argentina. Sophie brought up that she is white passing and that she feels like
a “free-floater” as she is mistaken for being only white, but at other times she’s racialized as Latina and seen as
“tan.”
One experience that stood out to Sophie was when she was in a Latine club meeting and they started in Spanish.
While she didn’t let this experience bother her, it reminded her of the feeling of being in a space she felt she didn’t
belong in. While no one actively tried to isolate her, there were no attempts to bring her in.
These experiences of exclusion bothered her during her freshman year, but now she knows that she can find anyone
to connect with, whether they’re similar to her or not. She’s learned not to let it bother her. When it comes to
defining being Latine, Sophie says the value of family. She mentions cooking and music also being at the root of the
community. To her, identity comes from the heart, and that’s what defines it; it’s not necessarily just one’s biology.
Ultimately, Sophie looks towards the start of discussions surrounding curiosity and acceptance. She hopes that
individuals start talking to those around them with different perspectives with an aim to broaden their minds. She
encourages others to be interested in other cultures and learn about the unique traditions of our countries.
Sophie has been better able to embrace her heritage, as she directed a short film titled
“Overworked” about an overwhelmed Hispanic girl, who feels disconnected from her
heritage. Sophie’s mom actually helped her translate the dialogue into Spanish, and
through the production and research, Sophie was able to talk more about her
culture and feel more connected to her Latinidad. It also helped that Sophie
began building a community of Latines around her. The actress and script
editor for the film were both Brazilian and they added their own
experiences. This ultimately helped Sophie immerse her own Latinidad
and that of others to her film.
Sophie now looks to the future with hope for acceptance and
kindness. She knows that all communities need to do better,
but she’s optimistic that the Latine community will be
particularly successful because of our family orientation.
22
Pictured: Sophie Wells

Pictured: Anusha Entezari
“[An] overwhelming stress of feeling that I
have to prove myself.”
Anusha Entezari is a senior majoring in Dance and
Sociology. She identifies as being Mexican and
Iranian and has navigated these two identities for her
entire life, but even more during her time at UCLA. While she
never has experienced direct exclusion, she’s had experiences
where she’s been intimidated due to her background and not
knowing the social cues of her cultures. Neither of her parents taught
her Farsi or Spanish, or either of the cultural marks of their identities. This
frustrated Anusha throughout her upbringing because this put her in a difficult
position of constantly trying to learn about her identities. Coming to UCLA proved to be a
cultural shock for her, as she felt she didn’t belong culturally and/or socially. She saw others
who were more in touch with their identities and cultures, something she had to deal with. The search
for stronger ties to her community has led her to search for friends who share her culture. Wanting a mixture of
friends from both backgrounds, it has been difficult for her, as she doesn’t have as many Persian friends as she does
Latine friends. This gap in her friendships keeps her feeling distant from her Persian roots. While she hasn’t ever
felt like she doesn’t belong to one of her communities, it’s difficult for her not to feel excluded. She can’t go to
cultural events alone, as she gets overwhelmed, but she feels that she has grown overall. Constantly having to
explain her identity whenever she is asked has been a struggle for Anusha. Nonetheless, the evolution of loving and
growing with herself has been taking time to embrace features such as her curly hair. One experience she recounts
was when someone asked her in Mexico if she was Brazilian and she worried about her identity being questioned.
However, there’s been a catalyst. Dance. It has helped her connect with her cultures. Even with the struggles of not
fitting in looks-wise with those around her and culture shock, dance has helped her push through.
It has helped her remove those feelings of exclusion. She feels that this is one of the many experiences mixed-race
people go through, of not being enough of either identity. One case is when she did a dance in one of the cultural
shows she participated in with Afro-Latinx Connection (ALC). Being in ALC helped her feel more comfortable with
her background, and she looks back at the experience with fascination. Having those conversations about what it
means to “look Latine ‘’ help her have solidarity with the unrecognized Afro-Latine experience, and resonate with
feelings that she was not Latina enough.
Anusha hopes that the Latine community will become more aware of the existence of mixed-race Latines, and hopes
that a single mixed person never feels like a token person. She hopes that beyond acceptance, Latines build understanding
of their fellow peers. She envisions active measures, such as conversations, being taken to break down
harmful stereotypes, mentalities, and notions prevalent in the community. Ultimately, she hopes for a future where
all Latines feel accepted and that they can accept every aspect of their heritages. She hopes that no one ever has
to feel that they don’t belong and question their identities. That there’s better education, acceptance, and acknowledgement
in our community.
As many of us may know, navigating different experiences can be tiring. We can be grateful for our unique identities,
but they can also contribute to experiences that make us doubt ourselves. In my experience as a first-generation
Guatemalan, no one has ever questioned my identity as Latine, as I fit the “traditional” way of “looking” Latine, I
speak Spanish, and was raised in an environment where my culture was accepted and fostered by my family and
community. Through this lens, I came to realize that I need to look to the experiences of our peers to understand
their struggles. All of us need to listen to all of our peers. We have to accept not only those who are different from
us, but those who are also similar to us. So let’s listen for a bit, and hear what we as a community can do better.
23

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