Latin Americans throughout history

Considering that the majority of the Americas consist of Latin America, it is not surprising that the United States has had its fair share of influential Latines throughout its history. Ranging from famous performers to major politicians, Latin American immigrants have been making their mark in the U.S. for centuries.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) – born in 1989 to a Puerto Rican family and raised in the Bronx, New York – is the youngest woman to ever join the U.S. Congress, gaining office at age 29. She attended Boston University, where Ocasio-Cortez double-majored in international relations and economics, and graduated magna cum laude. After graduation, she spent a few years working service jobs (including waitressing and bartending) in order to help support her family during the Great Recession of 2008.

While more well-known amongst Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, Selena Quintanilla’s (or Selena on stage) legacy still exists in the memories of thousands. A Mexican-American singer, Selena debuted at only 10 years old in her family’s band, Selena y Los Dinos, as the lead singer; her brother and sister played guitar and drums respectively. The band, as well as Selena, performed Tejano music, which is also how Selena learned Spanish. Selena died young; she was shot and killed on March 31, 1995, by Yolanda Saldívar – the former manager of her boutiques and fan club – when Selena confronted her for embezzling money.

While slightly more obscure, the work of Venezuelan-Puerto Rican-American Sylvia Rivera, a self-proclaimed drag queen, would help lay the groundwork for the fight for LGBT rights. Rivera, who did not identify with the term “transgender”, would often refer to herself as as a gay man, a “gay girl”, and a drag queen; connected to her masculinity and femininity. She was one of the active protestors at the Stonewall riots of 1969, where a large group of gay people, drag queens, and members of the LGBT community fought against the police officers who raided a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn. Later in life, Rivera worked with the Gay Liberation Front, the Gay Activists Alliance, the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, and more.

Latin-American immigrants have been present in nearly every facet of American history. No matter if they were activists, singers, or protestors, Latines have made significant differences in the U.S.