Huerta is and has been vocal about colorism in Latin American media. He is not alone in that critique, but the platform he has now is huge. I appreciate that we have these accessible pop culture examples to draw from when we speak about the limits of the term “Latino representation.” When talking about movies, it also creates nuance. Do we mean Latine/Latin American actors, like Lupita Nyong’o and Tessa Thompson, or just Latine/Latin American characters, like Namor and America Chavez? Those are related conversations about access and inclusion, but they are not the same. We can’t talk about “firsts” and “reinvention” and why this feels so important without acknowledging those who have been marginalized, overlooked, and excluded. I think this buzz has ignited deeper conversations, in multiple languages, in public spaces.
