Every year in America, we observe National Hispanic Heritage Month. From September 15 to October 15, we recognize and celebrate the contributions and impact of Latino Americans in the history, culture, and accomplishments of the United States. But as Amazon Prime Video and Audible explore in this eye-opening project, Cuéntame Más (Tell Me More)-La Mesa, Hispanic Heritage Month is much deeper than that.
It is an important time for Latin Americans to explore, challenge, and ultimately embrace what being Latino/Latina means to them. From their beautiful cultures and the content they create and consume to the communities they forge, being Latino goes beyond what one month can hold. Celebrity chef and author Aarón Sánchez cooks up a culturally diverse meal for fellow co-host Rosci Diaz and guests Juan Toscano-Anderson, Jorge Gutierrez, Alexis Garcia, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Natasha Martinez, Annie Gonzalez, and Christopher Rivas. The group discusses their unique experiences and what their heritage means to them.
Growing up Latino in America is as complex as it is joyous. The struggle to assimilate or not is an ongoing and sometimes painful conundrum. Some, like NBA superstar Juan Toscano-Anderson, who is half Mexican and half African American, struggle to fully embrace their Latino heritage because of a lack of acceptance from both communities. Others find the decision to immerse themselves in their culture an easy one. As the discussion unfolds, actor and writer Christopher Rivas shares that his way of both celebrating and ensuring that his culture is honored and shared is to interview family members and document their stories. As the group concludes, the only way to help people to understand and fully embrace what it means to be Latino is to empower one another and forge unity and radical responsibility for the culture. And one way to do that is through food.
As the first dishes come to the table, Chef Aarón Sánchez shares how each dish holds significance and beauty that represents the Latin American experience. An amalgamation of varying Latino cultures, the presentation full of color and luxury represents the evolution of those growing up in a different place and time from their ancestors. Actress Annie Gonzalez reflects on the sometimes painful and heavy responsibility that comes with the shame and suffering handed down by those who came before them for being different and the power to shift that pain and honor their sacrifices with evolution.
This group of ultra-talented Latino Americans has made careers out of creating and starring in content that is representative of the unique and complex lives of Latino Americans. Taking charge of the Latino narrative creates an undeniable universality that will help people connect and see themselves in their stories, no matter their background. Executive producer and actress Gloria Calderon Kellett points out that leaning into their sacrifices ensures that they hold power to represent Latino culture authentically. Gloria directed and starred in Prime Video’s first US series featuring an all-Latino cast. She shares details about the show with her fellow guests. You can watch the series here, and also check out Prime Video’s full collection, Hispanic & Latino Voices.
Animator and creator Jorge Gutierrez reflects on the importance of representation in the content Latino people create by recalling a time in which he was not offered work because of the Mexican influences in his creations. Told by a top executive that the only way he would ever find work as an animator was if he created it for himself, he realized the immense power content holds in not only the representations of Latino culture but in their widespread acceptance. Chef Aarón Sánchez also reflects on the importance of writing down and sharing the Latino experience as he does in his Audible audiobook, Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef.
QFHBEfk4oVEAs writer and director Alexis Garcia points out, being Latina is a beautifully complex and unique thing to be in this world. As Hispanic Heritage Month ends, the group discusses how these critical conversations about the complexities and nuances of Latino culture can reach beyond one month out of the year. Creating and nurturing more spaces like these are crucial to making Latino people from all over the spectrum feel seen, heard, and valued. It is imperative to share their unique experiences with the world. Celebrating one another's contributions and creations holds the power to make their experiences relatable and universal, and only then will there be a shift in tolerance and acceptance.
Creating spaces where people feel supported and valued can change the course of people's paths and how they move through life. Healing, helping, and lifting one another up will trickle down to future generations, and that impact will change the world. In the words of Chef Aarón Sánchez, "Hispanic Heritage Month is not a moment. It should be a mission."
