Two weeks ago, I was scrolling through Netflix and mourning the fact that I had finished the last available episode of "Jane the Virgin." I took to Twitter to look up queen Gina Rodriguez, who tirelessly supports other TV shows that make representation a priority. I scrolled down her feed and realized that an actor from "Jane the Virgin," Justina Machado, had her own show on Netflix. I was elated, as I grabbed my arroz con pollo y tostones and patiently sat in front of my TV, ready to soak in the Latinx experience.
As soon as I heard Gloria Estefan singing the theme song, I was hooked. I was even more shocked when I realized that the iconic Rita Moreno’s character was the abuelita I’ve always wanted. After I watched the first episode, I knew that this show represented my life as a third generation Latina because of its dedication to the three main values of Hispanic life: familia, cultura, y humor.
1. Familia
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"One Day At A Time" focuses on a family of four comprised of a bada** army veteran single mother, Penelope, former dance teacher and abuelita, Lydia, baseball star pre-teen, Alex, and feminist LGBTQ teenage daughter, Elena.
With my experience as a Latina, the only value bigger than family is God. The value of essential faith is frequently represented in Rita Moreno’s character. Though, when her granddaughter Elena came out to her family as Gay, Moreno’s character referenced her distaste for initially thinking of homosexuality as a sin. In a matter of seconds, she changed her attitude to a supportive one, as she realized that in order to be like God you must accept everyone like he does. Lydia even surprises Elena by altering her quince dress into a suit. If that isn't true love, I don’t know what is.
I really love how this show is able to focus on the trials and tribulations of a family who will never give up on each other. Their model of a family is very close to mine, as they focus on their immediate family, with little-to-no mention of extended family. My family is very tight-knit, and it’s always my mom, my dad and I who have each other’s back. Another aspect I love about this family is their acceptance, specifically to their building’s supervisor, Schneider. He’s a Canadian-American guy, who frequently bursts into the Alvarez’s apartment, but somehow has become Cuban-American by association. That feeling of acceptance is exactly what being Latina has instilled in me.
2. Cultura
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The second I saw that the Alvarez’s family pantry was stocked with Goya brand products, I knew this show was the real deal. As a Latina, I grew up watching shows with pantries filled with foods that didn’t really resemble what was in my pantry. Even more comforting was the fact that they brew fresh cups of Café Bustelo in a silver stove-top espresso maker, just like my family does.
Not only was their kitchen and pantry so representative of my own, but so was their Latin pride. Although their family is Cuban-American, and my family is Puerto Rican, the pride of our ethnicity runs deep. An episode I really related to was when Alex was playing in a baseball game and his family was sitting on the bleachers, cheering him on. They screamed and chanted and cheered for him, “¡Dale! papito, ¡Dale!” This scene gave me flashbacks to my own parents cheering me on at my soccer games.
The endless support and undying loyalty to family and culture are one of my favorite things about my experience as a Latina. The support continues toward Elena who attends marches and forms clubs to celebrate LGBTQ members. They even reaffirm her "Latinx-ness" after she realized she was a white-passing Latinx, meaning that she looks white to the world, even though she identifies as Latinx. As a white-passing Latina, that was the first time I had seen a white-passing Latinx's identity being validated and celebrated by her family. I felt so represented!
3) Humor
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There’s something about being of Latinx or Caribbean descent that gives you the ability to laugh off nearly every situation. The third thing I admire about the Alvarez family is their consistent ability to joke around with each other, no matter how intense a situation gets.
Some of my favorite Latinx references are the infamous chancla, the small bursts of bickering in Spanish and the classic mispronunciation of English words laden with a thick Spanish accent.
"One Day At A Time" deals with some pretty heavy issues. Penelope is an injured veteran who suffers from PTS, Lydia is a first-generation Cuban immigrant, Alex is discriminated against for his skin tone, and Elena faces a lot of prejudice for being an LGBTQ member and feminist activist.
Despite the fact that Penelope and Lydia raised two outstanding kids without the presence of men (girl power!) their ability to hold a family together and keep a light heart at the same time is remarkable, and 100% representative of the Latinx experience.
