Anytime Hollywood tells me they’re going to take on a Latinx story I’m like, “Here we go again.”
I’m wary and ready to expect: Latinx women with bright red lipstick, popping gum, cholas, and the maid of some random hotel and Latinx men who are portrayed as gangsta/hoodrats that only can hold a job as a drug dealer.
Typical. Basic. A Latinx woman’s nightmare.
Then there’s Starz Vida.
Yeah, there’s some Spanish music. And hell yeah you see red lipstick and a chola calling one our leading ladies a “puta.” But you know what I see? What’s most important about this first look that flips the bird at stereotypes?
I see sisters grieving.
I see lovers figuring their lives out.
I see two women trying to survive being home again.
The fact that these two sisters are Latinas is secondary to the fact that they’re simply humans with a story to tell. And ain’t that a beautiful thing!
The stereotypes that have plagued characters like them are pushed to the side to tell a story like any other that we’ve seen on TV aka the ones with the white protagonist dealing with their lives, one day at a time.
Talking about one day at a time, Vida reminds me of the Netflix show. One Day at a Time is a story of a Latinx family dealing with immigration, LGBT issues, and a whole plethora of things. Being Cuban doesn’t change the fact that they’re trying to make ends meet and survive the challenges that come their way.
I see a little bit of One Day at a Time in Starz Vida. I see two women not being defined by the stereotypes the US has tried to shove down their throats for years. And because of this, I can’t wait to get my hands on this Latinx show created/written/and starring Latinx people.
Vida premieres May 6 on Starz. We’ll be here to give it love, and yes, to review it.
