By Jenay Wright- Amara La Negra is no stranger to the Latin market and Afro-Latinx community. Her Latin urban twist musical influence is recognized world wide. She is a Black Latina who is  Bold and most of all a Boss. This will be revealed on her new show Love and Hip Hop Miami. There is thousands of reasons to love her but here is just a few that stands out.

HER AFROLICIOUS HAIR

Amara’s hair is very iconic and apart of her artist identity. When I first came across her music and her artistry that’s the first thing that stood out to me and how she embraces her Afro beauty. It wasn’t very common within the Dominican Republic culture as well as other communities to wear your natural texture. Many Dominican women were pressured to relax or perm their hair or keep it straight.  This was erasure of the African ancestry and more focus towards features of the Eurocentric beauty standards. Amara took on a very bold step as a Dominican woman in the Latin music industry to wear her natural hair and use it to incorporate it in her brand.

Amara is teaching, empowering other women and aspiring artist to embrace who they are. Many artist change their look to be more appealing to their audience.  Hence, Amara La Negra’s  Afro is breaking cultural barriers and societies beauty standards. This is what makes a damn good artist. Someone who creates their own movement and isn’t afraid to take risk. Amara is making a statement not only in the Latino industry but as well as her crossing over to the American music industry. Amara we love your Afrolicious hair and to those who still believes natural thick hair is pelo malo its time to get out of that mindset. Because in my eyes all hair is pelo bueno no matter what texture it may be. 

HER BOLDNESS 

Latina’s we are bold and not afraid to speak our minds like my queen Amara La Negra.  Amara is never afraid to address a topic or put someone in her place. With all the love she receives across the world their are a few ” social media trolls” or individuals who finds a reason to comment on her. For example, those who are Anti- Black which happens to be some of our fellow Latinos. They still can’t seem to believe that you can be dark-skinned and be Latina. Those who only see the Latinos in the telenovelas and think all of us should look exactly like that. It’s so ignorant how people still obtain that mindset and feel the need to have to try and take individuals Latino card away cause they look different.

In Latin America blackness exist and it is visible in the people who live there. African culture blatantly influenced so much of Latin American culture: food, music, spirituality, religion,  traditions so much more. If some are still  blindsided to the fact that Blackness exist in Latin america there are tons of books, blogs, music , documentaries that tells our story. So there are so many people  just like Amara La Negra they are called Afro-Latinos. So don’t test Amara’s Latinidad or question if shes really black because she will set you straight. Point blank period. 

HER STORY 

Amara is never afraid of sharing her background story and owning it. Growing up to a single Dominican mother who migrated to the states for a better life. Amara’s story and humbleness is inspirational in which many Latins can relate to.  Her hustle and hard work is one that will be recognized.

HER MELANIN  MAGIC

Amara’s skin is absolutely flawless and her glow is RICH. Her loving and embracing the skin she is in is very special to me. Blackness is not celebrated and loved as much as  white skin is. There is progress with Black Women represented  in media and magazines but there is still a long way to go. 

Being black or having dark skin is not seen as beautiful especially within the Latino culture as so many yearn for Jlo or Selena Gomez types. Because they are the epitome of what a real “Latina ” looks like. An important highlight for me when it comes to Amara is her fighting for represention for dark-skinned Latina women and making it known that we exist. 

HER PASSION

We are seeing a legend in the making because Amara is multi talented. If you check out her Instagram story almost everyday she is always working but working hard. Crossing over into the American market is not always easy but with the right drive and determination you can get there. Amara told Latina magazine back in 2015 how challenging it is to make in it in the Latin market.

“Being an Afro-Latina in the Latin market is particularly difficult, because you essentially have to work twice as hard to prove yourself. As much as people want to say that racism is over and it doesn’t exist, it does, especially in the Latin market. When they talk about a Latina, they talk about Sofia Vergara or Jennifer Lopez, Shakira even. But not anyone who looks like me, and I’m 100 percent Latina, Amara said.”

Inspired by many like Celia Cruz, Beyonce, Donna Summer and Tina Turner Amara is going to take the American market by storm. Amara will use the Love and Hip Hop franchise to show her talent and gain a broader audience when she begins her cross over. She has so much support from here fellow Afro-Latina. Fellow former Love and Hip Hop cast-mate Cardi B an Dominican & Trinidadian descendant has also took the American market by storm with her music by hard work so I am rooting for Amara too!

Amara is unapologetic, care free,  visible Afro-Latina.

Check out Amara La Negra out on Love and Hip Hop Miami on Jan 1st at  at 9/8c.