One of the most significant mainstays in American pop culture & media is the Harry Potter series. Whether one prefers the books or the movies, there’s no denying that Rowling’s tale of a young hero has captured children & adults all over. Her books were so instantly popular that they were immediately picked up by a film studio to recreate big-budget studio film adaptations of each saga. From the eight films made over the course of ten years, I have an undeniable favorite: “Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban”( 2004). Crafted with expert storytelling precision, the film weaves in and out of the tale, retracing its steps using time travel & touching meaningful moments for the film’s protagonist over and over again. What most people don’t know is that this feat of film was conceived by a legend of Hispanic heritage, Alfonso Cuarón. Born in Mexico City, Mexico, Cuarón rose to greatness, attending a Mexican film academy & working many Assistant Director gigs on a variety of films. He went on to be the first person of Mexican heritage to win the Oscar for Best Director, for his work on “Roma” (2018). Cuarón has not only made huge waves in the film industry, setting new standards for visual storytelling work, but he has forged a path for people of similar Hispanic heritage, leading the way for a new era of representation. Listed below are a collection of many Hispanic & Latinx creatives & artists making waves in our world, everyone from Grammy award-winning musicians to Instagram artists, suggested by your classmates and peers. I hope you take a moment to explore these artists and introduce their work to your personal repertoire.
Bad Bunny, musician
“I think he has good rhythm and lyrics. I always find myself vibing when I listen to him.”
Nathan Fernandez (sophomore, computer science)
Jenni Rivera, musician
“I love Jenni Rivera because she became a huge success in a male-dominated genre. Her music was raw and relatable, she didn’t just sing love ballads, she sang about heartbreak and being a strong woman even after life knocks you down. Growing up she was my inspiration because she kept it real and wasn’t afraid to be herself even when people criticized her.”
Jocelyne Rico (senior, speech-pathology)
Salvador Dali, artist
“Salvador Dali was my introduction to surrealism, which is now one of my favorite forms of art. Every piece by him brings forth emotion and reflection (as good art does).”
Steven Injety (senior, data science)
Shakira, musician
“She’s Colombian and she’s a really good singer. She represents different cultures, even those outside of what she would necessarily identify with.”
Richard Powell (junior, business)
Reyna Noriega, artist
“We have the same name and I love her use of design and bold bright colors .”
Reyna Samms (senior, photography)
Cuco, musician
“He’s good at combining older styles like bossa nova with modern hip hop/lofi styles.”
Vin Jung (sophomore, biology)
Juanes & Juan Luis Guerra, musicians
“Juanes is an artist where you know every lyric to every song because he cleverly writes songs about events and emotions that are easy to relate to. Juan Luis Gerra is one of my favorites because he has that Caribbean flare in his music that makes you want to dance as soon as the song starts.”
Brandon Alvarez (sophomore, business)
Jean-Michel Basquiat, artist
“He is a Puerto-Rican/Haitian artist who was a pioneer of Neo-expressionism in the 1980s from Brooklyn. I like him because he did a lot of street art in a very unique style. Most recently, the Nets based their city edition jersey on his art.”
Suvan Campbell (freshman, biochemistry)
@mamut_creative
“I really like his work because he is really creative and makes clever designs, bringing attention to important social issues and issues that POC, specifically Latinos, face. He is also from Venezuela just like me and is a very successful graphic designer. I want to be like him one day!”
Karla Torres (sophomore, graphic design & Spanish)
Ricky Martin, musician
“He is bold. He has always exuded confidence, such as the time where he flipped off an image of George W. Bush.”
Lucas Navia (freshman, sociology)
Paulo Londra, musician
“Paulo Londra is one of my favorite Latin artists because he’s from my country, Argentina. I remember being in school there and all my classmates were inspired by the fact that he comes from the same country but was able to make it out and make amazing music with artists all over the world, inspiring us that we can do whatever we put our minds to.”
Nick Bishop (sophomore, psychology)
Alejandro Fernandez, musician
“His music is so elegant and his sound is still like the old traditional Hispanic music. He also has an amazing voice.”
Chris Mata (senior, behavioral science)
Leslie Grace, actor & musician
“I really like her voice and her overall style.”
Abigail Cancel (sophomore, graphic design)
@nicolasvsanchez, artist
“The detail and depth he produces in his art from just ballpoint pens is super impressive. I also like how he depicts dancers and ballet folklorico dresses.”
Sara Hamstra (freshman, medical laboratory science)
Jessica Marie Garcia, actor
“She’s played a lot of characters in a lot of TV shows I’ve liked. She’s really out there and bold and I love it.”
Kayla Fitzpatrick (junior, sociology)
Anthony Ramos, actor & musician
“I just like his music. I think it’s catchy.”
Nora Martin (sophomore, psychology & English)
Natalia Lafourcade, musician
“She is proudly from Veracruz, Mexico and I really enjoy how she brings together her homeland’s folk music and traditional sounds with her own interpretations. There’s such a warmth and fullness to her voice and guitar playing that works across the genres her music dips into!”
Adoniah Simon (senior, social work)
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.