Nena Lezama, Author at HipLatina

The Complicated Relationship Latinxs Have With Grief

Nena LezamaJuly 28, 2022

by Nena LezamaJuly 28, 202203880

Loss, as difficult as it is, is a natural part of life. The process of grieving, however, can sometimes be difficult to live through. Grief is layered and unpredictable and no one grieves the same. Because grief is intimate and...

Culture

Midwives and Doulas are Tending to Womb Trauma in Women of Color

Nena LezamaJuly 26, 2022

by Nena LezamaJuly 26, 202203736

Pregnancy and giving birth, particularly for a first-time mom, remain somewhat of a mystery for many women. During pregnancy, the mainstream conversation revolves around the dos and don’ts of surviving the intensity of the next nine months. But no one...

Culture

Why the #CleanGirlAesthetic TikTok Trend is Problematic

Nena LezamaJuly 12, 2022

by Nena LezamaJuly 12, 2022015242

If you’ve been on TikTok these last couple of months, and your FYP (for you page) is anything like mine, then you’ve probably seen the latest trend to make it into the mainstream beauty standard sphere— the so-called #CleanGirlAesthetic. The...

Culture News and Entertainment

Overturning Roe v. Wade Directly Impacts Marginalized Communities

Nena LezamaJune 30, 2022June 30, 2022

by Nena LezamaJune 30, 2022June 30, 202203873

On June 24 the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that officially stated that the U.S. protected a pregnant person’s right to choose an abortion. This means that abortion is no longer protected on a national...

Culture

How Being Honest About My Sexual Assault Will Help My Daughter Understand My Rules

Nena LezamaApril 11, 2022

by Nena LezamaApril 11, 202203409

It took me having a daughter to understand my mother’s strict “no sleepovers” rule. Sleepovers in middle school and high school is where cliques are formed and power dynamics are settled. It’s where everyone establishes your popularity potential and how...

Culture

Resilience in Motherhood is Natural and Celebrated Yet Rest is Not

Nena LezamaMarch 21, 2022March 21, 2022

by Nena LezamaMarch 21, 2022March 21, 202202424

Every night, for a split second, I tease myself into believing that “tomorrow, maybe I’ll sleep in.” The fantasy doesn’t last long as I’m usually brought back to reality by my dog’s bark, my baby’s cry, or a notification from...

News and Entertainment

Stephanie Beatriz Recorded ‘Encanto’ Song While in Labor

Nena LezamaMarch 18, 2022March 18, 2022

by Nena LezamaMarch 18, 2022March 18, 202204207

Since its release in November of last year, Encanto has captivated us with its storyline and relatable characters but mostly with its music. Stephanie Beatriz, who voices Mirabel Madrigal in the film not only recorded the hit song “Waiting on...

Culture

Healing My Inner Child Helped Me Be a Better Mom & Compassionate Daughter

Nena LezamaMarch 4, 2022

by Nena LezamaMarch 4, 2022031028

Generational trauma means babies are often born with trauma their mothers or even their grandmothers lived through. In Mark Wolynn’s book It Didn’t Start With You, he discusses how some of the trauma we experience can start from situations we...

News and Entertainment

‘Señorita 89’ Spotlights the Ugly Side of Beauty Pageants in Latin America

Nena LezamaFebruary 28, 2022

by Nena LezamaFebruary 28, 202206063

Señorita 89 is about a beauty pageant but it goes beyond skin deep by examining beauty standards, stereotypes, and how exploitative the industry can be. The 8-part series follows 32 contestants competing to be Mexico’s next beauty queen in 1989...

Culture

Argentinian Photographer Captures the Power of Sisterhood in Photo Series

Nena LezamaFebruary 14, 2022February 13, 2023

by Nena LezamaFebruary 14, 2022February 13, 202305142

The love between homegirls, your girl group and your besties is a bit of a quieter, subtle type-of-love. There’s no big day of recognition for it — in Latin America, Valentine’s Day is recognized as Dia Del Amor Y La...

News and Entertainment

Black and Brown Youth Are Most Vulnerable to Human Trafficking During the Super Bowl

Nena LezamaFebruary 10, 2022

by Nena LezamaFebruary 10, 202202948

With Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, Los Angeles officials are preparing for the influx of crowds in Inglewood but they’re also ensuring safety measures are in place to combat a possible human trafficking situation. City officials, alongside advocacy groups, are...

Lifestyle

It Shouldn’t Be This Hard To Find A Mentor That Looks Like Me, But It Is

Nena LezamaJanuary 31, 2022February 1, 2022

by Nena LezamaJanuary 31, 2022February 1, 202204341

At my former job, I told a Human Resources representative that I was concerned about the company’s culture and it had to do with the lack of diversity and inclusion. My primary concern came from not seeing much minority representation...