Best of 2024: 16 of the Best Latina Pop Culture Moments

As we near the end of 2024, we can’t help but celebrate another amazing year for Latinas. We’ve definitely had our let-downs and disappointments like Melissa Barrera being fired from the Scream franchise for her vocal support of the Free Palestine movement and Selena Gomez being at the receiving end of endless social media critiques including her Spanish speaking skills. But there have also been so many successes, wins, and positive moments in the spotlight, reminders that we are forging ahead and showing off our collective power as Latinas. To celebrate, we decided to round up a list of pop culture moments that will go down in history like Jenni Rivera being posthumously honored with a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood and Liza Colón-Zayas becoming the first Latina ever to win an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the FX series, The Bear. These are just a couple examples of the poderosas who dominated this year! Read on to learn more about 16 of the best Latina pop culture moments of 2024.

Karol G was honored as Woman of the Year at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards and got first-ever Bratz doll for a musician 

Colombian singer-songwriter Karol G has had another fantastic year in her career but there were two moments that really stood out in 2024. In February, she was chosen to be named Billboard’s 2024 Woman of the Year at the annual Women in Music Awards in celebration of her historic and record-breaking accomplishments in music, stadium tour, Grammy win for Album of the Year, and popularity on both English and Latin charts. Other Latina recipients of the award have included Selena Gomez and Cardi B. Months later in November, she also made history by becoming the first musician to ever be turned into a Bratz doll! The doll dons a dress similar to the one she wore at the 2023 Grammys, forever immortalizing one of the most important moments of her career – so far!

Shakira ‘s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” was the most-streamed album of 2024

In March 2024, Shakira released her twelfth studio album seven years after releasing El Dorado in 2017, with the material being inspired by her heartbreak, renewal, and empowerment. In the first 24 hours of its release on March 22, it became the most streamed album of 2024, showcasing Shakira’s continued relevance and popularity in the 2020s. It also marked a significant moment for Latina musicians everywhere, proving that our talent and stories really do matter. In the days following, it debuted at number one on the music charts in Argentina, Spain, and the U.S., and was certified seven times platinum. It was also nominated for Album of the Year at the 25th Annual Latin Grammy Awards and Best Latin Pop Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

Alejandra Rodriguez became the first 60-year-old to become Miss Universo Buenos Aires

This past May saw a huge win for older Latina women when beauty pageant contestant, lawyer, and journalist Alejandra Rodriguez became the first 60-year-old to ever win the title of Miss Universo Buenos Aires. This came after the Miss Universe organization revised the age limits for pageant contestants, which required women to be between the ages of 18 and 28. In September 2023, however, they removed the maximum age limit, allowing any woman over the age of 18 to compete. After beating out 34 other contestants, the oldest of whom was 73, Rodriguez then went on to compete for the Miss Argentina title. While she didn’t end up winning the crown, she came in first for the “Best Face” category. Doing so, she resisted ageist practices in beauty pageants and proved that women are beautiful at every age.

Cristina Rivera Garza won a Pulitzer Prize for her memoir

Mexican author Cristina Rivera Garza became internationally known when she won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Memoir-Autobiography, in recognition of her book El invencible verano de Liliana / Liliana’s Invincible Summer. The memoir documents the life of Rivera Garza’s sister Liliana, who was murdered in 1990 in Mexico allegedly by her boyfriend. Unfortunately, after fleeing the scene, he was never brought to justice. To face her grief, Rivera Garza obtains police files, interviews Liliana’s loved ones, and reads her letters and writings in order to paint a portrait of her sister’s life and how it was taken away. She also discusses Mexico’s feminist movement and larger societal and cultural issue of domestic violence. In addition to the Pulitzer, the book was also a finalist for the 2023 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

Ana Liz Pulido won Best Chef in Texas

In June, Mexican American chef Ana Liz Pulido won one of the most prestigious awards in the culinary world, the James Beard Award for best chef in Texas. She is the owner of Ana Liz Taqueria, which only has room for five tables and a small menu of chile relleno tacos, espadas, and similar Mexican food items influenced by her frequent travels to Mexico. Much of the restaurant’s popularity and one of the main reasons why she won the award is due to her homemade, from-scratch tortillas that she learned to make herself after losing her corn tortilla supplier, as well as the flour tortillas that are handmade by her mother. She was honored in an awards ceremony held by the James Beard Foundation, noting that she’d been a semifinalist in the same category in 2023, only two years after opening her restaurant.

Jenni Rivera was posthumously honored with a star on the Walk of Fame

Getting your own star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood is one of the most incredible honors an entertainer can receive. This past July, Mexican American singer-songwriterJenni Rivera was posthumously honored with her own star on the Walk of Fame, which was accepted on her behalf by her children. During her lifetime, she became one of the best-selling Mexican American artists of all time, selling over 20 million albums and trailblazing several genres of music including banda, mariachi and norteño. Today, she is still the highest-earning banda singer of all time, which is extraordinary considering how male-dominated it was, both then and now. She tragically passed away when she was 43 in a plane crash in 2012 but has remained popular and continued to make important strides for Latinas even after her death. Also this year, the trailer for the biopic starring Annie Gonzalez (Flamin’ Hot) was released.

Rebeca Andrade became Brazil’s most decorated Olympian

The Olympic Games this past summer offered some of the most important cultural moments for Latinas this year through 25-year-old Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade. In 2021, she made history at the Tokyo Olympics when she won the gold medal for in the women’s artistic gymnastics vault final, marking the first time Brazil has ever won a gold medal in the gymnastics category in Olympic history. This year, she won the Bronze Medal for Women’s Team Gymnastics and Silver Medal Women’s All-Around Gymnastics. To date, she holds six Olympic medals, making her the most decorated Brazilian and Latin American gymnast of all time and the most decorated Brazilian Olympian in any sport.

Celia Cruz became the first Afro-Latina to be featured on the U.S. quarter

Over 20 years after her death in 2003, Cuban musician Celia Cruz remains one of the best-selling Latin American music artists with over ten million records sold, releasing 70 albums over 50 years, and winning multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy awards. This year, she made history again when the U.S. Mint honored her through their American Women Quarters Program, releasing a quarter with her likeness dressed in a rumba dress. The design also features her signature slogan “¡AZÚCAR!”. She became the first Afro-Latina to appear on U.S. currency, recognizing the life and accomplishments of this extraordinary talent and adding her story to the overall history of this country.

Selena Gomez became one of the youngest self-made Latina billionaires

A huge force in entertainment, media, and pop culture, Selena Gomez has been part of so many exciting projects and investing in successful ventures across industries. This past September, it was announced that she had accumulated an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion. At the age of 32, this has made her one of the youngest self-made Latina billionaires. Most of her wealth has been attributed to her Rare Beauty make-up brand which has seen massive success, but there’s also her music catalog and her TV/film work including Only Murders in the Building. She also made history this year at the Emmys as the the most-nominated Latina producer for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Liza Colón-Zayas became the first Latina to win an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

We were so excited to see Puerto Rican actress Liza Colón-Zayas finally receiving her flowers this year! After appearing in off-Broadway stage productions in the mid-90s, she moved to TV and film, becoming known for her work in United 93, Righteous Kill, and The Purge: Election Year. However, she became more widely acclaimed for her role as Tina Marrero in the FX series The Bear, which follows a talented young chef named Carmen “Carmy” Anthony Berzatto who inherits his family’s failing Italian beef sandwich shop after his older brother Michael kills himself. Colón-Zayas plays a line cook who embraces the opportunity to train professionally under Carmy. At the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards, she won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, making her the first Latina in history to win an Emmy in that category. This year she also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Television category and if she wins, she’ll be the first Latina to win in that category.

Ángela Elena Olazarán Laureano won 2024 Global Student Prize for developing medical AI-assistant

Ángela Elena Olazarán Laureano is a 17-year-old student from Mexico who became internationally recognized when she won the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2024. The award is annually given to one student who has made an impact on education, their classmates, and the world. Out of 11,000 applicants from 176 countries, she won the award for her work developing an AI-powered virtual medical assistant known as Ixtlilton, which can diagnose 21 diseases based on a series of questions. She developed the program during COVID-19 with the help of local medics and hopes to use it in remote areas where residents are forced to travel long distances, up to an hour or more, in order to reach a medical center and access medical care. It can be downloaded onto a personal device and used without Wi-Fi, which could positively impact hundreds of thousands of people in rural areas, especially Indigenous populations. The award comes with $100,000 in prize money, which she hopes to use to open up a STEM classroom in Veracruz in her home country.

Maria Catalán became first Latina farmworker-turned farm owner in California

Born in Guerrero, Mexico, Maria Catalán immigrated to the U.S. with her children and settled in Salinas Valley, California when she was only 25. She worked in the fields for a decade until she was invited to participate in an organic farm training program hosted by the Rural Development Center in Salinas, Monterey County. After graduating, she used her training to rent half an acre of land and harvest different kinds of produce, becoming the first Latina farmworker in California to own her own farm. She currently owns 55 acres of land in Hollister, located in San Benito County south of San Jose, where she runs her organic farm Catalán Farm, growing and harvests tomatoes, cauliflower, kale, and other organic produce. She also serves as the founder Pequeños Agricultores en California, a nonprofit organization that helps migrant farmers get their organic certification and apply for funds to buy their own plots of land. For her efforts, she has received recognition from the USDA and the Center for Latino Farmers.

Natalia Lafourcade earned her 18th Latin Grammy award

Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade is one of the most important artists in the music industry today. To date, she has released 10 albums, many of which have been certified platinum. More than just a cultural icon though, she’s also been widely recognized by the awards circuit. She was nominated for her first Latin Grammy awards in 2003 for the categories of Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Best Rock Song, and Best Rock Solo Vocal Album. She went on to win her first Latin Grammy in 2006 for Best Rock Album by a Duo or Group with Vocal in recognition of her album Casa. This year, she became the most decorated female artist at the Latin Grammy Awards, receiving her 17th and 18th awards for Best Singer-Songwriter Song and Record of the Year for her song “De Todas las Flores.” She also has four Grammy Awards to her name, making her a huge inspiration for up-and-coming Latina musicians.

Ludmilla became one of the few Brazilians to perform at Coachella and the first Afro-Latina to perform on the main stage

Born Ludmila Oliveira da Silva, Ludmilla is a queer Brazilian musician who has been making music professionally since 2014. With five albums to her name, the latest of which was released in 2023, she marked a pivotal moment in her career when she was invited to perform at Coachella this year. Not only was the 28-year-old one of the few Brazilians on the line-up, but she also made history as the first Afro-Latina artist to perform on the festival’s main stage. Previously, she became the first Afro-Latina musician to reach one billion streams on Spotify. By performing at Coachella in such a pivotal way, she is opening doors for other Black and Afro-Latina musicians and celebrating the Afro-Latinx community as a whole.

Sofia Vergara, Selena, and Nava made Emmys history 

July marked a huge win for Latina actresses in Hollywood in the days leading up to the Primetime Emmy Awards. When the nominations were announced, Mexican American actress Selena Gomez became the most Emmy-nominated Latina producer in the history of the awards, nominated for Best Comedy Series. For her Best Actress in a Comedy Series nomination, it marked the first time she received an Emmy for acting, this time for her work on Only Murders in the Building. Meanwhile, Colombian actress Sofia Vergara received her fifth Emmy Award nomination for her role in Griselda and became the first Latina born in Latin America nominated for the Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category. Finally, Mexican actress Nava Mau was recognized for her work in Baby Reindeer, becoming the first trans woman and first trans Latina to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

America Ferrera became an Oscar nominee

We all loved Honduran American actress America Ferrera in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which starred Margot Robbie as Barbie, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and Ferrera as Gloria, a human and Barbie’s friend. For her performance, Ferrera garnered critical acclaim and accolades including nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role from the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Best Supporting Actress from the Astra Film, the Creative Awards and Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, and the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association. However, the most excitement came when she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, marking the first Oscar nomination of her career. Though she didn’t end up taking home the award, Rita Moreno served as the presenter for the category in honor of her past Oscar win for her role as Anita in West Side Story. During her opening speech, Moreno honored and commended Ferrera for her performance and its importance to Latinas everywhere, marking a historic moment at the Oscars.