I Found a Job That Honored My Latina Voice — and Was Instantly Tokenized

Despite a rising interest in Latinx culture, white media gatekeepers continue to sensationalize our stories

Latinx writers after meeting with publishing executives to protest the novel “American Dirt.” Photo: Laura Bonilla Cal/Getty Images

By the summer of 2017, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” remix featuring Justin Bieber had become the top song in the country. While it was already a hit pre-Bieber, Justin’s auto-tuned Spanglish brought the song into the consciousness of many Americans, qualifying a predominantly Spanish-language song as “mainstream,” i.e. not only digestible but desirable to the wider American public. No small feat.

I was at a popular lounge in New York City when a DJ played the record. A woman sitting at the neighboring banquette, partying with her daughter and friends, reached for my arm, bending my ear to her lips. “I love watching you dance,” she spat, “Your people are so fun.”

Interest isn’t translating to opportunity for us, it’s just further commodifying our culture.

Growing up in a predominantly white town, I often confused fetishization for flattery. I wanted to fit in no matter the cost. As a grown woman living in New York City — one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world — still finding myself…