Latinx Teens: U.S. Popular Culture on the Page, Stage, and Screen

161 Pages·2022·4.158 MB·English

by  Trevor Boffone, Cristina Herrera

LATINX TEENS

LATINX TEENS
U.S. Popular Culture on the Page, Stage, and Screen
Trevor Boffone and Cristina Herrera
The University of Arizona Press
www.uapress.arizona.edu
© 2022 by The Arizona Board of Regents
All rights reserved. Published 2022
ISBN-13: 978-0-8165-4275-8 (paperback)
Cover design by Leigh McDonald
Cover image © rawpixel
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Boffone, Trevor, author. | Herrera, Cristina, 1978– author.
Title: Latinx teens : U.S. popular culture on the page, stage, and screen / Trevor
Boffone and Cristina Herrera.
Other titles: Latinx pop culture.
Description: Tucson : University of Arizona Press, 2022. | Series: Latinx pop culture
| Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021041163 | ISBN 9780816542758 (paperback)
Subjects: LCSH: Hispanic American teenagers. | Hispanic Americans in popular
culture. | Arts and teenagers.
Classification: LCC E184.S75 B64 2022 | DDC 305.8680835/073—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021041163
Printed in the United States of America
♾ This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence of
Paper).
For all the teenage Latinx trailblazers, especially Emma González,
for making our world better, kinder, and safer for all.

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction. Latinx Teens: U.S. Popular Culture from
Spider-Man to In the Heights 3
1. “I want you to know me. Who I really am”: Latinx Teens
on the Small Screen 17
2. “Do you want to be a papi chulo or a papi feo?”: Latinx Teens
on the Big Screen 43
3. “I Sign Myself Across the Line”: Latinx Teens on the Page 66
4. “I’m only nineteen but my mind is older”: Latinx Teens on Stage 91
Conclusion. Shaking Up the World: Latinx Teen Activists 115
Works Cited 127
Index 137

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We began writing this book in summer 2020, a time when the world
was battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Separated from our families,
students, friends, and colleagues, we channeled our fears into the
writing of this book, creating the type of book we wish we had when
we were younger, one that provided us an outlet to channel our rage
at, well, all the things. Coauthoring a book was a first for both of us,
and, as always, there was a learning curve. We are grateful to a num-
ber of individuals who have energized our work through the years. As
always, it takes a village. While our names might grace the cover of
this book, we were not alone.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Ar-
turo and Frederick Luis Aldama, series editors extraordinaires. From
the book’s inception, Arturo and Fede offered us the kindest and most
encouraging words. We often remarked to each other that this book
never felt like work because we were having so much fun writing it,
and this energy was fueled by the Aldama brothers. Thank you.
We couldn’t ask for a better editor than Kristen Buckles and the
rest of the stellar editorial team at the University of Arizona Press.
We thank our copy editor, Brie Aragaki, for her care in working on
the manuscript. Their professionalism and enthusiasm have been
unparalleled.
Thanks to the external reviewers whose thorough feedback has
surely improved this book.