Amara La Negra, Ilia Calderón and Jeimy Osorio Talk Afro-Latina Pride and Success

Singer Amara La Negra, Univision anchor Ilia Calderón and actress Jeimy Osorio opened up to our digital executive editor Shirley Velasquez in a Poderosas Live! panel on embracing their Afro-Latina identity and finding success while breaking barriers for others. Backstage at the People en Español Latina empowerment event in Miami, La Negra and Calderón shared a heartwarming moment. The Dominican-American singer, 28, confessed to the Noticiero Univision co-anchor, 46, that she was her idol. “I’ve always been her fan, I’ve always supported her as another Afro-Latina, a woman who is educated, divine and fabulous, there is no other like her,” La Negra said of Calderón. “I love to hear those words,” the journalist responded, adding about the charismatic singer: “I love to think that I empowered someone, that my life served as a good example for someone. And I’m so proud of her, of how she represents us all, how she proudly carries all that she represents: her talent, her life, her roots. She is a source of pride to our entire community.” 

Calderón made history when she became co-anchor of Noticiero Univision in December of 2017. She’s the first Afro-Latina to anchor a news desk from Monday through Friday on a major network in the United States. “It’s a great responsibility knowing that I’m opening doors for other generations — not only for journalists, but for other girls and women who want to succeed at what they do,” she told People CHICA of nabbing the coveted position next to Univision’s veteran journalist Jorge Ramos. “My commitment is not only to the Afro-Hispanic community, but to the Hispanic community in general.”

“I’m an activist for the Afro-Latino community. It’s very important for me to give a voice to my community because it hasn’t had it for a long time,” the Dominican-American singer, actress and entrepreneur tells People CHICA. “I will continue empowering my community because the lack of representation of the Afro-Latino community, specially in Hispanic media, gives me more fuel to keep talking and educating people.”

“Since I was a little girl, I always felt proud of my Afro-Latina heritage. When I started out doing theater and commercials, I always accepted myself with my curly hair, with my Afro. I never saw it as something that would hold me back. To the contrary,” the Puerto Rican actress, 30, tells People CHICA. “The fact that I carried myself so naturally perhaps helped. No producer ever told me I had to straighten my hair…. I said: ‘This is who I am. And on top of that, I have curly hair and I’m black.’”

“Every success I have I feel is a step forward for my community, because I’m breaking barriers,” La Negra says. “I want to see more people like me on magazine covers, starring in movies and telenovelas, as TV hosts and anchors.” 

“For many years, as a teenager, you have heroes or people you aspire to be like. Today I look at myself in the mirror and I like who I am, I like what I see,” says the Colombian journalist. 

The stunning beauty, who has graced magazines covers, claims being multicultural has been a blessing rather than a disadvantage. Her Afro hair and ebony skin have been embraced by casting directors and producers throughout her entertainment career. “It has been the greatest advantage. I’ve never had issues with my hair or having a TV producer tell me that I’m too dark-skinned or light-skinned or too Latina for a role,” she says. “I can’t say I feel more pressure or feel stereotyped because when they see something special in you that they like, they don’t care about your nationality. I’m getting great reactions from casting directors.”

“Power is so many things. I feel that I’m a powerful woman. I stand strong in whatever I believe in,” says the singer, who is one of People en Español’s 25 Most Powerful Women of 2019. “To be able to lead others makes you powerful. I’m a good leader, and the most important thing is that I can inspire others through my actions and my words. I connect with women through my music, whether its romantic, whether it’s about heartbreak, I like to be as real as possible.”

The Emmy-winning anchor (with Jorge Ramos) views life challenges as opportunities to grow and learn. “In all paths to your dreams there are obstacles,” she says. “But you have to set the stones aside and keep going.”

Osorio now stars in Telemundo’s telenovela Betty en Nueva York and shined in the role of iconic singer Celia Cruz in the series Celia. “I’m ready for more characters like Celia who help to inspire people and make them believe in their dreams and feel proud of who they are. This is a great time because Hollywood is opening its doors to diversity and is embracing more stories written by women,” she says. “I want to work with people who want to elevate the vibrational frequency for all of humanity, who want to build, help and create a new consciousness. I’m experiencing  a flow of good vibes and good emotions. This is what playing Celia’s character left me. My heart is now open.”