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Celebs Who Celebrate Their Latinidad Loud and Proud
The arrival of Hispanic Heritage Month is not only a time for parties and reflection, but also a moment to honor influential figures who embrace their Latinidad with pride and use their voices to empower the community. Here are five celebrities who are unapologetically proud of their roots and remind the world what it means to be Latino.
Bad Bunny
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Bad Bunny’s success is proof of the global impact of Latin music. With much of his work in Spanish, he has broken barriers to dominate international charts and has become a symbol of empowerment for Puerto Rican musical genres and classics, from bomba and plena to reggaeton and salsa, as he successfully combines elements of his cultural heritage with the international scene.
But beyond his musical innovation, Benito is deeply connected to his homeland, Puerto Rico. He has spoken out about local issues, from power outages to political corruption, and even used his 30-show residency in Puerto Rico to highlight the resilience of his people.
“No me quiero ir de aquí” generated an estimated $733 million for the island’s economy. On stage, he declared: “This is for you all. Wherever we go, we make our presence known. And the whole world is watching us.”
Zoe Saldaña
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Zoe Saldaña, born to a Dominican father and Puerto Rican mother, has always embraced her roots with pride. She once told Glamour: “I am proud to be Latina. I won’t accept anyone telling me I’m less or anything like that, because that, to me, is absolutely outrageous.”
Earlier this year, Saldaña made headlines at the Oscars as the first actress of Dominican descent to win an Academy Award. Holding her statuette for ‘Emilia Pérez,’ she delivered an emotional speech: “My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I’m a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands. And I’m the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I won’t be the last.” She dedicated her award to her abuela, Argentina Cesse, embodying the power of Latin heritage across generations.
Selena Gomez
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Proudly identifying as a third-generation Mexican-American, Selena Gomez has been vocal about her roots. “I personally understand what my grandmother and great-grandmother went through, coming to this country alone. I’ve been surrounded by incredible women all my life, and I love representing that part of me,” she once shared.
Gomez has used her platform to spotlight immigrant struggles, producing the Netflix documentary Living Undocumented and speaking out for Latino rights in the U.S. “When my family came here from Mexico, they took the first step in my American story, as well as their own. I’m proud to be part of the third generation of Mexican-Americans, and my family’s journey and sacrifices have helped me get to where I am today,” she said in a video for Define American, a nonprofit focused on immigrant stories.
At the 2025 Billboard Latin Women in Music event, where she was named Woman of the Year, Selena reflected on her Spanish-language EP Revelación: “Releasing my EP ‘Revelación’ was one of the proudest moments of my career, simply because I felt like I was making music to convey something meaningful to my heritage, to my family, and to myself. It not only gave me another chance to showcase my culture, but I also knew my grandmother would be incredibly proud.”
“This means a lot to me as a Latina. I’ve worked most of my life, and to be seen, supported, and celebrated by women who share our roots is truly powerful. Growing up, I was very proud of my Mexican heritage. I didn’t see many women like me front and center in stories or on stage, and that was unusual. Our stories, our voices, and our cultures deserve to be celebrated,” she added.
Jenna Ortega
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At just 22 years old, Jenna Ortega has already established herself as one of Hollywood’s most promising actors. With Mexican and Puerto Rican roots, Ortega is committed to representing Latinos with dignity. “Being Latina has always been really, really lovely for me,” she told Deadline. “It’s something that I’m very proud of. I grew up in a community surrounded by all kinds of Hispanics, which was really wonderful because I never grew up with any kind of shame or fear of my culture.”
She has also talked about the importance of roles that go beyond stereotypes: “I do want to open the doors for as many Latin people as possible, just because we’re a beautiful community and we should be celebrated.”
Rachel Zegler
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Rachel Zegler, the star of “West Side Story” and “Snow White,” proudly embraces her Colombian heritage on her mother’s side. Her grandmother immigrated to the U.S. in the 1960s, a history that continues to shape her identity. Despite this, Zegler has faced skepticism in Hollywood about her Latinidad because of her last name.
She recalled: “When I was in the running for Maria in ‘West Side Story,’ they kept calling to make sure I was legit. I remember thinking, ‘Do you want me to bring my abuelita (grandmother) in? I will. I’ll bring her into the studio if you want to meet her.'” For Zegler, embracing her roots is a statement of pride: “Me encanta ser colombiana y me encanta ser puertorriqueña,” she said.
These five stars remind us that Hispanic Heritage Month is about more than just traditions: it’s about identity, resilience, and visibility. Through music, film, and activism, they proudly celebrate their roots and make sure Latino voices continue to shine on the world stage.
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