Intro to Latinos 101

At first glance, I was interested in viewing Latinos 101 on Nuvo TV because on the surface, it appeared to be a show that would explain Latinos and Latino Culture to non-Latinos.  I was interested in seeing how they would portray themselves, ourselves, to other audiences.  However, this was not necessarily the case.  The way the show works is actually geared more towards Latinos by Latinos.  They share stories and talk about themselves and their lives in ways that bring the viewer, especially the Latino viewer, into their stories and bring a sense of "oh my goodness, this is MY life too!"

While the stories and topics of discussion do give a sense of identification and understanding to the Latino viewer, it is not limited to the Latino viewer.  They share stories and instances that can be understood by culture.  In particular, it's an interesting cast in that while it is mostly comprised of hilarious comedians, it is not limited to Latinos.  There are several in the cast that are African-American, African-Latino, European-American and even Indian-American.  This provides a look into Latino culture from the inside and from the outside.

Perhaps the best part of the cast selection thus far is the scope of Latinos represented.  Oftentimes, the United States has a stereotype of what Latinos are or have to be.  Any variation is merely geographic in the sense that the standard "Latino" in Texas is Mexican versus Cuban in Miami.  However, these are still limited to only one group of people per population.  Latino 101 has a cast of Latinos that cover nearly every country and every skin tone, reminding the viewer that "Latino" is not a homogenous ethnic identity or appearance, rather it covers a variety of different people and different cultures.

Andrea