10 Remarkable Ways Jennifer Lopez Inspires Us to Learn Spanish
Jennifer Lopez is an icon and inspiration for audiences around the world.
She’s a talented singer, amazing dancer, trendsetter, and an all-around star. Jennifer Lopez is responsible for transforming Hollywood and the music industry’s perception of Latin American female artists.
Join me in this exciting blog post where I explore the top 10 remarkable ways Jennifer Lopez has inspired us to learn Spanish.
Jennifer Lopez Is a Latin Queen
Latino and Hispanic artists have paved the way for a whole new generation of performers from different backgrounds. Their legacy and contributions to society are worth celebrating and deserve rightful recognition.
Jennifer Lopez is without a doubt one of those Latino artists that continues to evolve and break barriers.
As a Spanish speaker, Jennifer Lopez has adapted herself to a demanding entertaining industry that sometimes lacks female and Hispanic representation. She brings Latino culture close to worldwide audiences and is destined to continue conquering the world.
Show Jennifer Lopez some appreciation for these 10 remarkable ways she inspires the world to learn Spanish.
1. Her Humble Origins
Jennifer Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in The Bronx, New York. She is of Puerto Rican descent.
Her parents worked tirelessly to provide for her and her sisters. Her mother was a homemaker and her dad was a computer technician. They showed Jennifer and her sisters a strong work ethic and commitment at a very young age. Like any struggling family, the Lopez’ often fought to make ends meet.
In spite of their limitations, Jennifer took dancing and singing lessons throughout her childhood. Her passion for the arts enabled her to start performing when she was only 7 years old. Her first big break came in 1990 when she landed her first serious role as a dancer in the comedy series In Living Color. The show ran for four years and developed her taste for acting.
Even though her current net worth is more than $400 billion, she doesn’t forget where she comes from. She is proud and appreciative of her working-class upbringing. She takes any opportunity she gets to remind her fans that she continues to be the same woman from the Bronx. Such is the case of one of her most recognized songs, Jenny From the Block.
2. She Interpreted Selena Flawlessly
Jennifer Lopez got her first major motion picture role in 1997 when she became the star of Selena.
The emotional biopic focused on the life and tragic passing of Tejano music icon Selena Quintanilla Perez.
The movie made $12 million on its opening weekend and put Jennifer Lopez on the map. It showed Hollywood the talent and power of Latin representation.
For Selena fans, Jennifer Lopez did her homework and prepared for the role like no one else could’ve. She performed great dancing scenes, Spanish lip-syncs, and portrayed Selena’s love for her fans and her family. She embodied Selena’s warmth, poise, and candor.
Jennifer Lopez as Selena was a fantastic performance that no other actress has been able to top.
3. She Is a Triple Threat
Jennifer Lopez is a trained dancer, singer, and actress.
She is a triple threat in the entertainment industry and has been successful in all three endeavors. Jennifer Lopez learned to dance at a young age, and she also participated in school musicals in her teenage years. She decided to focus on dancing as a professional career instead of pursuing the traditional college road her parents and relatives were expecting of her.
When she auditioned as a fly girl for In Living Color, she was selected from 2,000 applicants. She credits her first Hip Hop inspired routines as a source for her versatile style and dance moves.
To this day, Jennifer has been featured in forty-six music videos, at least forty-two movies, and has recorded 8 studio albums—one of them completely in Spanish.
4. She is an Award Winning Artist
JLO has been nominated for 402 different awards and accolades. She has successfully conquered 210 of these nominations.
She received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in Selena and received two Latin Grammy nominations in the year 2000.
As a multidisciplinary artist, Jennifer Lopez has swept the American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Vogue Fashion Awards, People’s Choice Awards, and more.
5. She Is a Fashion Icon
Jennifer Lopez has been inspiring styles and fashion for decades. She is known for some of the most iconic fashion ensembles to walk red carpets and A-list events. She has an incredible team of stylists who work hard in making her look flawless.
The best fashion designers want her to wear their designs and she’s even responsible for setting memorable trends like tracksuits, hoop earrings, bandanas, hats, and more.
JLO isn’t afraid of wearing colorful fashion and pays close attention to looks that highlight her Latin curves and features.
Learn more about Hispanic fashion icons in this blog post about 10 Latin Fashion Bloggers Who’ve Reached Top Hispanic Influencer Status.
6. She Is An Avid Entrepreneur
Besides being an A-list celebrity, Jennifer Lopez has taken on a variety of business ventures. Although not all of them have been successful, those lessons learned took her to become a more powerful businesswoman.
Here’s a list of her most memorable business accomplishments.
- A fashion line in collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger.
- A fashion collection sold in Kohl’s Department Store.
- A men and women fragrance collection.
- A restaurant in Pasadena.
- She’s been an ambassador for L’oreal, Verizon, and Gillete’s Venus.
- She was a judge on American Idol.
- She published her best-selling memoir “True Love” in 2014.
- She has a wellness brand for women called BodyLab.
- She has a best-selling artist residency in Las Vegas.
- She designed a jewelry and shoe collection with fashion designer Giuseppe Zanotti.
- She owns real estate and properties in Manhattan, Bel Air, Miami Beach, Long Island, Hidden Hills, New York, Malibu, Encino, Toluca Lake, Florida’s Star Island, and Beverly Hills.
7. The Lopez Family Foundation
Jennifer Lopez and her sister Lynda Lopez started The Lopez Family Foundation in 2009 as a non-profit that supports mothers and children who don’t have access to proper medical care.
After giving birth to her daughter Emme, Jennifer and Emme’s father, Marc Anthony, discovered a bump in their child’s head. Fortunately, their daughter was okay and it was just a false alarm. However, the incident awoke memories of Marc Anthony’s sister who died of brain cancer at only 8 years old.
This turn of events made JLO reflect on the needs of mothers in vulnerable conditions and those who can’t afford proper healthcare.
Jennifer Lopez and her sister are promoting changes in prenatal care and pediatric care. The foundation’s goal is to increase availability of quality health services for women and children, regardless of their income. It provides telemedicine consultations, while partnering with multiple hospitals and institutions to create change in vulnerable communities.
8. She Is A Proud Feminist
Jennifer Lopez is a proud feminist force to be reckoned with. She has supported ideals of female empowerment and self-sufficiency throughout her entire career. She constantly embraces her financial independence and promotes gender equality in women and girls.
JLO believes women can have it all. Her lyrics are empowering to women and suggest that self-love and autonomy are essential to every stage of womanhood.
In 2015, she was announced as a Global Advocate For Girls and Women by the United Nations Foundation. This announcement reiterates her commitment to support investment in girls, women, and gender equality. It also led to the creation of a partnership between the UN Foundation and The Lopez Family Foundation.
Do you want to be more inspired by a Latin feminist? Read this fun blog post with 12 Gloria Stefan Songs That Can Teach You Spanish.
9. She Makes Up for Latin Representation
When JLO landed the role of Selena she became one of the first Latinas to star in a major motion picture from Hollywood. Before, Latin representation was limited to only a few well-known actresses. She actually was one of only two Latinas to attend the 1997 Academy Awards.
Jennifer Lopez visibilized Latino culture and heritage in the media. She became an icon for young Latino and Hispanic women who couldn’t relate to other actresses and performers. Through her songs and bubbly personality, she put both The Bronx and Puerto Rico on the map.
JLO’s ability to conquer the music industry was groundbreaking and had an astonishing impact on how the mainstream media portrays Latin women in this day and age. She is the inspiration of Latin actresses and singers of today and proof that you don’t have to speak perfect Spanish to be proud of your culture. You just need to embrace it and honor your roots.
10. She Is Living Proof There’s No Age Limit to Happiness
Do you know how old Jennifer Lopez is?
JLO recently celebrated her 52nd birthday and she looks better than ever. After experiencing breakups and heartache, business failures, box-office disasters, and a career full of ups and downs, JLO is the quintessential representation that happiness and success has no age limit.
The singer is in great shape and hasn’t aged a day. She continues to be one of the highest-paid women in the music industry, she has a loving family, multiple successful businesses, and is currently recording her 9th studio album. She has also recently reunited with former boyfriend Ben Affleck, and appears to be in a serious relationship with him.
It seems like Jennifer Lopez is here to gracefully entertain us with amazing music and performances for years to come. She is living proof that hard work pays off and that there’s always room to keep growing no matter how old you are.
Practice Your Spanish With JLO’s Best Hits
I hope this celebration of Jennifer Lopez leaves you inspired to continue improving as a Spanish speaker.
Continue to honor this amazing artist and get your hands on her best-selling albums that feature multiple Latino artists and hit songs in Spanish.
Another way of improving your Spanish is conversing with a native speaker enrolling in a free class with our teachers from Guatemala! Don’t miss out on the chance to expand your understanding of diversity and other cultures as you fast-track your Spanish fluency to next-level greatness.
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