El Teteo creates unity among Latinas – through cultures

I have a deep desire to unite people. I believe that one of my goals in this life is to bring people together in a way that transcends status, class and occupation, creating a space where everyone really feels united and understood. This is why in 2022, I decided to launch my first El Teteo evening in Los Angeles, motivated by a desire for something that reminded me of my house in New York.

I felt the country’s sickness and I had to feel connected to my roots and my community. El Teteo serves as an extension of what taught me: finding moments of joy through pain, problems and hard work. For me, the community is to come together with the people you love and take care, no matter where you are – whether it is to meet with beach chairs in front of a plastic building or chairs in a park under a bridge. Teteo, which is a word of Dominican slang to party and collect anywhere, suggests that in terms of community, everything you need is good music, good company and certain beers – and, in some cases, food. It is a question of sharing moments which are not guaranteed tomorrow, and it is something which is very anchored in Latin culture.

As a New Yorker, I found myself missing my city and its dynamic club scenes and its dancing evenings. At almost all the groups and clubs that I went to Los Angeles, people stood with a glass in hand instead of climbing the dance floor. Thanks to El Teteo, I wanted to bring the atmosphere of the east coast to the west coast, to raise awareness of the culture of the Latin Caribbean and to the family of family. As a New Yorker, we live different cultures such as a crucible. Not only can I share the cultures of others, but I also present the others to mine.

As a shameless American proud American, I had succeeded in that our presence feels here in Los Angeles, where I had the impression that we were not many of us. The move to me was aware of the lack of representation of the Dominicans and the Latins of the Caribbean. It was a culture shock. People were often shocked when I spoke in Spanish. Few people in Los Angeles know the Dominican community or Dominican culture.

So I launched my first celebration of El Teteo on February 26, 2022 to celebrate the Dominican independence day in Los Angeles. I have partnered with Angela Carrasco, a Dominican American real estate agent in Los Angeles, and with the American Dominican actress and animator Katherine Castro, who both had links with a place. Our event has reached new summits of success when 600 people gathered to participate. People have even traveled from New York to be part of the unforgettable experience.

These parts were more than a simple fun event; They have become a place for Latin creatives, especially those of the media and entertainment, to network and build a community. The success of the parties is measured by the joy and connection they bring. It is a space where Latindad is different from what the west coast is used to.

As a Dominican American, I faced challenges in hearings because Hollywood often expects the Latinas to be bright skin with stiff black hair, overlooking the diversity of our community. The Afro-Latina Caribbean are always considered “others” or “not Latina enough” in Hollywood. But these events present Dominican music, artists and cultural elements like the hookah, creating a cultural center to the which highlights our rich heritage and promotes representation in a city that often neglects us.

At the first Teteo, we had Latins in entertainment of television programs like “Insecurity”, “On my block”, “Gentrée”, “Station 19” and “How I Met Your Father”. It was a dream come true because people who look like us do not often move to Hollywood, and for Latin people, being engaged in the community plays a big role with regard to our mental health. I often hear stories of actors, directors, producers and the Caribbean writers who leave Los Angeles because they do not find the community. I wanted to fill this gap in the Latin diaspora, from Mexicans to Dominicans. My goal was to promote missing representation in Hollywood, making our voices heard in the real city of Hollywood.

Hollywood’s pain has constantly tried to integrate into a mold that asks you to erase parts of yourself, only to be rejected. Despite this pain and this uncertainty, one thing that they cannot withdraw to me is joy. This is why Teteo was born, out of desire to challenge the story that we do not exist and to celebrate all the facets of who we are, including our humanity and the gift of life. Dominican culture is often celebrated without appropriate recognition, viral Dembow songs in James Bond inspired by Porfirio Rubirosa, in Bachata sung in different languages ​​around the world. However, despite these cultural contributions, we are often overlooked in the wider Latin conversation. Managers often do not invest in us because they do not believe that we exist. However, see various crowds at the concerts of Juan Luis Guerra and Romeo Santos made me ask me why we are not part of the wider conversation.

I see El Teteo as a moment and a movement that inspired a new Caribbean ecosystem in Los Angeles. He puts the culture of the Caribbean and Afro-Latino at the forefront without counting on executives and investors who are not interested in us. I wanted to create a space where our presence and our culture are recognized and celebrated. El Teteo has cut its way by spreading the joy and consciousness of our dynamic culture, created by us so that everyone can take advantage of it.

This summer, I am inspired to bring El Teteo to New York and make it a global event in order to raise Latin culture and put the Dominicans on the map in the world. I also wanted to use El Teteo as an opportunity to give back to the Dominican community. We associate ourselves with the Dream Project to support educational opportunities for young Dominicans. It was important for us to create something that not only brings joy but also gives people in need.

The Dominican spirit is more than NYC and my island. It is a lifestyle and a subculture celebrated by many. It’s about taking the positive parts of my culture and sharing them with the world. As my father says, you never know when God will call you, so enjoy the life you have today. My hope is to bring this joy all over the world in my culture, to raise and celebrate the community, and to create the representation that we do not see – throughout community rallies.

Sasha Thank you is a first generation American actor, an actor and a viral digital creator. It highlights more than a decade of diversified experience in entertainment with roles in films like “Rightte Thieves” and “Lo Mio”, as well as collaborations with renowned brands such as Target and Bumble. She shares her roots of the Bronx and her passion for Latin culture by manifesting herself on mental health and comedy navigation.