Contemporary Latin Artists and Activism

How are contemporary Latin artists pursuing activism and promoting positive change in their communities?

Know (knowledge):

• How Latin artists Cardi B, Bad Bunny, Miguel, and Selena Gomez have taken up activism to spread awareness about issues they care about
• The ways music can be used to raise awareness and promote change in modern society
• That people of any age and position can raise awareness on social issues and participate in activism
• The privatization of public beaches in Puerto Rico and the ramifications for the people who live there
• Immigration issues in 2016 and after in terms of immigrant detention centers
• Issues facing undocumented immigrants in the U.S., such as potential deportation, a twenty year wait for a green card, and the separation of families
• Issues facing communities of color in the Bronx of New York City, and why filling out the census is important

Mastery Objective

• Students will be able to identify forms of activism from popular modern Latin artists through the analysis of song lyrics, music videos, and other media.

In this lesson, students will analyze song lyrics, music videos, artist biographies, interviews, and news clips to learn how the Latin artists Bad Bunny, Cardi B, Miguel, and Selena Gomez are pursuing activism by raising awareness and promoting change in their communities. At the end of this lesson, students will use what they learned about activism to create an action plan that raises awareness for a social issue that they are personally interested in.

Latin artists Bad Bunny, Cardi B, Miguel, and Selena Gomez have become household names across the globe. They have topped Billboard charts, won Grammys, and have altered genres through their unique sounds and style. In addition to their musical achievements, they have also become involved in activism, pursuing causes they care about that affect their communities.

Before becoming one of the most popular entertainers on the planet, Bad Bunny worked in a grocery store while attending university in Puerto Rico. In his free time, he created songs and uploaded them on SoundCloud, the platform where he was first discovered. Since these humble beginnings, Bad Bunny has become the most streamed artist on Spotify for three consecutive years. His first all-Spanish language album, 2020’s El Ultimo Tour del Mundo, reached number 1 on Billboard 200. Through a blend of Reggaeton, Latin Trap, and genres like Rock and Soul, he raises awareness for the current issues facing his home in Puerto Rico. His music video for “El Apagon” celebrates Puerto Rican culture and then turns into a 20-minute mini documentary about gentrification, displacement and power grid issues plaguing the territory.

Cardi B was born in The Bronx of New York City to a Dominican father and a Trinidadian mother. She has many musical achievements, including winning Rap Album of the Year in 2019 at the Grammys as well as being the first female rapper to have three songs in the top 10 of Billboard 100. The popular rapper pursued activism by giving back to her immigrant-rich Bronx community by donating 100,000 dollars to the middle school she attended. The Latin artist has also conducted outreach with Community Capacity Development, an organization that “provides Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities the tools and frameworks that supports sustainable growth, promotes entrepreneurial values and positive mindsets/mental health”. She has also participated in a campaign through instagram to get New Yorkers, especially people of color and immigrants, to participate in the 2020 census.

Singer-songwriter Miguel was born in California to a Mexican American father and African American mother. Miguel’s song “Adorn” won Best R&B Song in 2012 at the Grammys, and he has collaborations with Usher, Travis Scott and many others. The “Sure Thing” and “Skywalker” singer was inspired to get involved in issues related to immigrant detention centers in 2016. His song “Now” from the album War and Leisure is a social commentary about the state of America in 2016 and the issue of immigrant detention centers. The music video for the song is a mini documentary that took place at a protest outside the largest detention center in California, where Miguel performed the song and spoke to immigrants who were held in the center.

Selena Gomez grew up in Texas, where her father was born after his parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico. The former Disney star-turned singer, songwriter, and actress has achieved much before turning 30 years old in 2022. She has released multiple albums, acted in several television shows and movies, produced two series on Netflix, and started her own cosmetic line, Rare Beauty. Selena Gomez shared her family’s immigration story for Time magazine and has also worked on a project surrounding immigration in a documentary she executive produced called Living Undocumented. The documentary follows eight families as they deal with changing immigration policies in the U.S.

These four Latin artists are pursuing activism by using their talents and resources to inspire change in their communities. They come from different backgrounds that have influenced their activism through various means of exposure. They are choosing to get involved in matters that impact people beyond themselves and inspire anyone to do the same. In the lesson below, students will explore these Latin artist’s different methods of activism.

1. Set up materials for four classroom stations with a device that can access the internet, and hard copy or digital versions of the following documents:
   1. Station 1: Bad Bunny
      1. Handout - Bad Bunny
      2. Document Set - Bad Bunny
      3. “El Apagon” video (starting at minute 15:30 and ending at minute 22:00)
      4. Handout - Comparing Raphael Hernandez’s “Lamento Borincano” and Bad Bunny’s “Mi Puerto Rico”
   2. Station 2: Cardi B
      1. Handout - Cardi B
      2. Document Set - Cardi B
      3. News Clip of Cardi B
      4. Handout - Comparing Hector Lavoe and Cardi B’s Use of “Mi Gente”
   3. Station 3: Miguel
      1. Handout - Miguel
      2. Document Set- Miguel
      3. “Now” music video
      4. Handout - Comparing Alice Bag’s “Programmed” with Miguel’s “Now”
   4. Station 4: Selena Gomez
      1. Handout - Selena Gomez
      2. Document Set - Selena Gomez
      3. Living Undocumented Trailer
      4. Handout - Comparing Woody Guthrie’s “Deportee” with Selena Gomez’s Time Magazine Op-Ed