Buzzfeed Pero Like’s “Mi Quinceañera Come True” Is Exactly What La Cultura Needed

Pero Like BeLatina Feature
Photo Credit via Instagram @lexroc

The Latinx community loves celebrating anything and everything, but the festivities are heightened when a young woman in the family is about to turn 15.  For many families, a young woman turning 15, or becoming a Quinceañera, is almost as important as the day she was born. TBH I suspect some find Los Quinces more important and there’s nothing wrong with that, right? Understanding how significant this age is, some of Buzzfeed Pero Like’s team got on board with this magical celebration. In turn, they created a series named Mi Quinceañera Come True.

The purpose of Mi Quinceañera Come True, a Facebook Watch series, was to help a special birthday girl and her family keep the tradition of Los Quinces alive. I know there are many people who may think turning 15 is just another year, but it really is more than that. The Quinceañera tradition can be described as a rite of passage for many Latinx families. It’s an event where love and unity flow through everyone involved, which is something Mi Quinceañera Come True did an incredible job of depicting. Many people tuned in to watch this series after it debuted this past October. 

Each episode, we can see how a Quinceañera unfolds and the significance it has to these families. We are able to see this as we watch some of our favorite Pero Like members, such as Curly Velasquez, Maya Murillo, Claudia Restrepo, and Gadiel Del Orbewalk us through the intricate development of a Quinceañera. They’ve given us a vast variety of themes throughout the series. From taking us into an Indigenous Quinceañera to witnessing the Quinceañera of Pita Garcia, one of the most woke 15-year-old young women I’ve ever seen, this series gifts us a bit of everything. 

 

Recently, we had the pleasure to chat with Curly and Maya, as well as their colleague Alexis Garcia, about Mi Quinceañera Come True so that they could give us more insight on the series. Read below to see what they had to say. 

What inspired you guys to launch this series?

Well,  we were thinking of ways to connect more with our audience. We wanted to connect with the audience of the next generation by creating something that was extremely relatable. That made us come up with Mi Quinceañera Come True. With the help of the mastermind behind the series, Alexis Garcia, we were able to create this series of the different versions of Quinceañeras out there and how important it is to the culture. This allowed us to also change the narrative of what people may think about Quinceañeras. 

What’s the process needed to go through to be featured in Mi Quinceañera Come True?

The casting came straight from our audience. They were asked to fill out a form that allowed them to express what made them special. After that, we interviewed them. At the end of the day, we are standing up for our people. Alexis made sure this was about more than just a party. 

So, do you contribute financially to the Quinceañera party?

Yes, we do. We help them out with one thing they need to make their day special. From the cake to their dress, we are here to help in whatever we can. We just want to make this process on them and their families. We also help out the families set up and make sure everything is in place for the big day. 

What has been the hardest thing for you guys while doing the show?

The planning. We plan production for a living, not parties. *laughter* There’s also the pressure of wanting to make them happy and trying to perfectly get the story of the young girls. You know, trying to get that backstory. Also, making sure we could get some of them to do a natural performance in front of the camera. Some of them were shy, but they did it in the end. It’s really about making sure that we have all of the ingredients that it takes to make this possible work. This is our community after all. 

I noticed that all of the episodes took place in California. Would you be hosting episodes in other cities of the country at some point? 

Of course! That’s the plan. We started in California for budgeting reasons, but we are hoping to visit other cities at some point. 

I love how you guys empower the girls and talk to them about self-esteem and confidence. What would you tell the teen youth to help them understand how important it is for them to value themselves?

Well, we all come from such beautiful cultures. So, embrace what makes you different. Be proud of the weird food you may like, like pupusa or Menudo. Just know that everything that makes you different is what should be celebrated.  

I saw that there were some Quinceañera Party Tips in some of the episodes. Do you have some Quinces party tips today?

Let the Quinceañeras breathe a little. Let them eat. It’s their day. Also, don’t be shy in calling everyone up to help you out with you Quinceañera. It takes a village to pull off this party. Oh, and pick a good song for the Baile de Sorpresa!

That’s some good advice there. What songs would you choose?

Maya: I think I’d choose something different like the song from the Lizzie McGuire Movie, “This is What Dreams Are Made Of.” 

Curly:  Chillando Goma by Fulanito! This would be the best song, I promise you. 

So, what’s up with Monica, La Muñeca de La Calle?

Curly: She doesn’t like the rest of the cast! They told me. *laughter*

Anything else you want to tell people?

Oh, yes! We just launched a Holiday Gift Box that is going to be available for a limited time. This was possible because Pero Like teamed up with the Latina brand, Spiritu, to create these beautiful gift boxes. Each box was personally packed by members of Pero Like and we feel great about the products inside each box.

The items in the Holiday Gift Box are all created by local Latinx artists. Also, a portion of each box sold will go to support Freedom for Immigrants, a nonprofit aiming to abolish detention centers. You can find anything from earrings to hair products inside each box.

Also, a portion of each box sold will go to support Freedom for Immigrants, a nonprofit aiming to abolish detention centers. You can find anything from earrings to hair products inside each box. The products inside each box are valued at over $155, but you can get it for only $49.99. You can purchase a Holiday Gift Box at myspiritu.com/perolike. Don’t miss a beat because they’re going fast and they’ll be around for only a limited time!

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to binge-watch Mi Quinceañera Come True tonight. Maybe it’ll give me some ideas for my second Quinceañera next year. Hey, I have to make turning 30 fun, right?

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