Despierta America Host Francisca Lachapel’s Tears Over Her Daughter Looking Like Her Bring Colorism Issue Forward

Francisca Lachapel looked at her daughter and cried because she saw in her a face that looks like her own. She explained that the resemblance carries emotion tied to the fear that her child might experience the same hurtful comments she once received. The moment aired on national television and brought attention to the weight that beauty expectations place on girls in Latino communities, where messages about desirability often come first from family.

@magdadehoyosbriones

Critican a Francisca Lachapel por decir q llora cuando ve q su niña se parece a ella😭 #franciscalachapel #jomarigoyso #despiertaamerica #univision

♬ original sound – MagdadeHoyosBriones

A Mother in the Spotlight

Lachapel became known across the United States when she won Nuestra Belleza Latina in 2015. She now appears every weekday on Univision’s Despierta America, where she has created a close connection with viewers who follow her family story. She married Italian businessman Francesco Zampogna and has children who each reflect different combinations of their parents’ features.

During the conversation that led to controversy, she said that seeing her daughter feels like seeing herself as a child. She began to cry and said she did not want to cry. Her older children appear lighter in appearance and did not cause the same emotional reaction. That detail reveals how deeply colorism influences the standards that shape parenting, even when mothers believe they have healed.

When Pain Becomes Inheritance

Colorism has existed in Latino cultures for generations. Lighter skin often receives comfort and approval without question. Darker skin can attract criticism rooted in prejudice instead of truth. Francisca learned those judgments through experience in the Dominican Republic. Her success did not erase the memory of who people once told her she was allowed to be.

Her fear comes from a desire to protect her daughter. Yet fear can teach the prejudice it hopes to prevent. A girl can absorb shame when a parent reacts with worry toward the features they share. When a mother cries at the sight of resemblance, a daughter may learn that the parts of her that reflect her mother should be managed rather than celebrated.

Accountability Within Love

Many mothers defended Francisca by saying they understood the emotion behind her tears. They said the responsibility of raising daughters includes confronting personal wounds so those wounds do not become part of the next generation. Support matters, but accountability matters too. The work of uplifting girls cannot happen if families reinforce the same harmful ideals they want society to change.

Confidence begins at home. Children look to parents for their first understanding of beauty. The love that protects must also affirm. Latino families have the power to reshape the conversation and build a future where girls with every skin tone can feel valued without hesitation. The Latino community must commit to breaking the cycle of colorism so daughters no longer carry burdens created long before they were born.

A Chance to Choose Pride

Francisca has worked for years to create a life filled with opportunity. She has become a familiar and admired figure on one of the most watched Spanish language programs in the country. Her daughter sees that strength and sees a mother who made a place for herself through talent and perseverance. That influence gives Francisca a powerful chance to rewrite old narratives.