Ernesto Macias, Author at Latina The Authoritative Voice of Latin American Culture Tue, 04 Apr 2023 00:57:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Raul Lopez Chose to Defy The Odds https://latina.com/raul-lopez-chose-to-defy-the-odds/ Fri, 15 Apr 2022 16:26:55 +0000 https://latina.com/?p=5405 For Raul Lopez, the designer and founder behind LUAR's namesake fashion brand (Raul spelled backward), success boils down to community — the chosen family beyond parents and siblings. Community isn't just buying merch or showing up to rallies with signs. For people like Lopez — born, raised and currently based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with [...]

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For Raul Lopez, the designer and founder behind LUAR’s namesake fashion brand (Raul spelled backward), success boils down to community — the chosen family beyond parents and siblings. Community isn’t just buying merch or showing up to rallies with signs. For people like Lopez — born, raised and currently based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with deep-seated roots in the Christopher Street piers and Washington Heights ballroom scene — community means refuge, self-expression and freedom.

Growing up in New York City, the people Lopez met have become his second family. He counts Telfar Clemens — the rebellious fashion juggernaut who shook the industry with his eponymous brand Telfar — as his best friend. Some of these connections became his business partners; Lopez co-founded the disruptive streetwear brand Hood by Air with designer Shayne Oliver. Lopez is a collage of his lived experiences from growing up on the streets of New York City — gritty, unexpected, glamorous, sexy, thrilling and real.

LUAR, the fashion label Lopez founded in 2017, is an amalgam of influences, from the queens he met as a teenager at Chi Chiz bar, an old gay haunt on Christopher Street now called Ty’s, to the young kids from Bushwick that idolize him, to his family, friends and the Dominican Republic. Industry insiders met his irreverent presence with dismay, but Lopez never let that get to him. When we spoke over Zoom before New York Fashion Week — which Lopez skipped for the Fall/Winter 2022 season — he’s quick to remind himself and the world that he has carved a place for himself in an industry and culture that wasn’t quite ready for his offerings. “I always say that LUAR is just a reflection of me,” he told me. “I’m so inspired by the dolls and all the kids, even the grannies, and you can see it all in the collection with the cuts, the shapes, the details.”

During our call, he emphasized that he doesn’t design for clout or praise from the old-fashioned vanguard, such as corporations, institutions and magazines often led by white gatekeepers. Instead, he’s built a fashion brand dedicated to the people who made him and continue to inspire him today. “I don’t even care if they’re supermodels or not. That’s why I always do street casting because it’s my identity. It’s like my blood,” he says of the non-models he prefers to tap. Raul truly cares about leaving a legacy behind for the kids that will undoubtedly come after him. “They have their legacy,” he says of the current industry gatekeepers. “Let the girls build their legacies now.”

To fully grasp the reach of Lopez and his brand, it is crucial to hear from the kids who inspire his empire. Take, for example, Maxwell Vice, a Brooklyn-born and raised photographer, club kid and self-proclaimed “child of LUAR.” “I was 17, working for a streetwear brand, and I asked the designer if he knew of any Latino Queer designers, and he asked me, ‘You never hear about Hood By Air?’ Honestly, at the time, I didn’t,” Vice told me during our interview via Instagram direct messages — it’s 2022, after all — during which he repeatedly emphasized the impact of feeling represented by Lopez’s presence in the New York City fashion scene. “There’s a million kids like me trying to find a place in the fashion world, and it’s very gratifying to see someone like [Lopez],” said Vice. “I don’t mean someone with the same race or sexuality, but someone who came up from where I’m from and transcended what we were supposed to be.” In recent years, thanks to Vice’s presence in the nightlife, queer and fashion circuits of Nueva York, the young creative became LUAR “familia.” For example, Lopez asked Vice to shoot Polaroids backstage during the brand’s 2021 fashion presentation. “I learned he has a lot of love for his work,” Vice told LATINA. “Even when I was talking about my polaroids backstage, he was excited to hear about my point of view on his show, and that was exciting.”  

Lopez was born with a panache for glamour. He woke up eager to choose his outfit each morning as early as kindergarten. “There are pictures we have of him at the age of two, wearing mom’s pearl necklace, a diaper and dad’s Timberlands,” Ana Lopez, his sister, fondly recalled during our interview via email. Unlike her brother, she’s a bit shy. Lopez described her brother as loud, different and resilient, a trait she credits to their rough upbringing in Brooklyn during the late ’80s. Things have changed, yet many things remain untouched, like Raul’s adoration for the women in his family. “I would always ‘catch’ Raul searching through my mother’s closet,” Lopez tells me, “he would tell her she looked pretty or ‘that does not look good.’ I think our mom was his first muse.” Now, it’s Lopez’s turn in the role of muse; her brother’s it-bag, the Ana, is named for her.

Taking cues from many walks of life, but primarily his own, Raul Lopez has a sense of self flamboyantly expressed through his style and, by extension, LUAR. He calls it “granny” style and proudly displays it on Instagram — faux furs, oversized sunglasses, always gorgeous tan skin and wild, over-the-top accessories. But, of course, he credits his mom. “My mom always said, ‘Ponte crema en la cara.’”  On Instagram, his fans, his customers and industry players flood his fit pictures with love. They all applaud his daring fashion sense, developed and informed by haute couture, handmade, high fashion creations and New York City nightlife. “I’ve always said I’m too ghetto for fashion and too fashion for the ghetto,” Raul tells me. Though his choices, both personal and for the brand, are often referential, as much of fashion is, they don’t pander to fads.

On the contrary, he aims to create a legacy, not by following but by leading. Even today, after achieving some success — he’s designed a signature bag that’s selling out with every drop — Raul feels the fashion industry has not fully recognized him. “I don’t reference all these Tumblrs and Instagram accounts — Give me my fucking flowers,” he said during our Zoom call, nodding his head and throwing a sassy gesture in the air. 

In 2021, the gates of the fashion industry were pushed ajar by a cohort of diverse designers ready for the spotlight. This reckoning came on the heels of Geroge Floyd’s murder at the hands of policemen. Suddenly, people were eager to welcome BIPOC into formerly inaccessible spaces. As a result, new projects emerged onto the scene. For example, Your Friends in New York, a group dedicated to supporting emerging POC designers and founded by Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss and luxury conglomerate Kering, was founded in September of 2020. Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic at the “New York Times” called them the “Next Big Fashion Group,” an astute observation considering the breadth of the cohort. The inaugural group includes Lopez, Taofeek Abijako of Head of State and the CFDA breakout star Edvin Thompson of Theophilio. These daring designers are slowly building an updated version of the current fashion landscape, with the help of a few established forces, of course. 

“People will remember that he was a kid from Brooklyn that did not permit the circumstances to define him,” Ana Lopez told me of Raul’s current come up. “He chose to defy the odds to pursue his dreams.” During the pandemic lockdown, LUAR began appearing in editorials, on red carpets, on stages and on Instagram feeds. The Ana, LUAR’s odd-yet-chic handbag available in sizes small to giant, is becoming a highly-coveted item with the If-You-Know-You-Know crowd. Everyone from Dua Lipa to twinky ravers in Bushwick have carried the bag. Lopez reminds the fashion establishment and his rebellious youthful fans that LUAR’s creations are for everyone, from subway rats and Upper East Side ladies to Lower East Side starlets and even worldwide pop stars like his friend Solange. Recently, he released sunglasses in a tortoiseshell pattern with a half-moon, spacey shape obscuring most of the face. Like Lopez himself, they are a bit too much and just right. 

Lopez doesn’t care whether the industry fully opens the doors for him. Really. The designer is doing things his way, which explains why he didn’t show during the Fall/Winter 2022 season. He is currently concentrating his efforts on cultivating and growing his empire while honoring his chosen family and growing fanbase. “I want people to understand that community is key, and it shouldn’t be taken as a joke,” he tells me of his current relationship with the fashion industry. “They perceive me like this caricature, like Cardi B,” he said, recalling the New York rapper’s rise in the cultural zeitgeist. The environment Lopez dreams of is not unimaginable; it reflects his own come up. He is also well aware that he has to build that environment himself, through the power of community, particularly his community: “We can conquer everything because we are strong. We are the ones who create everything.” And that’s where he’ll be, creating everything.

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]]> Holiday Recipes from Four Latino Chefs https://latina.com/holiday-recipes-from-four-latino-chefs/ Fri, 24 Dec 2021 17:01:43 +0000 https://latina.com/?p=4050 Food brings people together. Not only around the table but also in the kitchen. Flavors, smells, and visually striking dishes can transport the mind and the heart to moments past, shared among friends and family. The Holidays mark a season where families gather, and generations pass along idiosyncratic cooking traditions. Preparing food surrounded by loved [...]

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]]> Food brings people together. Not only around the table but also in the kitchen. Flavors, smells, and visually striking dishes can transport the mind and the heart to moments past, shared among friends and family. The Holidays mark a season where families gather, and generations pass along idiosyncratic cooking traditions. Preparing food surrounded by loved ones is where new traditions are born, and old ones passed on even if the task is as small as crushing garlic using a molcajete or separating the hojas de tamal. The music is blasting, the chisme is heating up, everyone is together, and then, almost as if by magic, mouthwatering dishes appear. In the spirit of keeping our ancestral traditions alive during the Holidays, we asked four Latino chefs to share original recipes for this Merry time. From Providence, RI, to Oakland, CA, these chefs, and their recipes celebrate tradition while embracing the future.

Ana Regalado, @SaltyCocina
Maricopa, AZ

For Ana Regalado, or as her Instagram and TikTok followers know her @saltycocina, food has always played a central role her in life. Originally from Zacatecas, Mexico, she first learned to make tortillas with her mother for their family of eight. “I made dozens of tortillas,” she recalls. Then, in the ’80s, her parents worked in the fields in the U.S., cultivating oranges, grapefruit, lemons, or whatever the seasonal crop was. Now, Regalado shows off her cooking skills and shares traditional Mexican recipes on TikTok to a dedicated following, which she found during the first wave of the pandemic. It all happened thanks to her kids, who introduced her to TikTok. Below, she shares her recipe for Asado de Boda, a celebratory dish like mole but with the Zacatecas touch.

Asado de Boda

A typical dish of Zacatecas, Mexico

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs Pork (Boneless Pork Ribs, Pork Butt, Pork Shoulder)
  • 8-10 Chile Guajillo
  • 2 Chile Anchos
  • 5-6 Garlic Cloves
  • 1/4 Onion
  • Juice from ½ orange
  • 3-4 Peppercorns
  • 3-4 Whole Allspice
  • 3-4 Whole Cloves
  • 5-7 oz Piloncillo
  • 1 Stick of Cinnamon
  • 1 bar of Mexican Chocolate
  • Salt
  • 6-8 Galletas Maria or half a bolillo lightly toasted (optional)
  • 3-4 Tbsp Lard
  • 4 Cups of Water

Instructions:

  1. Dice into cubes 3 lbs Boneless Pork Shoulder, or Ribs. Season with salt and set aside for 15 minutes.
  2. To make the sauce: remove the stems and the seed from the peppers. In a medium pan, heat a small amount of oil and lightly toast the peppers, onion, garlic, all of the seasonings, and cinnamon stick for about 2 minutes with frequent movement making sure the peppers don’t burn; otherwise, you will end up with bitter sauce. Once they are fragrant, add two cups of water, bring to a boil, remove from the burner, and cover for 15-20 minutes.
  3. In a separate pan, melt 3-4 tbsp of lard/Manteca and add in the pork, half a cup of water, and two minced garlic cloves. Cook for 30-40 minutes over medium heat, checking on it every ten minutes to move the meat around. After 30-40 minutes, add the piloncillo and orange juice, continue cooking over low heat until the piloncillo dissolves and the meat is slightly caramelized.
  4. Blend the sauce from step 2 with the 4 cups of water, Mexican chocolate, and a handful of galletas maria or half a bolillo lightly toasted to thicken the sauce. Blend until smooth, add it directly into the pan, or strain it in. Add chicken broth or water to adjust the thickness and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
  5. Serve with a side of red rice.
Alejandra Tapia, @nanajoe19
Visalia, CA

Alejandra Tapia from California can trace her interest in the kitchen back to her grandma — “the original queen of aguas frescas.” She learned to make huevo con chile from the queen at just 9-years-old. These days, Tapia pays homage to her Abuelita by sharing her traditions and culture on TikTok. It all started with a craving for a torta de barbacoa — her first viral video. Now Tapia wants to inspire younger generations, like her kids, to carry on Latino traditions into the future. Tapia shared her recipe for Red Pork Tamales, a dish packed with flavor and nostalgia. “We used to joke that even if there weren’t presents under the Christmas tree, there were always tamales to unwrap.”

 

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Red Chile Pork Tamales

Makes 6-8 dozen tamales

Ingredients:

  • Cornhusk leaves (soak them in hot water until they soften and become pliable)

Masa:

  • 1 bag of Maseca for tamales
  • 3 lbs pork lard
  • 3 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp chicken bullion
  • 1 cup of reserved red Chile sauce

Pork filling:

  • 10 lbs pork shoulder
  • 6 cups or more of broth used to cook meat for filling
  • 1 onion
  • 1 garlic head
  • 4 bay leaves
  • Salt
  • Chicken bullion to your liking

Red Sauce:

  • 12 chile guajillos
  • 5 chile de árbol
  • 1 Tbsp oregano
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 1 Tbsp thyme
  • 1 Tbsp ground peppercorns
  • 1/4 onion
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • Salt
  • Chicken bullion to your liking

Instructions:

  1. Pork filling: In a big pot with water, add your pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, chicken bullion, and cook until meat is fork-tender. Quick tip make sure you add bone to the broth and reserve the broth you will need for the masa.
  2. Shred pork.
  3. Red Chile Sauce: Boil your chile in a pot to hydrate them.
  4. Once hydrated, you will add them to your blender with 1/4 piece of onion, 4 garlic cloves, all your spices, salt, and chicken bullion to your liking.
  5. Blend and strain sauce.
  6. The last step to the sauce is to fry it. In a pan with 2tbs of oil, first, fry a small piece of onion for flavor and then pour your sauce in the hot oil.
  7. Once it simmers, add your shredded pork (veggies optional).
  8. Masa: In a big container, mix the Maseca and lard.
  9. Once mixed, you will add the salt, chicken bullion, baking powder, and you will mix again for about 5 mins. The kneading or mixing of the masa is an important step, so put some muscle or use a stand mixer.
  10. Then add your broth and sauce and continue mixing until you feel your arms are about to give up. Once the masa doesn’t stick to your hands, it’s ready.
  11. The last step is letting the masa rest for 30 mins.
  12. Now you’re ready to call everyone to the table to help spread and stuff tamales! Spread the masa on the leaves using a spatula and add filling to your liking.
  13. Wrap them nicely. Once all the tamales are stuffed, you will place them in a steamer for 1hr and 20 mins. Then they’re ready to enjoy!

Omi Hopper, @CookingConOmi
Providence, Rhode Island

Cooking delicious food runs in Omi Hopper’s veins. “The women in my family, Las Garcia, are all amazing cooks,” she says. From Las Garcia, she learned to make rice and beans, a staple in any Puerto Rican household. But as a kid, she was only allowed to mash the garlic using the mortero. Luckily, today she’s the boss of her own kitchen, and she has a few thousand followers to prove it. On Instagram and TikTok, as @cookingconomi, she shares nostalgic, simple, and familial dishes with a modern twist. Her goal is to keep her Taino, African and Spanish cultural influences alive, all while spreading love and joy. “I always say, ‘En tu cocina, tu mandas.’” She shared her recipe for the traditional coquito de dulce de leche, best shared with family and friends.

Coquito de Dulce de Leche 

Ingredients:

For the Té de especias:

  • 2 cups of Water
  • 7-8 cloves
  • 5-6 tbsp grounded allspice
  • 5-6 cinnamon sticks
  • 5-6 star anise
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1-inch fresh peeled ginger

For the Milk:

  • 1 can Coconut Milk
  • 1 can Cream of Coconut
  • 1 can Evaporated Milk
  • 1 can condensed milk (made into dulce de Leche) Boil can of condensed milk for 2-3 hours completely submerged in water. Allow to cool off for about 1 hour before opening.
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon powder

Instructions:

  1. Boil water and spices for 5-7 minutes. Put aside and let cool.
  2. In a blender, add your milk, strain, and add your Té de especias, rum of choice (La cantidad que te diga tu corazón) or 2-4 oz and 1 tbsp cinnamon powder
  3. Serve with ice y a gozar se ha dicho!!!

Tony Ortiz, @chileconmiel
Brooklyn, NY

Hailing from Oakland, now based in Brooklyn, Tony Ortiz, a.k.a @chileconmiel, received a formal culinary arts education in New York City. Their approach to cooking also integrated the traditional Mexican skills they learned from observing grandmother growing up. As a kid, Ortiz first learned to make salsa de arbol, a seemingly simple but rather complex and must-have dish for Mexican communities. Ortiz feels like the U.S.  has a “limited view” of Mexican cuisine, which is why they’ve made it their personal mission to share their recipes with the world.  “We are resisting the loss of our identities. And at the same time creating new traditions and stories through that process.” For example, they shared a recipe for squash called Calabaza en tacha with piloncillo caramel, a dish equal parts sweet, modern, and traditional.

Calabaza en tacha

Candied kabocha squash in a star anise and piloncillo caramel

Ingredients:

  • One medium-sized kabocha squash
  • 4 tbsp of lime powder (this will help the squash hold its shape)
  • 3 bricks of piloncillo/panela broken into chunks
  • 5 pieces star anise
  • 4 long pieces of Mexican cinnamon broken into one-inch pieces
  • 1 tbsp of salt
  • 4 cups of water

Instructions:

  1. Deseed the squash and cut it into wedges leaving the skin on.
  2. Fill a bowl of water large enough to hold squash and dissolve the cal powder into it. Submerge squash in the lime powder water and soak for about an hour.
  3. Take the squash out of the water and rinse the lime powder water residue off of it.
  4. Place squash into a squash pot with star anise, canela, and piloncillo, and salt.
  5. Pour in water – it should be about halfway up the squash.
  6. Bring water to a boil, then turn to a low simmer.
  7. Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Rearranging the squash so that it is evenly coated with liquid about every 10 minutes.
  8. The piloncillo should melt into the water creating a liquid that will thicken and create a syrup. Once the squash is cooked through, it should still hold its shape.
  9. There will be a pool of syrup left that can be poured on top of the squash when serving.
  10. Serve with a side of unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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