Jessica “I’m not black” Alba hit back at all her haters yesterday for claiming she is ashamed of her Latin roots. In a cover story for Latina magazine, the pregnant Sin City star insisted, “I’m excited for my baby to be brown.”
Apparently, the 26-year-old actress who got her start playing a biracial dance choreographer in the movie Honey, has been under attack by Hispanic groups who feel Alba doesn’t embrace her Latin heritage enough.
In response to the attacks against her, Jessica came out swinging in the magazine article by accusing her “haters” of wanting to be her and steal some of her “flavour”. “I like that I look different; I like having flavour,” she said. “I think it’s funny that women get their lips injected, butt implants, everyone wants to look like us now.”
Alba, who is taking Spanish lessons and plans to speak only Spanish to her baby, says she feels proud that she is one of the people making the “mainstream” readjust how they see the “face of America”. She says the biggest step came when she was chosen as the new face of Revlon.” It appeals to the mass market, and the faces are me and Halle [Berry],” she said proudly. “I love that we’re representing America.”
She is such a damn hypocrite! She was saying the total opposite a year back.
Sandra, whats with the “Jessica IM NOT BLACK Alba”. She is not black and never claimed to be. I didnt understand what was up with the big uproar that Perez Hilton started when she said that she didnt grow up speaking Spanish so she cant relate to her Spanish roots…people blow things up!
Growing up & living in Miami, I’ve noticed that spanish ppl get very offended when u dont put ur heritage on front street. But they’ll decide what race they want to be when it convienient for them. They’re opportunists [more so than other races, in my opinion]. I understand what she’s saying but she should’ve taken a different angle
We were just talking about this over on Highbrid Nation. Homegirl flip flops more than John Kerry.
It’s Jessica “I am not latina” Alba.
I thought everyone wanted to be black not latin?
“My grandfather was the only Mexican at his college, the only Hispanic person at work and the only one at the all-white country club. He tried to forget his Mexican roots, because he never wanted his kids to be made to feel different in America. He and my grandmother didn’t speak Spanish to their children. Now, as a third-generation American, I feel as if I have finally cut loose.”
“My whole life, when I was growing up, not one race has ever accepted me, … So I never felt connected or attached to any race specifically. I had a very American upbringing, I feel American, and I don’t speak Spanish. So, to say that I’m a Latin actress, OK, but it’s not fitting; it would be insincere.”
Sandra if u r going to steal someone’s saying its Jessica “Im not Latina” Alba. She is not black. Its so funny that she says that the world wants to be “them” now w/the lips, butt, blah, blah. I guess the blacks will never ever get credited for talkin pride in our booties and lips *Sir Mix-A-Lot* Now the other races who wanted to be skinny, flat assed, & no lips like white people wants features that we embraced…well some of us b/c we do have some of us who wanted to look “white” too.
She is such a damn hypocrite! She was saying the total opposite a year back.
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I second that. She said just last year that she was not Latina because she doesn’t speak Spanish and her grandparents never taught her father to speak Spanish because they wanted them to better assimilate into American culture. She said that Cameron Diaz was more Latina than her because her father is Cubano and it isn’t fair that people don’t recognize Cameron as Latina because she has blond hair, fair skin and blue eyes.
As a Latina I took total offense to that. How would African-Americans feel if a public figure denounced his race by saying “I’m not black because I don’t speak slang and I don’t live in the hood?” You would be outraged at the person’s ignorance right? Well, it’s the same for Latinos. Being Latino is more than speaking Spanish or having dark skin. Latinos come in every color and shape…every social class and educational level.
And I agree with J Gats about the whole black & white Latino thing. I’m Cuban and Dominican and I always say I’m Afro-Latina. Some Latinos do pick and choose their race when it’s convenient for them…I have Dominicans in my own family who are as dark as Wesley Snipes who say they aren’t black…to each his own I guess…
It’s funny she say’s “Everyone wants to look like us” while trying her hardest to look white, she damn near looks anorexic…If she’s so pround of her heritage why is she starving herself to fit into hollywood.
TT & Kay kay, I have to agree. A lotta races have always envied “black features.” From our curvaceous figures to our full lips. Its funny when J-Lo decided she wanted to be Puerto Rican again is when the big butts became a latin trait
ah mi ah mi no otra vez yo tan soy cansado de estos polluelos españoles
in english the countries language:
oh my oh my not again i am so tired of these spanish chicks
How convient that she now says this i am so tired of all the spanish chicks and please don’t say latin-they want you to say latin because they dont want to be grouped with the mexicans who are here illegally…I am still gone say spanish to all of the spanish speaking people…they got game to just like other races who are divided they are divided too….my fathers maid is from mexico but his tax attorney is married to a lady from Spain…honey she said she is pure castillian–meaning not black or african like jessica lala and all those other puerto rican chicks the slave ship stopped on their islands first that’s why our men die over them—they lightskinned wit curly hair that hair comes from africa but no they latin child please. Look at the Ms.Spain and Ms.South American pageants on Telemundo…it aint nobody on their lookin like lala and those other chicks with the africanized features and hair…they are castillian meaning spain europe white….check it that’s what the racial uproar is in their community–
Castillian
I’m glad she seems to have changed her tune, but she has made statements in the past that would lead one to believe that she was trying to act like she wasn’t a latina or that she was ashamed of it. I started looking at her as the Tiger Woods of the Latins. Now that she done went and got preggers by Michael Warren’s biracial son I guess she is feeling “colored.” I hope she doesn’t try to beat down the child’s black roots.
Bird, u know that baby aint never gonna taste neckbones, greens or good potato salad….
zzzzzzz
Let’s leave the Mexicans and their random business on LOSSIP.
Ms. Alba is typical of most “Latins” in the US. It’s more convenient to be non-latin the majority of the time because of stereotypes in our society. She’d probably pass out if she were African American and had to deal with our trials and tribulations. However most “latins” are black anyway and just deny the fact. Your still black whether or not your slavemaster spoke Spanish or English!
First she was mad because she didn’t want to be labeled hispanic and said that Cameron Diaz has more hispanic in her than she does and how she hates labels and blah blah blah…now all of a sudden she LOVES being hispanic. Whatever. I used to like her but she sounds like she got some issues.
She’s full of shit. She’s using her baby as a PR tool. Now that she’s becoming a mom she wants to embrace her “REAL” heritage. Maybe she realized no matter how hard she or her ancestors try to be white they’re still Latin. Move on get over it. She won’t be able to love that baby or anyone else properly until she can learn to love herself.
hahahaa Smokie!
Um, did she finish 1st grade?I’m glad I moved so much as a child going across seas as a child and meeting different people and cultures because the Latinos I knew, identified themselves with pride regardless of their skin tone.And as for wanting to look white, I’m glad I was not raised like that!Thank you Lord!I love my skin.Pretty brown and everything!Fuck tanning and wanting to have curly hair!My shit is allllllllllllllllll natural.I guess if people don’t get comments for not feeling “pretty” they have to feel to look the other way.I was brought up to love myself and that I don’t need other people who validated who I was as a person.Sounds familiar?MLKJR.I hate to say it, but race will never go away.Not in a million years, and if it does we all be dead and gone.I don’t want it to be that way, but that’s the way it goes.
J Gats Juice Says:
Bird, u know that baby aint never gonna taste neckbones, greens or good potato salad….
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LMAO Hahaha.. u are funny as hell
Why would she only speak spanish to achild thats going to be raised in the U.S.SMH she is a dingbat.
That poor sickly girl is confused as hell. We don’t want her, we don’t need her. She tried to play both sides to get her foot in the door like sooooo many other celebs- THEN they decide to pick a heritage. Trick please. We have enough people in this country that can’t be a lick of English and here this fool comes with this tomfoolery.
Peeps!
my gosh–i could eat some now. She ain’t never sucked a pork chop bone either. I don’t know of anyone personally wanting to look like her.
Heck naw, she don’t know about neck bones
I may be late but when I first saw “Honey” I thought she did have a lil bit of soul in her blood!! I never really followed her like that or was a fan but I agree for her to speak straight spanish to her baby that will grow up here is a lil crazy!! I understand if she wanted the baby to be able to speak both languages but c’mon you wasn’t even claiming your background cause you couldn’t speak it!!! & who the hell is the father of the baby? is he latino, black, or white cause you know if he white I don’t know if he gonna have his child speaking back to him in a another language(lol) Im jus sayin
It’s sad that she doesn’t know the difference between nationality and ethnicity.
As has been mentioned, slaves were not only sold in North America. Dark-skinned Latinos denying their ethnicity (Afro) is a sad and ignorant indication of a lack of education and/or self-love.
Jessica has always contradicted hereself. Most times, she bends with the direction of the wind. I guarantee you that if or when Asians are the flavor of the month, chica will pull out a pair of chopsitcks and rock kimonos.
truthfully, the only way speaking spanish to her child will help is if the child is raised in miami or california and is gonna install satellite dishes for a living. other than that, knowin spanish dont mean jack ish in america
J Gats Juice Says:
Bird, u know that baby aint never gonna taste neckbones, greens or good potato salad….
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That’s a damn shame. No Goya, no chitlins, no nothing. Poor baby.
ms.peaches Says:
who the hell is the father of the baby?
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The baby daddy is Michael Warren’s son, Cash Warren. Michael Warren is best known for his role on Hill Street Blues in the 80s, but younger folks may remember him as Kadija’s father on Living Single or the Minister that married Dwayne and Whitley on a Differant World. He has always been fine and he is still fine in at 61. His son is fine also, but could pass for white pretty easily with just a little effort.
The Spanish-speaking population is one of the fastest growing (and spening) in America. Employers and Anglo markets want to tap into this demographic while maintaining English-speaking consumers. It’s in to be bi-lingual
Many of these positions pay six-figures (and higher). Don’t believe me, go to a head-hunting website.
Jessica isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but she has this one right. Meanwhile, she should probably hire someone to tutor her and her baby. There’s no way she’ll be fluent before the baby is born.
@Yanaja
I understand the spirit of what you are saying. And can appreciate you taking offense. I am all about it
I take issue with only one thing in your comment..
{How would African-Americans feel if a public figure denounced his race by saying “I’m not black because I don’t speak slang and I don’t live in the hood?”}
I ask as a fellow proud minority (a.k.a The REAL MAJORITY) that you broaden your perspective of what it is to be African-American…beyond that of speaking slang and living in the hood. (What constitutes as the hood anyway) If those points were used to gage blackness, you’ve canceld out more than 50% of blacks, who don’t live in the “hood”. AND EVERYONE speaks SLANG, whether it’s through out their day or after 5p.m. depending on their line of work. However,EVERY american speaks a deviaition of slang.
pinkvirgo Says:
Why would she only speak spanish to achild thats going to be raised in the U.S.SMH she is a dingbat.
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RIGHT RIGHT!! guess she feels she’ll have enough money that the child will never have to deal with the english speaking REAL WORLD!!….WTF!!!!
She said she’ll speak Spanish up until a certain when it’s in school–I can’t remember the age she mentioned. But, yes, she’s dingy.
u learn something new everyday. i had no idea Cash was bi racial.
I had to come out after more than a year of “lurking” to applaude your response to this particular comment. Thank you.
I take issue with only one thing in your comment..
{How would African-Americans feel if a public figure denounced his race by saying “I’m not black because I don’t speak slang and I don’t live in the hood?”}
I ask as a fellow proud minority (a.k.a The REAL MAJORITY) that you broaden your perspective of what it is to be African-American…beyond that of speaking slang and living in the hood. (What constitutes as the hood anyway) If those points were used to gage blackness, you’ve canceld out more than 50% of blacks, who don’t live in the “hood”. AND EVERYONE speaks SLANG, whether it’s through out their day or after 5p.m. depending on their line of work. However,EVERY american speaks a deviaition of slang.
@ ggouch
You misinterpretted my comment. I made that comment to emphasize the stereotype that Jessica Alba was putting out there when she made her past comments about her ethnicity or lack thereof. She said that she shouldn’t be labeled Latina because she doesn’t speak Spanish…not all Latinos speak Spanish, steal cars, eat tacos, and rep the Latin Kings…just like not all African-Americans speak slang, drop out of school, gangbang and eat fried chicken. Those are all stereotypes that our respective communities have been stigmatized with and my point was that some African-Americans on this site said that Latinos are being TOO sensitive about Jessica Alba’s past comments, but if it were an African-American public figure talking the same type of smack how would African-Americans feel?
who gives a damn about jessica alba….i know don’t!
Bsoul,
I fully agree with you on the importance of being bi/multilingual in the US especially. It’s a fast changing world and the more we equip ourselves and our kids with extra languages the better their career opportiunities.
I know dozens of folks speaking more than one language making it big both in the US and abroad…we also need to remember that’s a boost to the company too because as a bi-lingual member of the company you are saving them time, money and resources in many situations where they would have been required to hire interpreters of translators to bridge the communication gap.
As for Alba’s slip & slide…pitiful & ignorant. Wake up chica!! Que pasa!?!
When I was job hunting, I was passed over for a job because I am can’t fluently write Spanish and I only speak it conversationally. That position was about $20,000 more a year than what I take home today. The notion that Spanish-speaking positions pay less is false.
I will never under-estimate the power of being bi and tri-lingual. I love Japan and would be able to land a lucrative position there, but after about two weeks in Japan, I’m always ready to come home. When the demand for Japanese-speakers grows hits the states without me having to move there, who knows, I’m might be in business.
Oh ok I remember her being photographed with Cash I had no idea he was bi-racial wow I guess we learn something new everyday!! Thanx Bird
I just looked his father up he played Joan’s dad on Girlfriends & Queen Latifah’s dad on Living Single wow I had no idea, I know Im late but thats how much I follow Jessica
How would African-Americans feel if a public figure denounced his race
Can you say TIGER WOODS???
Man what is Jessica going to do when her baby comes out darker than her. Maybe she’ll make up a race for it like Tiger did. Not black or Latino but Caublalatin??
can someone explain to me why she is only going to speak spanish to the baby if she doesn’t even know it???? and i think it’s sad the she is not in to heritage, she is the latin tiger woods or mariah carey, she’s only black when she needs a remix or when she needed to bounce back from glitter. and to think they done had this man on all kind of black history commericals.