Thursday, March 28, 2024

‘Vida’ on Starz: A Sip and Paint Celebration of Love – Photos/Paintings: LOOK!

*Earlier this week a celebration of life, creativity and love occured in Los Angeles.  It was a celebration of not only the new season of “Vida” on Starz, but also a nod towards diversity in TV.

Season 2 of “Vida” will continue the story of two sisters who return to their now gentrified hometown of East Los Angeles, to run their late mother’s bar.

What makes “Vida” stand out in the endless new shows available to audiences, is rather than just having a few characters that identify as LGBTQ as a peripheral theme,  from its very first episode, in its very first season, Vida has woven these characters into the framework of its storylines. From the moment, Emma, who has been estranged from her mother, finds out that after her mother’s death, Eddy, her mother’s “roommate,” was actually her mother’s wife, there are issues that real people, with these real lives can understand in a way that has not been told before.

The first season deals with loss, family, change and differences, ending with Eddy, the widow, beaten up in a homophobic attack.  So, what stood out to me, at the Starz “Sip & Paint” event held at Valentine, in downtown Los Angeles, was not only the name of the venue, with its “connotations” of love, but also the fans that lined up for the event.

vida - la hot mess - la boss bitch

DIONNE WARWICK SAYS BEYONCE HAS NOT YET EARNED ICON STATUS; BEYHIVE COMES FOR HER

vida - fans of vida
Fans of ‘Vida’ at exhibit: Carylyn Cardoza, Irene Diaz and Yuliana Salinas

I met Carylyn Cardoza, Irene Diaz and Yuliana Salinas, and asked them why they were super fans of this show.  What I saw, as they answered, was joy, pride and pure love. They related. They saw people that not only looked like them on television, but also they related to the stories that are being told on Vida, the cultural awareness that is identifiable on the show, the familiarity of “spanglish” in their day to day lives, and most importantly, being accepted as queer and loved upon.

A lot of stuff that happens in the show, happens in neighborhoods that these girls can relate to.  Dealing with homophobia, transphobia, racism all whilst a community is being gentrified, is real life.  It translates. We see in our society people being bullied, harassed and/or attacked for their identities, so being able to celebrate love, in its truest form on this day, was not only extremely special, but also empowering.

All walks of life showed up to support the Season 2 premiere of Vida at the Valentine event space.  It was a celebration of different sameness. However we identify, our love is the same. Our humanness is the same, our issues are the same and it’s important to recognize that the narrative that has always been told, is not the ONLY narrative there is.  We can celebrate our different sameness, through various points of views and thus, gain a broader understanding of what it means to live, love and embrace this thing we call “LIFE!”

vida - artist levi ponce
Artist Levi Ponce

I also spoke to Levi Ponce, a local Los Angeles Latin artist, showcasing his work at the Starz, Vida “Sip and Paint” event.  Levi talked about how he grew up with a dad that painted signs and how his love of painting developed from that. Levi talked about what Vida has embraced…opportunity, which Levi can relate to.  Opportunity for Latin artists to be creative, to be part of a community and to live and love their truths. So, when he talked about his art and the opportunity to showcase it, I could see the joy it brought in creating a legacy that can be shared with the world.

Vida is allowing people to embrace who they are.  It is allowing people to not have to explain their very existence, while it continues to explore family dynamics, romance, neighborhoods and the intricacies of the Latin American experience and queer communities.  We all live in diversity. Vida explores that. It celebrates that. It educates us about it and it is a show, that no matter who you are, it smartly engages you and makes you feel part of this global community, through the eyes of this one East L.A., gentrified, LGBTQ, Latin area.

vida - binge the new season

“Vida” Season 2 premiered Thursday May, 23, 2019 with all 10 half-hour episodes available on the Starz app and Starz On-Demand.  The series will broadcast its linear premiere Sunday May 26 at 8pm, airing weekly.

Created and executive produced by Tanya Saracho, Vida stars Melissa Barrera, Mishel Prada, Ser Anzoategui, Chelsea Rendon, Carlos Miranda and new addition, Roberta Colindrez.  Season 2 will also welcome Raul Castillo and Adrian Gonzalez as guest stars.

*Photos by Linda Antwi

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