When you think of Latina beauty, who comes to mind? Jennifer Lopez? Maybe Sofia Vergara? Or possibly Salma Hayek? Though these iconic celebrities do embody our culture’s beauty, they do not represent the Latina and Afro-Latina community as a whole. As society continues to evolve, more women of color are demanding representation amongst all media platform within the beauty space and are unapologetic of their natural hair. Shying away from heat-styling tools and chemical ingredients have become a part of this social and beauty movement amongst the Latinx and African-American communities. Now more than ever, Afro-Latinas are owning being shown in the forefront of shows, campaigns and, most recently, magazine covers such as Vogue Mexico. The fashion-forward publication chose Dominican models, Licett Morillo, Manuela Sánchez, Annibelis Baez and Ambar Cristal as their latest cover stars.

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Making a big statement as we go into New York Fashion Week and Hispanic Heritage Month, the cover truly speaks to the new age of beauty. To celebrate the September issue, the magazine took to social media to introduce the new faces of their fall-inspired issue. “Dominican pride! Licett Morillo, Manuela Sánchez, Annibelis Baez, and Ambar Cristal -- the Dominican models that are conquering the catwalks of the world,” said the magazine. The representation of Dominican models embracing their natural hair, which was deemed as pelo malo for centuries, is truly inspirational.

©Vogue

Whether you’re celebrating texture and roots or empowering another to embrace their culture, we should continue to support natural beauty origins. Either way, this hair statement, and fashion-forward mindset is proof we are one step closer to a more diverse future.