¡Que Xopa! The Panamanian Femmes Influencing Culture
From Hollywood to headphones, Panama-born and Panamanian-descended femmes have been influencing the culture for decades—whether folks realized it or not. Their impact runs deep, stretching across entertainment, beauty, music, and cultural commentary. Here’s a list of femmes whose Panamanian roots aren’t just a footnote—they’re a foundation.
1. Tatyana Ali – The OG TV Darling
Best known for her role as Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Tatyana Ali is a household name. Born to a Panamanian mother and Indo-Trinidadian father, Ali’s presence on ‘90s television marked a rare moment when Afro-Latina identity existed onscreen—even if the industry didn’t fully know how to name it yet. Outside acting, she’s also a Harvard graduate and passionate political advocate. Her career continues to prove that intellect and star power are not mutually exclusive.
2. Lourdes Gonzalez – The Stand-Up Bruja
If you haven’t caught Lourdes Gonzalez on stage, you’re missing out on comedy that’s as raw as it is revolutionary. This Afro-Panameña powerhouse has been carving out space in comedy clubs with jokes that hit hard and speak truth. Whether she’s riffing on Latinx family dynamics or calling out racism in Hollywood, Gonzalez uses humor to challenge, heal, and entertain—all at once.
3. Tessa Thompson – The Indie Icon Turned Marvel Queen
With her standout performances in films like Creed, Sorry to Bother You, and as Valkyrie in the Thor franchise, Tessa Thompson is redefining what Afro-Latina representation looks like in Hollywood. Proud of her Panamanian and Afro-Panamanian heritage, Thompson often speaks out about identity, queerness, and race in media. Her presence on screen is both magnetic and intentional—a true trailblazer pushing the industry forward.
4. Iris Beilin – The Beauty Guru with Sass
Iris Beilin built her empire with a makeup brush and a whole lotta Spanglish. The Panamanian beauty influencer became known for her stunning glam tutorials and even more stunning honesty about colorism and being a dark-skinned Latina in the beauty world. Iris opened doors in an industry where Afro-Latinas were often overlooked—making sure morenas knew they too belonged in beauty campaigns and brand deals.
5. La Gata – The Reggaeton Historian Putting Respect on Our Name
La Gata, aka Katelina Eccleston, is the authority on reggaetón history and one of the few cultural critics actually speaking on Black Caribbean contributions to urbano. Born to Panamanian parents and raised in Brooklyn, she’s built a respected brand (@reggaetonconlagata) that educates and calls out anti-Blackness in the Latin music industry—while still making it funny, digestible, and femme-forward. She’s not just documenting the culture, she is the culture.
6. Kalii – The Lyrical Weapon
Panamanian-American rapper Kalii is part of the new wave of artists blurring the lines between hip hop, reggaetón, and R&B. Her flow is smooth, her visuals hit, and her bars don’t miss. She’s proof that the Afro-Latina rap girlies are here, and they’ve got something to say. Her music, often layered with references to identity, love, and rage, makes her one of the most exciting artists to watch.
7. DJ Bembona – Sound Selector for the Diaspora
Brooklyn-born, Panamanian-Puerto Rican DJ Bembona is known for mixing sounds from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the African diaspora into unforgettable sets. Whether spinning at underground clubs or curating political soundscapes for protests and campaigns, Bembona uses her platform to amplify voices and vibrations that center Black and brown liberation. She’s not just playing the culture—she’s preserving and elevating it.
8. Estelita Quintero – The Reality TV Rebel
Estelita first hit mainstream screens on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, but she made it clear: she was there to represent her roots. The Panamanian model and artist used her platform to speak out against colorism and industry exploitation, all while being loud, bold, and proudly Black Latina. Her outspokenness helped shift conversations about Afro-Latina identity on reality TV and beyond.
9. Kisha Gulley
Panama-born influencer, blogger, and advocate based in Phoenix, Arizona. As an Afro‑Latina mother raising children with autism, she founded The Kisha Project originally to document postpartum depression and immigrant experiences. Today, it has evolved into a platform shining light on Black motherhood, identity, autism advocacy, and Afro-Latinx culture. Kisha’s authenticity has landed her features in Parents Latina, Arizona Foothills Magazine, and Black News Channel. She regularly writes about representation, parenting, mental health, and living unapologetically as a Black Afro-Latina.
10. Jazlyn Guerra
A Panamanian-American kid reporter from Brooklyn, Jazlyn began interviewing celebrities at 9 and rose to prominence conducting street interviews with stars like Cardi B, Jay‑Z, Michelle Obama, Nicki Minaj, Denzel Washington, AOC, and North West—making her the first to interview the Kardashian–West daughter publicly. By 2025, her YouTube channel and digital accounts boast hundreds of thousands of followers. Her fearless approach and insightful questioning earned attention across major outlets, redefining what youth journalism rooted in Afro‑Latina identity can be.
Panama: A Cultural Powerhouse Hidden in Plain Sight
Despite its relatively small size, Panama has long been a cultural engine for the Latin world. From the invention of reggaetón’s blueprint rhythm (dembow) to its central role in canal trade routes that brought global influences to its shores, Panama is a place where Black, Indigenous, and Latino cultures collide and remix into something entirely their own. Yet, for too long, Panamanian contributions—especially those from Afro-Panamanians—have been pushed to the margins or erased altogether.
Afro-Latina femmes have been especially underrepresented in mainstream Latin media, often forced to choose between being “Black enough” or “Latina enough” to be marketable. But these women never waited for a seat at the table—they built their own. They’re writers, actors, DJs, creators, and comedians who’ve made undeniable marks on culture becauseof who they are, not in spite of it. Their Panamanian heritage is not a fun fact—it’s part of their magic.
Supporting them isn’t hard, porque el talento habla por sí mismo. They’ve already done the work, left their mark, and opened doors. All we gotta do is show up, stream the content, buy the merch, share the posts, and tell the world what we already know: Panamanian femmes been shaping the culture.
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