My Complicated Relationship With Venezuela as a First Gen [Video]

Every year ahead of Latinx Heritage Month, I look forward to celebrating Latin American history and culture and embracing my family’s heritage and roots in Venezuela. I’ve been introduced to so amazing creators, shows, and small businesses to support through the work I do and I value all the informative deep dives on Latin American history and the cultural aspects of the region. However, this Latinx Heritage Month has felt a little different personally, and celebrating my Venezuelan heritage feels just a little more bittersweet this year. Ever since the elections on July 28, many in the Venezuelan diaspora have been left feeling either dejected, angry, or a mix of both. For over 20 years, the country has struggled with repression, hyperinflation, violence, and censorship that becomes more severe with each passing year, and many were hoping that a change of leadership might somehow improve the country’s conditions.

As a first-generation Venezuelan-American my …