For Jennifer Lopez and her children, it seems that education about Latin American pride, political action and racial justice are two things. In the February cover interview for Elle, Lopez recalls two big statements he made in 2020 with 12-year-old twins Max and Emme.
First, there was that spectacular Super Bowl halftime show with Shakira. When it first aired, political statements – children in cages, the combination of the Puerto Rican and United States flags on their attire – were downplayed by some viewers. But no, like everything else that JLo does, it was all very intentional, especially considering Emme’s involvement.
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“It was superimportant for me to know that there would be such a big stage, such a large audience, to really say a few things about what was going on in this country with Latinos: people in cages and mothers and daughters being destroyed apart from each other,” Lopez said to Elle. “The idea of using the song ‘Let’s Get Loud’ [was about] never be quiet and always using your voice against any injustices in this world. I feel that sometimes people act like it’s not our country too. … It was very important for me to put ‘Born in the USA’ and make my daughter sing it, because she was [born here] and me too. My mom came here. She was not born here; she was born in Puerto Rico, and [my parents] moved to New York. We are proud of Puerto Ricans and Latinos, but we are also proud of Americans. “
That “speak loud” message was not missed by son Max. As Lopez reported on Instagram last summer, it was he who encouraged his mother to participate in the Black Lives Matter protests in Los Angeles.
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“He wanted me to be sure that he realized he had power and that he should use it, and I thought that was very insightful,” Lopez told the magazine. “It was one of those parenting moments when you’re like, ‘Oh, maybe I’m raising a zealous, kind and loving son here.’
She may be making it look like she raised her kids like that by accident, but we suspect it wasn’t completely out of the blue. Max and Emme had seen their mother use her voice for good before, and they were ready to join her again. The children helped her make posters (one of which said “Let’s speak up because black lives are important”) and they had a conversation about racial justice. But despite its frank nature, the June march may have been Lopez’s first time in a public protest of this scale.
“I’m not used to being in large crowds like this, but I felt very empowering, and it was great to see so many young people out there, really young,” she said of the BLM march that she joined with fiancé Alex Rodriguez. “I don’t think that should be seen as anything, except trying to make things better, trying to make sure people don’t get hurt, that people are treated fairly.”
These other celebrity parents also have honest conversations with their children about racism.
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