When celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, so many people deserve recognition. Hispanic and Latino Americans, from politicians to actors to musicians, have made an undeniable impact on American culture. For me, someone who immediately came to mind was Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Miranda was born and raised in New York City to Puerto Rican parents. He is best known as a songwriter, actor, filmmaker, playwright, singer, and rapper. You have almost certainly heard something he composed, wrote, or even sang. My two favorites are definitely Hamilton and Moana, but his other famous works include In the Heights, Encanto, and Mufasa: The Lion King.
Miranda’s Puerto Rican heritage has played a major role in his work, particularly in In the Heights. The musical follows the residents of Washington Heights, a predominantly Latino neighborhood in New York City. In the Heights explores family, culture, immigration, and identity while giving audiences a glimpse into a community that is often underrepresented in mainstream entertainment.
Something that makes Miranda’s work especially impactful is the opportunities he has created for actors and actresses of color in the musical theater world. Many roles in In the Heights and Hamilton have been played by people of color, including many Hispanic and Latino actors. These productions not only provide opportunities for performers who have historically been underrepresented, but also allow audiences to see Latino families and communities represented on stage.
Hamilton (a musical that I literally know every single word to) also challenges what traditional “American” stories look like by casting people of color to portray white historical figures. The musical combines hip-hop, pop, R&B, and traditional musical theater, completely changing what audiences might expect from a story about the founding of America. Instead of telling American history through the normal perspective, Miranda created something that felt new and diverse.
Miranda also wrote the music and lyrics for the film Moana, which, in my opinion, is one of the best Disney films ever created. Even though Moana is centered around Polynesian culture rather than Hispanic culture, Miranda’s involvement highlights his dedication to telling stories inspired by cultures that have historically been underrepresented in mainstream entertainment. And he did it in a beautiful way, too. Seriously, I cry every time I watch Moana.
He later became involved with Encanto, which is set in Colombia and follows the Madrigal family, whose members all have a magical gift except for one daughter, Mirabel. The movie puts a huge emphasis on Colombian culture, including food, music, architecture, and the importance of family. At the same time, it touches on complicated and meaningful topics such as colonialism and generational trauma.
With Encanto being such a huge hit with younger audiences, Miranda helped introduce a new generation to Colombian culture and showed how beautiful and meaningful representation can be. The movie also demonstrates that stories about Hispanic and Latino families can be entertaining while still addressing real experiences and struggles.
Beyond his work, Lin-Manuel Miranda has used his platform to support causes important to him, including Puerto Rico, the arts, and immigrant communities.
Whether you know every word to Hamilton as I do or watched Moana once as a child, Lin-Manuel Miranda has had an undeniable impact on mainstream entertainment and American culture. His work has opened doors for performers, introduced audiences to different cultures, and shown the importance of telling stories from perspectives that have not always been given the spotlight.
I know I’m glad to live in a world where Lin-Manuel Miranda exists and in an America that has been shaped by so many Hispanic and Latino influences. Hispanic Heritage Month is a reminder that American culture would look very different without the contributions of all the different cultures.