This weekend I was looking for a new show to binge watch, and I came across ‘The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia,’ a show about a 15-year-old PhD recipient who scored her dream job to work with NASA near where her uncle lives, so she convinces her incredibly strict mother to live with her uncle.
I was very intrigued when coming across this show because, as a Latina, I’ve seen more stereotypes of Latina women being portrayed as either “quiet, docile homemakers” or “loud, spicy Latinas who only cause drama,” or a mixture of both, but no other traits.
‘The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia’ was nothing of the sort. Right from the beginning, the viewer is met with a bubbly, intelligent, bright girl who is excited to start her dream job and anticipating what life will bring her on her move across the country to achieve her goals.
To see a young Latina portrayed with quirky, dorky, curious traits was very refreshing to see because I felt I saw a younger version of myself in her, which I can say I could never say about other Latina characters in previous shows with other Latina characters.
This show is perfectly aimed at younger children to teen audiences with very Disney channel like humor, and showing milestones and conflicts that young teenagers face in real life like making new friends in a new area, juggling busy schedules, crushes while trying to find your way in the world as you grow.
Laid back jovial shows like these that give more traits to a Latina girl than the past stereotypes is one of the very things we need to see more often in media in 2020, and I hope it continues to not only appear in Latinx characters, but also other POC characters. Just like there are many white characters that show many different faces and traits and versatility in their characters, the same privilege should be given to POC to see themselves in media with diversity in personality.
I highly recommend this show to anyone who is young, or just simply wants a lighthearted show with shy humor, or if you simply want to watch something new and intriguing to watch that isn’t your typical serious documentary. You can catch this show now playing on Netflix.