National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. Everyone knows that Latinos trace their roots to Spain, right? But there are plenty of Latinos who also proudly trace their roots to the fertile soils of Mama Africa. Check out these 16 celebrities who are proudly Afro-Latino – and pretty easy on the eye, too!
Carmelo Anthony
Six time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony was born to a Puerto Rican father and an African-American mother. Anthony’s father, for whom he was named, died from cancer when he was just two years old.
La La Anthony
Before she married basketball star Carmela Anthony, La La Vazquez was already a household name thanks to her skills as a DJ. Both of La La’s parents are Puerto Rican. She was quoted as saying to Bossip, “I embrace being a black Puerto Rican.”
Tatyana Ali
Actress and producer Tatyana Ali is the daughter of an black Panamanian mother and a Trinidadian father of East Indian descent. “It’s always interesting how people discuss culture and race,” Ali told NBC Latino “It’s hard sometimes for people to realize you can be more than one thing.”
Laz Alonso
Handsome and widely sought after actor Laz Alonso was born in Washington, DC but is of Afro-Cuban heritage. Alonso told Latina.com, “I have a Cuban influence from my ethnicity, so I feel 100 percent Cuban and 100 percent black and nobody can take that away from me.”
Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz wears many different hats including record producer, rapper, DJ, and husband to Alicia Keys. The multi-talented Beatz is also multicultural having both Puerto Rican and African-American ancestry.
Tyson Beckford
Deliciously handsome model Tyson Beckford’s DNA is an exotic melting pot. It obviously takes many races and cultures to make a man this fine! Beckford’s ancestors hail from Jamaica, China and Panama.
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi is best known by his stage name, Kid Cudi. This popular rapper, record producer and songwriter was born in Cleveland, Ohio to a Mexican father and an African-American mother.
Victor Cruz
The very fine Victor Cruz is a wide receiver with the New York Giants. Cruz’s father was an African American firefighter and his mother is Puerto Rican. Cruz has been known to showcase his Hispanic heritage by dancing salsa in the end zones after a touchdown.
Rosario Dawson
Versatile actress Rosario Dawson has been in dozens of movies including Men in Black II, Kids, Seven Pounds and Unstoppable. Dawson’s mother is of Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban descent.
Fabolous
Hip hop recording artist Fabolous was born with the name John David Johnson. He is of Dominican and African-American descent.
Maxwell
Gerald Maxwell Rivera was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of a Haitian mother and a Puerto Rican father who died early in his childhood.
Miguel
Energetic R&B and pop singer’s stage name definitely displays his Hispanic heritage. With the birthname of Miguel Jontel Pimentel, the artist was born in Los Angeles to an African-American mother and a Mexican father.
Christina Milian
Singer, actress and “Dancing With The Stars” contestant Christina Milian was actually given the name Christina Flores at birth. Both of her parents are Cuban.
Soledad O’Brien
Multicultural reporter Soledad O’Brien captured the attention of America with the CNN “Black In America” series. O’Brien’s father is an Australian of Irish descent and her mother is Afro-Cuban. O’Brien says her mother gave her this advice, “Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t black or Latina.”
Alex Rodriguez
Controversial but gorgeous, Alex Rodriguez is third baseman for the New York Yankees. Rodriguez was born in New York City to Dominican parents. He spent his childhood between the Dominican Republic and Miami, Florida.
Zoe Saldana
Talented actress Zoe Saldana grew up speaking both English and Spanish. Her late father was Dominican and her mother is Puerto Rican. Said Saldana, “As a Latina, I think we should be very proud of our heritage. We tend to look for European roots and reject the indigenous and the African, and that is disgusting. Being Latin is a mix of everything.”
