Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month is coming to an end soon, but that doesn't mean the celebration of Latinx and Hispanic culture has to. Television shows that feature Latinx and Hispanic characters are still airing and streaming, making it the perfect time to kick back and enjoy some downtime.
The best part is that it's not just teen and adult-oriented shows that have decent representation. In recent years, the kids' TV genre has expanded to include some of the best and most original shows centered around Latinx and Hispanic characters. From a young girl who grows up to be president to half-brothers who go on wild adventures, there are plenty of shows for children with Latinx representation.
Diary Of A Future President (2020 - 2021)
Available On Disney+
Diary of a Future President centers on 13-year-old Elena, who is navigating middle school while trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. Little does she know she has nothing to worry about because she grows up to become the President of the United States.
Elena is Cuban-American, and although the show doesn't dive too deep into how her ethnicity affects her, it does so with her older brother, Bobby. Most memorable is the episode where Bobby becomes frustrated with his tennis team for never including the tilde on his last name, which is an integral part of his culture and the pronunciation of his name.
Dora The Explorer (2000 - 2015)
Available On Amazon Prime Video
Perhaps one of the earliest forms of Latinx representation in kids' shows happened when Dora The Explorer began airing on Nickelodeon. The animated series regularly followed Dora and her pet monkey Boots as they went on various adventures. With the help of the audience, Dora would solve clues and stop Swiper the Fox from getting to their final destination.
Not only is Dora The Explorer a great example of Latinx representation in a kids' show, but it was also created to help teach kids Spanish by having Dora include simple Spanish words and phrases in her dialogue. To this day, it's one of the best bilingual kids' shows out there.
Gordita Chronicles (2022)
Available On HBO Max
Gordita Chronicles was a hilarious and heartwarming family sitcom that centered on the Dominican Castelli family. It was canceled in 2022 but fans hoped for another season. While the series followed the entire family, the show really centered on Cucu, the youngest member of the family, who is trying to adjust to her new life in Miami in the 1980s.
The series dove deep into Dominican culture and also featured several other Latinx characters from other cultures. Fans loved the show because it really explored what life is like for kids who immigrate to the United States with their parents.
Julie And The Phantoms (2020)
Available On Netflix
Julie And The Phantoms has gone down in history for being one of the best Netflix kid's shows that was, unfortunately, canceled after only one season. The musical dramedy centered on Julie Molina, a high school student who has seemingly given up on music after her mother's unexpected death. However, when she accidentally summons the spirits of a deceased teen band, Julie's passion for music comes back as she forms a band with the ghosts.
While Julie and her family's ethnicity and culture don't play a huge role in the story, they are of an undisclosed Latinx culture. Madison Reyes, who plays Julie, is also of Puerto Rican descent, so many fans believe Julie is also Puerto Rican.
Maya & Miguel (2004 - 2007)
Available On Tubi
Airing on PBS Kids Go! and Univision for five seasons, Maya & Miguel is an underrated kids' show with Latinx representation. The series follows pre-teen Hispanic twins and their friends as Maya drags them into her various schemes. The series aired in both English and Spanish, with the English version featuring some Spanish-spoken dialogue.
Maya and Miguel's mom is from Mexico, while their dad is from Puerto Rico, and both cultures play important roles in the show. Partly educational, the series aimed at teaching children about Latinx cultures, like the episode where Maya brings a skull made of sugar to her class presentation about Mexico to represent the Day of the Dead.
Stuck In The Middle (2016 - 2018)
Available On Disney+
Stuck In The Middle is one of Disney Channel's best shows that aired in the 2010s. The series centered on Harley Diaz, the middle child of seven who constantly finds herself inventing gadgets to deal with her large family while dealing with ordinary growing pains.
The Diaz family is played exclusively by Latinx actors, which helps bring more authenticity to their characters. However, the Diaz family does not disclose what their specific culture is, which some critics felt homogenized Latinx culture. Still, the show is worth watching, especially since it marks only the second Latinx family in a Disney Channel live-action show.
The Casagrandes (2019 - 2022)
Available On Paramount+
A spin-off of Nickelodeon's The Loud House, The Casagrandes centers on Ronnie Santiago and her brother and mom who move into their extended family's house in Great Lakes City. While Ronnie meets new friends, goes on adventures, and explores her heritage, Bobby gets busy helping his include run the local mercado.
The Casangrandes are a Mexican-American family that is voiced by Latinx actors. Thus, Mexican-American culture is an integral part of the show. One of the best examples of this occurs in the episode "15 Candles" when Rosa decides to start planning Ronnie's quinceañera even though it won't happen for three years.
The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia (2020)
Available On Netflix
The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia, also called Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love, was a short-lived sitcom that ran on Netflix in 2020. The series centered on Ashley, a teenage prodigy, who moves in with her uncle after she gets a job working for NASA. While adjusting to her new job, Ashley begins exploring what it's like being an ordinary teenager with the help of her childhood friend.
One of the reasons The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia is so great is because it shows a young Latina who is a successful scientist which aims to prove that Latinx individuals can be and do anything they set out to do.
The Owl House (2020 - 2022)
Available On Disney+
The Owl House is one of Disney Channel's best-animated series of all time. It centers on Luz, a teenager who finds herself in a magical realm where she meets a rebellious witch. Though not magical herself, Luz sets out to learn how to become a witch by convincing Eda to let her be her apprentice.
Not only is Luz Disney Channel's first-ever bisexual character, but she is also a proud Afro-Latina character. These two identities make her an extremely important character for young kids who might see themselves in Luz for the first time ever.
Victor & Valentino (2019 - 2022)
Available On Sling
Victor & Valentino marked the first Cartoon Network series to feature a predominately Hispanic cast. The series follows half-brothers Victor and Valentino, who, while spending the summer with their grandma, adventure in their new town and experience some supernatural happenings.
Mesoamerican culture is very important to the creators of Victor & Valentino, and most of the supernatural happenings that the characters interact with stem from Latin American folklore. By centering the stories around real folklore, the series is not only entertaining but educational.