Cuban American Representation in a Sitcom!

One Day at a Time, Netflix’s Latinx make-over of Norman Lear’s production (1975-1984), tells the story of a non-nuclear family as each member battles through their problems with the help of the rest of the family. The successful original series gave us Ann Romano, a divorcee raising two kids on her own. Penelope raises her children with the help of her mother Lydia Rivera, played by EGOT winner Rita Moreno. Lydia’s multifaceted portrayal of a proud Cuban refugee resists Latino/a stereotypes. Through Lydia’s relationship with her grandchildren and the United States, we see the show’s willingness to reconstruct the Latino/a identity as one with emotional depth, maturity, and love.