When discussing Afro-Latinidad in the music industry, one name undoubtedly comes to mind: Amara La Negra.

The Dominican-American singer, who hails from Miami, caught the attention of many with her twerk hit, “Asi,” in 2015. However, Dana Danelys De Los Santos (yes, Amara), has been in the industry since childhood, appearing on the world’s longest-running variety TV show, Sábado Gigante.

The unapologetic Afro-Latina has become a prominent figure among Black Latinas, who often get little to no visibility in entertainment. From her dark-skin and tightly-coiled afro to agency, Amara is a physical symbol of Black pride and women’s empowerment.

Amara blessed the stage on Saturday, July 8, for the Afro-Latino Festival in New York, which celebrated women of the Diaspora.

Ain’t I Latina? reporter Major Nesby caught up with Amara after her performance. Watch the entire interview, below:

[Photo by Francis Carrero]