9 moments of 2019 that make us proud to be LatinX

J Balvin had not just one but two killer performances this year. The Colombian singer educated festival-goers on the history of reggaeton on the Coachella stage in Indio, California and then made history with his performance at the iconic Lollapalooza. Each performance showed off the Vibras star’s unique style and talent.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Jennifer Lopez walked the Grammys red carpet in the plunging patterned Versace dress. To commemorate one of the most-talked about fashion moments of forever, JLo surprised guests at the Versace fashion show in Milan by walking the runway in a reimagined style of the dress.

Puerto Rican icons Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny, Residente and iLe released Afilando los Cuchillos, an anthem to protest the then governor Ricardo Roselló. With the widespread support from residents and other celebs that also used their platform for change, #RickyRenuncia went viral, and he was ousted.

Gina Torres said goodbye to her Suits family to continue as bosslady Jessica Pearson on USA Network’s Pearson. The Cuban-American also made history with this role as the first Afro-Latina female to be a lead in a series.

Project Runway made its return to Bravo with a new wave of talent both in the judges and hot seats. Show veteran Nina Garcia, former winner Christian Siriano and newcomer Elaine Welteroth cut through the competition and crowned Colombian designer Sebastian Grey as the winner.

After what seems like years of on and off speculation, Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes took their friendship to the next level. With the release of their song Señorita, the two Latinx crooners have been heating up the scene on and off the stage. Fans have nicknamed them Shawmila.

Jharrel Jerome won big and made history at the 2019 Emmys when he took home the award for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his portrayal in When They See Us. The Bronx native became the first Afro-Latino and Dominican actor to win. During his speech, which he did in a combination of English and Spanish, he not only thanked those who have supported his dream of being an actor, but he also shared where'd he be had he not won. "I feel like I should be somewhere in the Bronx relaxing, but am right now in front of some of the many people who have inspired me," he said during his speech.

The One Day at a Time cast including Rita Moreno, Justina Machado, Isabella Gomez and Marcel Ruiz thought they were saying goodbye to their TV family until Pop TV decided to step in and take over running the series from Netflix.

Over 200 of the biggest names in the LatinX community (Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, America Ferrera to name a few) came together to sign the poignant letter penned to show support for the Hispanic community. The letter that was released in both English and Spanish started, “If you are feeling terrified, heartbroken and defeated by the barrage of attacks on our community, you are not alone.”