by Cassie Rosario
*This piece contains some spoilers*
This past summer, I had the honor and (quite honestly) privilege to see a local showing of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical smash hit, In the Heights. Upon going to the show, I did not know what to expect. My family had surprised me with an hour and a half long car-ride and the promise of a great birthday surprise. Of course, I was ecstatic that they were doing something special for my birthday. However, I had no idea that we were going to see a show that would completely and irrevocably change my life forever.
My family had praised Lin-Manuel Miranda for his work before his successes with Hamilton. Citing things along the lines of, “Lin-Manuel Miranda. A hometown hero. A Puerto Rican brother giving a voice to my beloved community.” I always knew this man as being an icon and a true musical mastermind. I constantly praised his work and proclaimed the utmost respect for this man. However, these praises were solely founded on my deep love and devotion to Hamilton and Puerto Rico. I never knew how much In the Heights would mean to me on a personal level.
Specifically, the show divulged details and more personal stories of immigrating to America. Rather than simply highlighting the characters’ immigration to the United States, the show discussed the ways in which immigration impacted its Latinx main characters in Washington Heights, New York. While it could be easy to get lost in a sea of characters, each character had a distinct voice and story to tell.
For instance, characters like Abuela Claudia, Mr. Rosario, Carla, and the Piragua Guy show what it means to have to leave one’s native land for better opportunities. These characters highlight some reasons as to why people immigrate to the U.S. Maybe their parents wanted to provide them with a better life and more opportunities. Maybe they even wanted a better life for themselves and their future families. Whatever the case may be, nothing is ever as clean, and crystal cut as it may seem. They left behind all they ever knew and loved for foreign unknown territory.
These characters did what they had to do to come to America. They left behind all they ever knew and loved for foreign and unknown territory. They only had the hopes of more opportunities and better chances—nothing was ever promised to them. It was not so much that these characters turned their backs on their homes. In fact, many of them constantly refer back to being home in the sun and enjoying their youthful pride and innocence. I am sure that there were many inclinations to go back home. However, the struggle between want and necessity is not always easy.
On the other hand, second generation immigrants like Usnavi, Nina, Vanessa, Benny, Sonny, and Carla show how powerful immigration can be on future generations. Of course, they were grateful for the opportunities afforded to them, it did not mean that they did not feel a gravitational pull toward their homelands and away from the barrio (Spanish for neighborhood).
Such could be further exemplified through Nina’s and Vanessa’s big dreams to leave the barrio and expand elsewhere in the U.S. These women were proud of their culture and their land, but they wanted to take advantage of all the opportunities America had to offer. Meanwhile, characters like Benny and Sonny have a strong urgency to rebuild and strengthen the barrio. They wanted to finish what was started by their families and make the barrio a great place for everyone to live. Even Carla is extremely poignant and effective. As a self proclaimed, “Chile-Domini-Curican” who mostly attributes herself as being from Queens, she stands as a testament to divided institutions of identity and continual love for one’s two homes. Usnavi, on the other hand, exemplifies dreams of returning to his homeland, the Dominican Republic. He showed what it meant to be so closely connected to one’s roots that staying in the barrio did not feel like an option anymore.
With all these competing values and dreams, it can become difficult to determine whose mindset is necessarily “the best.” However, I constantly found myself aligning with Usnavi and his struggle. Much like me, he grew up in America, but the love he had for his country unable to be tamed. Coming from a family of immigrants, it seems almost impossible and disrespectful to deny all aspects of one’s identity. Although I did not grow up in Puerto Rico, hearing my family’s stories and returning back home just makes Puerto Rico feel like a huge part of me. It is not something I want to escape or ever dream of doing so.
This does not dismiss the love I have for growing up with the privileges of the United States. After all, I know that very few people are afforded such a luxury. I would never take that or my family’s journey for granted. However, it does show me that the love I have for my country and the underlying desire to go back to the homeland is natural. If characters like Usnavi and even Abuela Claudia feel this way, is it wrong that I do too?
In turn, the show proved to me that my feelings were justified. The love one can have for different aspects of his/her identity and his/her country can ultimately impact his/her state of mind. Having different intersections of my identity, does not mean that one must ignore one for the other. Rather, it proves that one should love all aspects of their identity regardless.
Upon further inspection of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work, I have come to the conclusion that this is one of many common themes in he utilizes. He seems to be fascinated with identity, the love one has for their country, and legacies. While this list does not precisely go into as much depth as Miranda often does, it shows how important these concepts can be in daily life. They cannot be ignored or avoided because they are prevalent for variety of people.
One of the most impactful sentiments in the show is Abuela Claudia’s urgent need and desire to return home. Although Abuela Claudia ends up dying, her legacy was an extremely powerful force for the barrio and her loved ones. Usnavi still grapples with the decision to leave the barrio. He cannot ignore his love for his heritage and his home, the Dominican Republic. However, his love for his family and friends, especially his beloved Abuela Claudia, requires him to stay in the barrio.
Once he realizes the power of Abuela Claudia’s legacy, leaving is no longer an option. He owes it to his pre-successors to empower future generations. Thus, although he changes his plans, he is better for it. Rather than disregarding his love for his heritage, he recognizes that this is the exact reason he must stay.
Many characters constantly express worries and sentiments about feeling powerless. However, it is through their strength, courage, determination, and love, that they become powerful. There is power in loving all aspects of one’s identity. There is power in loving one’s heritage. There is power in loving oneself. Sometimes, it just takes a moment of reflection to see that.