By Dafne Hernandez ’20, Arts and Entertainment Writer

People loved that the NFL finally represented Latinx culture at this year’s Super Bowl, by having two of the most talented female performers of Latinx descent, J-Lo and Shakira, headline the show. Latino communities saw people who shared their stories and struggles sing and dance on the Super Bowl stage. But what many did not notice was that a sensitive topic prevalent in today’s Latino communities was depicted on screen: immigration. 

During J-Lo’s performance of “Let’s Get Loud” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA,” the camera showed children wearing white sweatshirts with the USA flag, children sitting inside what appeared to be metal cages, and behind the stage a projection of a large fence. Was this a political statement from J-Lo against the separation of families at the Southern border and the nation’s debate on immigration, or was this a simple artistic coincidence? J-Lo herself revealed that the imagery was intentional. She said on Instagram: “Other people can try to build walls, keep us or put us in cages. We are proud to recognize that all of us together are what makes this beautiful country truly great.” 

Throughout her performance, J-Lo praised her cultural identity. She wore a feathery cape that showed the stars and stripes of the USA flag on one side and the Puerto Rican flag on the other, and sang her famous hit “Let’s Get Loud” with Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.” Shakira did the same, as she referenced African and Arab culture while dancing and singing to her famous hit “Waka-Waka”  and “Hips Don’t Lie.” Their performance, alongside guest stars such as Colombian singer, J-Balvin and Puerto Rican singer, Bad Bunny, represented the diversity that exists in America in a span of 14 minutes and 21 seconds. However, this diversity is, according to J-Lo, being attacked and minimized by President Trump and his immigration policy. Children are being detained at the border, separated from their families, and entering foster care and government custody, while their parents enter jail as criminals or face deportation. This is the horror that J-Lo wanted to highlight on stage during her Super Bowl performance, as Erika Andiola, the chief advocacy officer at RACIES, states in a Newsweek article: “What these folks have done is create that space for the NFL to want to be more representative and these artists actually took the opportunity to have some political statement.” J-Lo and Shakira used the Super Bowl as an opportunity to praise diversity, celebrate unity, and admire acceptance among all living in the United States during a time in which diversity is being forgotten and fought against. 

After the performance, there were many tweets and posts of joy for seeing such a powerful message, but there were also long tweets and posts criticizing J-Lo for the choice of spreading such a message through the imagery of children in “cages.” Many believed that the Super Bowl halftime show should not be a source of political conversation, but should instead be a performance free of controversy. This is not the first time football has been in the spotlight for controversy, cue video of Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem at the 49er’s game on September 1^st, 2016.

American football is no longer a simple game played between two teams, but has become a stage, literally, on which political opinions about America are shared and heard.