Love & Hip Hop regular Amara La Negra is no stranger to the side glances and microaggressions that come with having dark skin. The singer, entertainer and Afro-Latina is proud of her heritage that is, except for the racism thats still present within the Latinx community.

A deep-rooted history of colorism and slavery contributed to a culture in which Latinx people are still discriminated against by members of their own community, even as they are made up of many different colors, shapes and sizes.

Growing up, my mom used to always tell me that, because of the color of my skin, I would always have to work twice as hard to be recognized for my work, Amara told HuffPost in an interview. It wasnt until I got older that I realized and understood what she meant by it.

The singers mother is from the Dominican Republic and immigrated through the Mexican border to the United States in search of a better life. Inspired by the journey her mother took to get here, Amara, born Diana Danelys De Los Santos, has spent her career fighting for Black and Latinx representation.