Dascha Polanco has quickly gained popularity from the hit Netflix show, Orange Is The New Black, but like most actresses, she’s struggled to get where she is today. Except in her case, she was told to hide her Afro-Latina features because she doesn’t look black or Latina–that’s because she’s Dominican.
“We have to be ‘Fake Latinas.’” Polanco told Vivala. “And here’s the thing about ‘Fake Latinas’—when you look at Latinas who are succeeding in Hollywood, they’re super thin and you really can’t tell if she’s Latina or not.”
Polanco is always sharing positive messages about embracing your body and who you are. She is a full-figured woman and she’s not afraid of showing skin. “To tell you the truth, when I first arrived at New York Fashion Week wearing a tight bodysuit that completely revealed my thighs, I was a little nervous,” Polanco wrote for TODAY. “I kept on covering myself up with my jacket and I just didn’t feel ready. There was no pool there, no beach… So shouldn’t I cover up?”
