15 and Latina: Hailey’s Quinceañera (audio)

Antonia Cereijido (LatinoUSA.org, 12/22/17); Crystal Quintero, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly

I wish I had one, German-Mexican

Every girl dreams of a party, her party, a party that's all about her. In Latin American cultures, it's possible to get such a day. And there's no need to wait for a wedding. It's called the quinceañera, turning the Big 15, a rite of passage from childhood to youth and almost an adult. And if that fails there's always a chance for the Sweet Sixteen. Either way it's party time. 

• My 15th: The fiesta de quince años (also fiesta de quinceañera, quince años, quince) is a celebration of a girl's 15th birthday. It has its cultural roots in Latin America but is widely celebrated today throughout the Americas. The female being celebrated is the quinceañera (/kin-seh-nyeh-rah/, "15-year-old"). In Spanish, it's the girl. In English, primarily in the US, the term is used (mostly by non-Latinos) to refer to the celebrations associated with the birthday, such as when the male or female dance with the 15-year-old and entertain the crowd. This birthday is celebrated as it marks the transition out of childhood to youth. In the past, parallel customs could be found in the Iberian Peninsula and France. Today, the custom remains strongest in Mexico. More

Girl, meet world! You're 15, post pubescent, no longer a child, not yet a woman (W).

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We have German cotillions, Mr. Presidente.

Latino USA (NPR) takes a deep dive into one of the most iconic Latin traditions, particularly among Chicano/as: la quinceañera.

Follow the journey of one quinceañera -- Hailey Alexis from Whittier, Los Angeles, California -- as she plans for her big day.

Meet the self-proclaimed “Quince Lord” (a for-profit videographer) and family friends who are debating whether they will have expensive quinces for their daughters.

Attend one of the biggest quince expos on the East Coast. Explore how the quinceañera is seen as a status symbol, a form of female empowerment, a statement about Latin identity, and a really fun party. More