Fundraiser Friday: Support ‘The Enye (ñ) Experience,’ a Deep Dive Into Latino Identity

By Akiba Solomon Feb 12, 2016

Growing up in the suburbs of Manhattan, Puerto Rican filmmaker Denise Soler Cox felt caught between two worlds. "I was confused about my identity," says the entrepreneur and speaker in a Kickstarter video about "The Enye (ñ) Experience." "I didn’t feel Puerto Rican enough for my Puerto Rican family, and at the same time I didn’t fit into the mainstream American culture." 

Cox says she felt very much alone living "in between"—a place she calls "the ñ"—until she realized that millions of other Latinos in the United States were experiencing the same pull but not daring to talk about it. 

To break that silence, Cox interviewed 70 Latino activists, actors, authors, TV hosts and journalists, among others for "The Enye (ñ) Experience." Edwin Torres, author of the classic "Carlito’s Way" appears in the 37-minute film as does Luis Guzmán, the Puerto Rican film and TV star who calls his "ñ experience" interview one of the most powerful moments of his life.

Cox is seeking to raise $27,000 by Saturday, February 20 on Kickstarter, to pay for music, animation and color correction. At press time (February 12), she’s at $4,392. Anything that Cox raises beyond her goal will go toward distributing the film to high schools around the country. 

Says Cox: "What I’ve learned through these conversations is that in an effort to assimilate to our American sides, many of us ñ’s unknowingly forfeit a cultural connection in exchange for being able to fit in."

"The Enye (ñ) Experience" could go a long way toward restoring—or even creating—those connections.

Learn more about and donate to "The Enye (ñ) Experience" here.