Finding Healing and Connection Through Humor: Aida Rodriguez on Storytelling and Identity
aida Rodriguez’s journey of unpacking and healing from childhood traumas ultimately led to the publication of her memoir, Legitimate Kid. This process ignited a powerful realization: the importance of owning and sharing one’s story, especially in the face of societal dismissal. “It made me realize how much our stories matter, and we shouldn’t belittle them as white america is telling us they don’t matter,” Rodriguez explains. This conviction has become a driving force in her work.
Rodriguez discovered that humor, specifically jokes about her family, neighborhood, and challenging experiences, fostered a sense of connection with audiences. This relatability proved crucial to her own healing. “It was seeing that I wasn’t alone and that there are others who also didn’t grow up having their fathers in their lives,” she shares. The ability to find pride in her origins and process past pain was amplified by the shared experiences of her audience, even when addressing sensitive topics like her relationship with her mother. “Performing and having people heal through my words contributes to my own healing.”
As a Latina, Rodriguez initially faced internal conflict regarding sharing personal family narratives, given the cultural emphasis on privacy. However, she prioritized respect and transparency, ensuring her family approved every joke before it was shared on stage.She was particularly mindful of portraying her mother and daughter responsibly,acknowledging the prevalence of sexism and misogyny within their community and the potential for harmful misinterpretations.
Rodriguez also addresses the pressures faced by comedians of colour to conform to certain expectations. She recalls criticism suggesting that comedy focusing on experiences with poverty or neighborhood life wasn’t “elevated.” she resisted this pressure, asserting the validity of representing her reality. “Some of our relatives are hood. some of our relatives did behave a certain way, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” she states, emphasizing that such experiences aren’t exclusive to any one group.
Ultimately, rodriguez believes comedy serves as a powerful unifying force. “Comedy brings us all together. There’s a connective tissue there, especially in a community with so much diversity,” she explains. She points to the success of comedians like George Lopez, whose relatable stories resonated across cultures.”comedy also works as a universal language…it has this connective tissue. comedy connects people of all backgrounds and walks of life through laughter.”
(Interview conducted by Johanna Ferreira, Content Director for POPSUGAR Juntos. Ferreira has over 10 years of experience focusing on intersectional identities within Latine culture, and has previously worked at HipLatina and contributed to publications including Refinery29 and O Magazine.)