Don’t Mess With A Latina – Natali Del Conte

Don’t Mess With A Latina

Michael Arrington was nice enough to cover my Univision news on TechCrunch this morning. As soon as I read his coverage, I knew that the people who post in the TechCrunch forums might be nasty because that is often the very nature of the TechCrunch forums. Having worked for Michael, I know this first hand. I promised myself not to read the forum comments but that proved to be as impossible as trying to drive passed a car accident without looking.

I feel like the people who commented on this post are trying to assert that I am not Latina enough to make videos for Univision. I usually don’t respond to that kind of negativity but the Latina in me cannot keep quiet so I am about to prove myself to be a true Puerto Rican woman and have a little fit. I am usually reserved and polite but this is my mother’s sangre running through me so please bare with me. Here it goes:

Most of the people posting nasty comments on TechCrunch probably don’t even speak Spanish. True, Spanish is my second language, not my first and it skipped a generation. My grandparents opted not to teach my mother Spanish so my sister and I had to teach ourselves. My grammar is solid and the professionals at Univision think my accent is acceptable. This is also my first time in front of a camera speaking Spanish so inevitably it will improve. The point is that I am trying something new and challenging. If I could improve my accent, I would but why is it an issue? You don’t see people criticizing Om for his Indian accent in English on The GigaOm Show. It is unfair, rude, unwelcomed, and frankly sexist. When I wrote for TechCrunch in 2006 I was criticized for being a woman. Now I’m not Hispanic enough? Would this audience be more comfortable if I wore an apron and made a video of myself cooking Puerto Rican pasteles and arroz con gandules? Would that be authentic enough? If we were all as lambasted for trying something new, the Web culture that we know and love would cease to exist! I don’t think I am perfect and I do think that I have room to improve. But I am proud of my first efforts and so are the Hispanohablantes that I care about, namely my editor at Univision and my brother-in-law Juan. The rest of you should steer clear of me today.

Okay, nice Natali is back. That did feel good though. Chale!

This entry was written by Natali, posted on March 17, 2008 at 5:26 pm, filed under Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
  • Well put. If Univision and its audience likes you, who cares what the TC commenters think?
  • Luis
    Yes, you are prefect for the job!! But the accent is strange, but if you have some troubles with that there are a lot of people to help you.
    I'm from México and I Iunderstood everything.
    Buena Suerte y Sigue asi!!
    :)
  • Eduardo
    Eche, seguro! Adelante Nats!
  • If you surf through the Spanish-sepaking web, you will notice it is full of Internet trolls and people that complain about everything when they can't even write in Spanish properly.

    So never mind Natali, I am from Spain and I can tell your Spanish is more than acceptable. Although you sound a little nervous in this one, I suppose you're not very used to this speaking to the camera in Spanish, I hope you will gain comfort as you shoot more episodes.

    Keep up the good work! And I repeat, you sound really good speaking Spanish! It's nice to hear you in my native language!
  • Jeff in NYC
    Although I'm not Hispanic or Latino, I've been around enough Spanish through good friends, coworkers, and just being a New Yorker all my life to know when Spanish is being spoken well and clearly. You sounded fine to me...

    People who post critical ads are way too hateful or harsh at times, failing to see the point of having a tech news broadcast spoken in Spanish well secondary to how it's delivered. There will always be haters and people who find any reason to criticize. Nah, don't listen to TechCrunch posters, listen to your cool fans.

    Chin up! You did a great job for your first entirely-Spanish episode.
  • Bill M
    I agree with Kyle. Don't let the trolls get you down.

    -b
  • David in L.A.
    Hands down that was the cutest bit of Spanish speaking tech news (or preview of) that I have ever heard.

    It takes major ovaries for someone who doesn't speak it as a first language to all of a sudden start reporting in that language.

    Gracias bella!
  • HR
    Dust it off.

    Most people are reading this in their all male office or upset that they never dated a Hispanic woman before.

    They aren't your audience.
    Don't feed the trolls.
  • Natalie,
    I have to admit that I became very angry when I heard your report about how some people left unkind comments about you in the TC Forums.

    First, as I said in my comment on your announcement of the Univision show, you are to be applauded for your decision to offer a Spanish language tech news. Very few people are presenting the depth, insight, and high production values of the show that you are producing.

    Second, yes, even though I speak very little Spanish, I could tell that you were nervous. That is to be expected when you are doing something about which you obviously care a great deal. Just as you were nervous in the early episodes of TeXtra and quickly improved, I have no doubt that you will gain more confidence as you produce more episodes. You will make an already strong product even better.

    Third, as an African American working in the predominately white Information Technology industry, I understand how it feels to have your ethnicity questioned. I sometimes want to throw a "Yo, wussup, youknowwhatImsayin" every now and then, but I know that is pandering to the lowest common denominator. Don't let these trolls bring you down to their level. You are too much of a lady for that. The best response to sass is class, and the best revenge is success.

    Keep your head up,

    Anjuan
  • Michael Biddulph
    Natali,

    So one must speak perfect Spanish if one is to speak Spanish at all...is that their point?

    You also speak english as well, is there a "perfect" way to speak english? You would speak it differently from me as we are from different parts of the world, so who speaks it "better"? Maybe the English speak it better?

    I am sure anyone could go after the "Spanish Critics" for the way they speak English as not being perfect, but they seem to think they can criticise you for your "accent".

    I think the whole thing is sad and pathetic and I don't understand how people can be that way. Who doesn't speak any language without some sort of accent?

    Anyway, I love your work and thoroughly "Loaded" four times a week. Keep up the great work and don't stop doing what you do.

    Michael
  • Marco
    I think theres not much left to say than... Keep up the god work! :) As i have mentioned earlier in previous post's... You are a Pro and you do your job with absolute perfection! (not to say looking ubber gorgeous ;) )

    Keep it up!
  • I'm from Macedonia so I didn't understand a word from the show. I can't tell you if your accent is good, but the decision of making Loaded on another language you know well is great no matter what people say, keep it up, you'll become better.
  • Continua adelante Natali-
  • Hi Natali,
    As an Italian American I am only jealous at the effort and great skill you seem to have put into learning Spanish. I checked out the univision (gringo here says unee-vision ;-)) posting and thought it was excellent admittedly I only understood a handful of words. Great work on the Loaded C|Net TV program, its a staple on my iPhone.

    Have you considered microblogging (Twitter) or other viral video work too such as Qik.com? It might seem low tech to the high-production quality of Loaded but theses venues are my only tech-web 2.0 experiences these days.

    --Trifster
  • David S. from Venezuela
    No hagas caso de los comentarios negativos. Hay que ser una persona muy inteligente para poder hablar dos idiomas. Felicidades por tu show Loaded el cual soy fiel seguidor. Bye... :-)
  • Arturo
    Buen trabajo, el acento puede mejorar con el tiempo y practica, en general me gusto verte hablando español.

    Saludos.
  • sunsnapper
    Keep up the good work.

    Natali on Univision: ¡Del Uno!
    Natali for free on Univision: ¡Una Ganga!
  • I ought to try gandules.
  • Chris
    I think what you are doing for the Latino Community is great. As someone who was raised like you and learned Spanish on their own, I find what was said on TechCrunch insulting. You're doing a great job. Keep it up!
  • Dongwook, Kwon
    Hey, Natalie.
    I'm your big fan from Korea.
    I didn't know you can speak Spanish.
    Wow, so can I expect Korean version too.
    I don't mind North or South Korean but I wish it's one of it.

    Anyway, You look so beautiful. Thanks for good news all the time.
  • Haters will always hate. That's what they do. You're branching out and trying new things, and you should certainly be proud of that. Needless to say, don't mind these idiots. Always remember that you are Natali Del Conte: Bad Ass Boricua!
  • I know that sites like Reddit and Jyte give people a thrashing over bad grammar and spelling, unless English isn't the person's native language. Then I'm amazed they can communicate at all since I'm hopeless outside of English.
  • Sam R
    Natali dont listen to what those people in the TechCrunch forums say about you. You do an amazing job in everything that you do. You dont need to defend your latinaness. You are you and thats all you can be. If they dont like you or "accept" you that is their problem not yours. You didnt need to defend yourself but you did a great job of it. Keep up the great work and keep trying new things, its the only way we grow as people.
  • Reiner
    Natali,

    There will be always be haters. Whether you're a man or woman, or black/white/brown. I give you major props for doing something that has never been done before. It introduces a whole new group of people information that they probably wouldn't have received before. I do agree with your comment towards the TC forum people. No one should mess with someones passion and livelihood.

    You should still continue to read the comments on the TC forums. It will give you more fuel to do an even better job, because at the end of the day it's what we think of ourselves not what people think of us.
  • Chris
    Though my opinions of heavy forum users (with constant negative undertones in their posts) is a bit generalized and probably not polite to express, I suppose it coincides with their opinions toward your Technologia video so... I suppose it's warranted.

    I feel that the internet is the cold fusion to power people's passions, when all we had before was a non-rechargeable battery. It provides the creatives out there with a blank canvas, the entrepreneurs with low-overhead opportunity, the performers with a 24/7 stage, and the haters with a mask to hide behind. It is so easy to be a hater, especially when you don't need to meet the bully you're harassing on the basketball courts at 4 pm after you say your ridiculous piece. Natali, we all know you look sweet but have that latina fuego inside you! With online forums, the haters don't need to show up to face the fire and say it to your face. It's so easy for them and yet so sad they relish in it.

    I say it's tough for you since you're on-camera, showing your face when negative people watch you from behind their firewalls and screen-names. What they write is stuff they wouldn't have the cojones to say to your face, so I think it's safe for you to always discount any negative forum comments you happen to stumble upon (or seek in your case, ha).

    I think you have enough people that adore you to let a few whiny losers slide. I've been a fan at CNET for a long time and work at CNET with you (in SF), and was really happy to hear that you joined a couple months ago. I watch Loaded everyday -- keep up the good work! =)
  • Dennis
    Hey man don't think anything of it. I'm sure if any of these people met you in person they wouldn't have a spine to confront you on anything or a leg to stand on about any of the schlop they would shovel your way.

    BTW if you are making pasteles...I'm there...you can talk whatever way you wanna, just as long as there's pasteles. Actually...if you were speaking Spanish and serving pasteles...I'd pass out from how awesome that would be. Come on you have to admit...even when a Spanish woman is angry it just sounds rediculously sexy. But toss in yummy food and its like heaven hahaha

    And by the way...I was actually proud of you for saying NAWK-E-AH instead of NO-KEY-AH...my bro's ex works at Nokia and is Finnish(I was corrected over and over believe me) and I was impressed that you had it right...what a shame you are giving that up ;)
  • Tim
    I'm glad you posted this. I try to stay out of most forums as a general rule as in general they are a pretty negative place.

    That's rediculous that they would say you're not latina enough. I'm curious if they would have had that problem if it was an 'all-american' girl that had no latin blood in her doing it? I doubt it.

    I think you're great at what you do and would never want to be on the receiving end of the Nasty-Natali! :-)
  • Anibal
    Have to say I agree with you. Not Latina enough is alot of bullsh!t. Sounds like you just have alot of haters that would kill to be in your shoes, but don't have the education or courage to do it so they hate on those that can. I'm PR myself and I can't speak spanish the best, but others can understand me just fine. Keep doing you and brush off the haters.
  • Marvin
    That rant was hawt. lol =P
  • Robert
    I personally thought your Spanish sounded good,i did notice voice sounding higher speaking Spanish,then English. If I were you I would just forget the jealous people of tech crunch,and just move forward in your new
    career and enjoy it. Robert
  • USCEngineer
    Smart. Beautiful. Loves Tech. Speaks Spanish.

    I am in love. Te amo!

    Will you marry me?
  • USCEngineer
    I forgot to add USC grad :)
  • Jon Gabriel
    Good for you, Natali! I haven't seen you on Univision yet. I will have to check it out.

    Keep up with the good work - I love Loaded and your insightful commentary that you have after each story.
  • Gavacho
    Your fans are right; most of your detractors do that sort of thing as an extention of their negative lives. One even went so far as to say they should give him a show so he can learn Swahili! For him I say, "get a couple degrees" (I read your about), "get several years experience in reporting in various venues," (I've seen you here and there) "and then wait for someone to ASK you to do a show in Swahili. Oh, you don't speak any Swahili? Why am I not surprised?"
    Keep up the good work. No need to tell you, I know you will.
    I used to work in a room with seven Hispanics from various origins and learned to 'understand' spoken spanish; still can't speak it very well and I had no real trouble with your report. You'll get to a point where it will flow easier and the 'accent' will fade and your detractors will still be jerks.
    Forgive an old man, but I do have to agree that, in addition to being an able reporter and video presence, you are very attractive.
    Enjoy your day!
  • I'm liking Nasty Natali (with or without apron) ;-) It's about time reasonable human beings communicated to the sexists and misogynists in the tech community that their behaviour - both on-line and in public places - is unacceptable.
  • Omar F Rodriguez
    I add myself to those who think that you did a great job, dont let this get on to you, you can improve, so what? big deal, that leaves room for self improvement, nobody begins running without falling first.
    Take Care and good luck, i was TexTra viewe BTW, now i watch Loaded
  • Wow!!! Nice changes to your website! Well, while reading my rss feeds, I noticed you got real nueva-yorican giving trolls a peace of your mind. Good! First you take over NYC,get east-coast chic and then start broadcasting in espanol? Way to grow!!!
  • Roberto Chiuz
    All I can say is whatever. >=\ There will always be people out there that are looking to say something bad. To quote The All-American Rejects song, "when all you got to keep is strong Move along, move along like I know ya do" ^-^

    Best of Lucky!
  • Natali,

    you did a great job challenging yourself, don't listen the ones that are always criticizing: you'll never be ok for them.

    Just think about yourself, your editor and, most of all, your audience that supports and loves you.

    Best,

    Francesco
  • shadyrocker
    Seriously...I strongly advice not messing with a Latina like you!! My teacher used to tell me that when elephant walks, 20 dogs might bark behind him/her but it doesn't look behind. So you keep up the good work...let the dogs bark...I suggest doing billion better things in life than thinking about those 20 dogs...
    cheers
    best luck..
  • Rey
    I think ur badazz no matter what language you speak! Remember that for every one little critic there is out there, you'll always have us, the gazillion fans that think ur way cool.
  • Natali, don't worry about those stupid comments.

    Think of it on the positive side: there's no such thing as bad comments. Having no comments would be worse...it means nobody reads you.

    But anyways, don't let those people change your mood.

    Love from Mexico.
  • Arcangel
    Hey, Natali. While you don't have the accent of a native speaker, that in no way inhibits the confidence you give off in reporting technology, so ignore them and keep up the good work and hope you feel welcome in NYC with the rest of us New Yorkers.
  • your loaded show is great. your rant is hardcore and real. don't apologize to cowards.
  • moe j
    Natali, te deso lo mejor en Univison; yo se que el publico hispano te va apreciar por tu talento y dedicacion en tu medio.
    cuidate mucho y te deso nada mas y menos que excito.
  • As a full-fledged ABC living in the Bay Area - Okay, so I'm also an Ethnic Studies major - I definitely understand your frustrations at the whole notion of "passing." In a word, it's ridiculous. It's never fair and it doesn't often add value to any one thing even if something does "pass." Jessica Alba's been a hot topic of "What's Latina?" before, and reading her responses made me actually interested in her personality for the first time.

    Do whatchoo gotta do. I don't speak Mandarin, but the rest of the world will always see me as some sort of Asian anyway, so who cares?

    ...Good blog. I just found you today. :)
  • Allen
    Well, I don't speak Spanish, but the words out of the language that I do understand, I was able to pick up perfectly when you spoke. You're doing an awesome job, and as you said, you will improve over time. Cheers to that!

    Allen
  • Christian
    Puertorriqueño aquí!

    Sincerely, I'm very proud to see a "boricua" progressing on the US.

    Good Luck!
  • It's easy to criticize when nobody can see you. Those of you who can present a show better post links to your shows.........(total silence).

    Speak Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Irish we don't care but don't stop because of some halfwit in his moms basement who is scared to talk to more than one person.
  • Blue Gomez
    Natali, as a former Puerto Rican Revolutionary and supporter of the Latina's struggle in this society, I must give you all the props in the world, as well as the respect that you have earn in a machismo tech industry. I have never written or twitted you but am a fan since you were with Textra. You really stunned me with representing Boricua's all over. I am in California and constantly get mixed into the Hispanic thing. First let me tell you that the word Hispanic was made up by The J.Walter Thompson Group of Media Agencies that wanted to exploit the Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Latin American, and all Latinos to have us buy American products and lose our culture. So don't buy into that BS Hispanic stuff. You are and always be a Boricua Hasta La Muerte! Don't let the Techies in the suits try to bring you into that bag. Keep up the great work, and if you have any spare time pick up the book "We The Puerto Rican People" a story of oppression, as well as "Palante" the story of The Young Lord's Party. While you are in New York catch up with Pablo Guzman with WCBS check out his journalist approach to current events in the Puerto Rican Culture. Also he was a Former Young Lord's Party Co-Founder.

    Sabor Siempre, con carino.

    Blue Gomez
  • Carlos
    The problem that you've encountered is obviously due to ignorance. Americans hold such a unipolar and skewed view of the world that at times it is no wonder that the rest of the world thinks so negatively of US. It should be remembered that all people in the AMERICAS, except the Native Americans, are "non-authentic" ethnicities in the sense that they are an evolution of some other culture that emigrated into the Americas at some point in time. No one seems to question a Non-Hispanic White who claims German ancestry a fraud for not speaking German! Personally, as a Hispanic male I would feel blessed to be able to introduce such an intelligent and beautiful Latin woman to MAMA. Please continue being the prime example of what a true Latin beauty is. But of course you never needed a man's opinion any way!
  • Natali,
    First Off - like Katt Williams Says "Haters will hate, so let the Haters Hate! There JOB is to HATE" ... so your goal is more haters because that means your Growing & Becoming more! You stepped out and you are following your Dreams. The nay-sayers of this world always sit on the sidelines of life and run a muck.

    You are a refreshing bright spot in the Latin Community. You are a true example of Class, Intelligence, Beauty, and Passion.

    Keep Being YOU.

    God Speed,
    MateO
  • Carlos
    I think your show at univision is great...

    I am a latino and I watched your show Textra and now I notice you have a show on CNET.
    Being honest I'm very glad to know that you're making a show for latin people living in the U.S.

    Te deseo lo mejor en tu show en Univision y lo veré como veo loaded!!! Mucho éxito. Y sí, tu acento es aceptable, con el tiempo lo mejorarás y sonarás bien chévere!

    Carlos
  • Rico
    Keep doing your thing,we will always support you in anything you do.Don't mind those people cause they don't matter and those who matter don't mind, you know what i mean.
  • Damn... despues de un año es que leo este post. No sabia que eras Puertorriqueña y la verdad, me emocione bastante al saberlo porque yo tambien lo soy! No se si aun tienes tu programa en univision.com, pero por lo menos he seguido Loaded desde el principio y te felicito por el buen trabajo que has hecho. Keep the good work!
  • marcantoine
    You are my favorite Tech reporter because of the enthusiasm you convey when you speak. I don't speak a lick of Spanish, I'm actually French but it takes some guts to report in a second language where maybe you feel you do not have all the nuances, inflections, etc down pat. The more you do it, the better you get. Many people won't even try to speak a second language publicly if they don't feel 100% comfortable with it. I think the fact you are doing it says a lot about your willingness to learn and expand your knowledge and experience base. Forget about the haters and the jealous types. Don't even waste your breath on them again. They probably sit at home in their basements and never venture into a new restaurant, never mind learn a new language, or travel to another country. So what if its not your first language and it "skipped" a generation. I'm sure you will master it soon enough!
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