As with any cultural movement, there are also challenges and controversies surrounding the concept of bilatinmen. Some critics argue that the term is too broad or that it represents a form of "performative" identity politics. Others have raised concerns about cultural appropriation and the exploitation of Latin American culture.
At dusk, Omar led a procession down the length of the corridor. They walked slowly, carrying lanterns that trembled like fireflies. Each person set down a candle in a glass jar along the path, a row of tiny, guardable lights. A child placed her candle next to a plaque that read, simply: "For the land that keeps us." They walked until the lanterns formed a ribbon of light under a sky that was the color of washed denim. bilatinmen 2021