Still don’t regret signing up for On The JLo and whatever it is that Jennifer Lopez will do eventually with my email. Because when a new installment of her newsletter arrives in my inbox, I can’t open it quickly enough – since we know, from experience, that she delivers!
We’ll get to On The JLo in a minute, let’s talk about her performance at the LA Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala on Thursday. The “exclusive concert” was announced back in April and she was seen a few times heading to the studio to rehearse last week. Emme was with her – and now we know why, as Emme joined her onstage for part of her set. Here’s how JLo made the introduction:
HOW CUTTEEE pic.twitter.com/4vddKhqqmf
— Lexie ðŸ‘‘â™¥ï¸ (@ghouldenghoul) June 18, 2022
And here are a few clips from their duet:
ðŒð¨ðð¡ðžð«-ðƒðšð®ð ð¡ððžð« 🫶🽠@JLo pic.twitter.com/I3X3DtQfQe
— Patricia (@Patrix_Queens) June 17, 2022
@christinathesupermom #jlo #dodgersfoundation #jenniferlopez #emmemuniz #bluediamondgala #jloandemme
♬ original sound - ChristinaTheSupermom
I cried all weekend watching these videos. Because of the look on Emme’s face. Let’s be perfectly clear – they are 14 years old, and I don’t care who your mother is, if a 14 year old doesn’t want to be somewhere, they won’t be there. Emme is there because Emme feels right being there. You can see it on their face. Emme felt seen. You can see that Emme felt seen and LOVED, so loved, and supported, supported for exactly who they are by the person who raised them. That would be JLo, who normalised this moment, together with her child, on a big stage.
She is not the first, this is not new ground necessarily, but I can tell you from personal experience, from people who are near and dear to me with similar parenting experiences, who are loving their children for exactly who they are, that this was monumental to them – because they’re feeling seen too. Here is one of the most feminine-perceived superstars in the world, sharing her life with a child who has the space to engage with their identity in their own way…because at home, clearly, it’s only been acceptance full-stop.
Attached – JLo and Emme were seen visiting Ben Affleck at work on the set of his Nike movie the day after the Dodgers gala. Ben was actually there backstage and we know this because she posted a tribute to him for Father’s Day on her social accounts.
Midway through that video, there’s a shot of Ben hugging JLo and Emme, and you can see how excited he is for them, he kisses them on the forehead first before animatedly telling them, obviously, how great they were up on stage.
There’s more of this in the new issue of On The JLo. JLo pays tribute to her father first and includes a video montage of some of their highlights together. Then she honours her “fiancé” who she praises as a “consistent, loving and selfless father” both to his own children but also “without obligation” to her own. And then she goes into her camera roll and gives us a video of Ben and Emme together, campaigning for a cat. It was a successful partnership – Hendrix is now a member of the family. And below pictures of Hendrix with Max, there’s another image of Ben with JLo and Emme from the Dodgers gala and Ben beaming proudly at Emme after their big night.
Yes, we’ve all lovingly laughed at JLo for how much she loves love…but this example of love? If there’s any laughing it’s pure joy and only celebration. There is still much work to be done, there are still too many people held back from the life and love that’s waiting for them because of ignorance and hate. But there is progress. Emme isn’t alone. There are other kids like Emme who are growing up to be exactly who they’re meant to be, embraced by their people, loved unconditionally by their families, whose experiences have been beautiful – as they should be! This is the force of good that can’t be stopped.