Two young Cuban women became the stars of social media after posting a reel on Instagram in which they humorously and ironically satirize the codes of ostentation and appearance that, according to them, govern the social life of Cubans in Miami.
Yanessa García posted the video on Monday alongside her friend @i_am_jlopez, whom she thanks in the description for "getting her up to speed in her new city." The reel, presented as "survival lessons in Miami," has garnered thousands of views and hundreds of comments.
In the video, one of the young women plays the role of a mentor who explains the "must-know points" for fitting in with the city to the newcomer.
The first one: to live in Brickell, specifically in the building "El Páramo," regardless of the cost. "Even if you have not a dime left at the end of the month, you have to live there," the tutor says with complete comedic seriousness.
The second point demands you drive a Mercedes. "To live in Miami, you absolutely must have a Mercedes. It doesn't matter what year it is, but it has to be a Mercedes," he states, clarifying that a Hyundai, for example, is completely out of the question.
The third point discusses branded clothing: “All the clothes you wear have to have a brand. Balenciaga, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, whatever it is. Even if it's fake, it doesn't matter." The solution she offers is a reseller of imitations: "I have a girl who has all those little items that come from China. They look just like the originals."
The list continues with a Hermès bag in blue, orange, or red as a must-have accessory, and a name chain made of moissanite—synthetic stone—that should be publicly presented as "natural diamonds." "If you see him with a gun, run. Run, girl, or you’re going to be in big trouble," she warns jokingly, referring to the devices that verify the authenticity of the stones.
The following points include red-soled shoes—a direct reference to Louboutin—with mandatory photos of the soles for Instagram stories, and visits to trendy restaurants where, if money is tight, simply ordering a dessert will suffice. "You take a picture of the menu, the dish, and the utensils and post it to your Instagram story," explains the mentor.
The reaction in the comments was overwhelmingly complicit: “I’ve been in Miami for 17 years and I don’t qualify in any way.” Another user summed up the message of the video with a straightforward phrase: “In the end, life in Miami is about appearances.” And another added: “It may be a joke, but it’s true.”
From Tampa, a user expressed gratitude for not living in Miami: "With the peace I have in Tampa, where I take my daughter to school in my pajamas, there's no way I'm moving there, especially with that list."
Several followers requested a second part of the video. "We need to make part 2 and part 3, because a ton of things were missed," wrote one, while another user suggested an "item 8" not included in the original: "finding a boyfriend with a Urus," referring to Lamborghini's luxury SUV.
Although disguised as a joke, the video addresses a sensitive topic: how in some societies it has become customary to live by appearances.
Filed under: