Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales have been named the winners of Love Island USA Season 7! The duo not only made a connection on the island, but won over the hearts of viewers on the most popular show of the summer, earning them the top prize. This win has also made history as Amaya and Bryan are the first latino couple to win Love Island USA, marking a significant milestone for the show.
At this moment in history where the latino community as a whole has been villainized by the current administration and in the media, it feels poignant that Love Island fans across America have voted Amaya and Bryan’s love story worthy of the show’s top prize. While Amaya and Bryan will be splitting the show’s $100,000 grand prize, it isn’t just about the money. Seeing a beautiful relationship budding on screen between two latinos has been a refreshing contrast to the media coverage of our community as of late. For many of us, watching a heartwarming tale in the midst of so much heartbreak has been a needed respite.
For weeks, viewers watched as Amaya struggled to be understood by the men who were coupled up with her. We saw her authenticity shine as she was vulnerable with her emotions, openly crying and wearing her heart on her sleeve. She consistently advocated for herself and knew her worth, even when it seemed like those who were partnered up with her did not. Amaya never settled and in last night’s finale, she urged us to do the same. Not to mention the fact that she casually dropped the hottest song of the summer from the house.
Viewers also witnessed the pivotal moment where Bryan stood up for Amaya against Ace, Austin and Zac when no one else would, proving that he understood her as a person and related to her with their shared cultural background as latinos. Amaya Papaya would no longer be left feeling alone in Fiji as she had not only won over the hearts of the audience at large, but of Bryan as well.
Amaya had become a fan favorite on the show long before the shift in her relationship with Bryan, but their pairing marked a turning point in the show. One full of hope, both for Amaya and for the show’s fans who got to see genuine relationships bloom late in the season not only between Amaya and Bryan, but between runners up, Nic and Olandria as well.
It is as our Love Island Poet Amaya said in last night’s finale, “There is always someone out there who is gonna love you for you.”
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