Strong Latina characters occupy the fictional prison world in the Netflix show "Orange Is the New Black", opening a door onto Latino culture that no TV show has opened before.

The website Vox.com points this out:

"One of the rare slivers of a reflection that non-white people and more specifically, non-white women, have is Netflix's Orange Is the New Black, whose second season is just out. More so than last season, the show focused on Litchfield's Latina clan: from the salty and business-like Gloria Mendoza (Sylenis Leyva) to the Smiths-loving Flaca (Jackie Cruz) to the bank-robbing Rosa (Barbara Rosenblat/Stephanie Andjar). And in doing so, has garnered praise for portraying the Latino American experience in a more thoughtful way than what we've seen in the past."

The Latina story lines on the show are mainly solid, with just a few not-so-hot exceptions.

A hot story line that could blossom, and still developing, involves the deep friendship between the hipster character Flaca, played by Cruz and her best friend Martiza, played by Diane Guerrero.

They two share at least one deep affectionate moment in the second season of OITNB that may hint at one of the underlying themes in the show which addresses intimacy and the bonds women form while they are in prison.

Story lines that are maybe not so hot and stereotypical involve the love triangle between Dayanara 'Daya' Diaz (played by Dascha Polanco) and the two correctional officers who have claimed their love for her. The storyline pulls viewers through the troubling life of a pregnant prisoner who deals with violence and unfit conditions at every turn of her pregnancy.

The family bond between Diaz and her mother, Aleida, played by Elizabeth Rodriguez is also troubling in that the drama it creates doesn't portray Latino families at their finest. As Latina.com noted,"[Aleida's] not-so-motherly ways and her drug-dealing boyfriend are what got this chica incarcerated. When her daughter (Daya) lands in prison too, Aleida shows zero compassion."

That mother and daughter struggle plays out even more in season two, along with repeated extortion attempts on the future father of Aleida's grandchild.

Blanca Flores, played by Laura Gomez, is perhaps also among the not-so-hot story lines for Latinas in the show. Lacking a back story, the character is hollow, yet commands attention for her off-kilter tics and superstitions. She's full of dread and humor. Flores is a character that once given a full backstory, could become a more stand-out character. 

Bank robber, Rosa, played mainly by Barbara Rosenblat in her current prison state, really commanded the screen during her season two character arc, when viewers saw her bank robber past. Lovely and vivacious with a wicked appetite for guns, money and bank robber boyfriends in her past life, the show contrasts her past and present. She goes from wild robber to cancer victim. While the closing moments of season two included a raucous ending to Rosa's prison stint, it's easy to see this character is closing in on the end of the line.

Finally, the story of Sylenis Leyva, portrayed by Gloria Mendoza is easily one of the strongest on OITNB. As a leader who commands respect, can cook great comida Latina, but also shows wisdom, with the ability to use Santeria to help others, Leyva is a good example of a strong Latina character with an interesting story arc. 

Season three of the show is currently shooting and fans can expect further exploration into the lives of the these Latina characters.