Shakira in the U.S.

I teach citizenship and English classes to mostly Latino immigrants. Your article [“The Cross-Back-Over Success of Shakira,” Oct. 29] demonstrates that despite the misconception that one has to “sell out” in order to assimilate and become part of the great American fabric, this is not necessary. Shakira is a great example of how to be real and adopt another culture. Being able to compete in the mainstream will only benefit our community. People like Shakira are helping us more than any novella or local Spanish newscast. I am proudly bilingual, yet unless more educated Latinos participate in the mainstream, we will remain in the shadows.

JUAN CARLOS ZAVALA

Irvine

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I think it could be said that Shakira did not sell out in a major way -- she maintained the quality of her music. But she had to sell out as an artist and as a woman many times, it seems, especially when it comes to her videos. I like her sexy image, but it was not managed in good taste. Maybe that’s how it is in show business, but it’s not fair toward real musicians like Shakira that they need to crawl in the mud to succeed.

VEDRAN CATOVIC

Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina

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GEEZ, what gibberish. I love Shakira. Her success was and is due to the marvelous movement of her body (which happens to be multilingual), her wonderful looks and the vulnerability of her voice. None of which appears in your pseudo-cerebral analysis.

BUD PRAGER

Los Angeles