Love island: can you match these islanders with their heritage?

This newsletter contains spoilers

July 16, 2025 • Read in 2 minutes

Dear Hyphenly Readers,

SPOILER  ALERT: Love Island season 7 is over, and the big winner was Amaya Papaya (Amaya Espinal.) This season was filled with drama and emotions, but most importantly, it featured a very diverse cast!

Behind challenges, kisses, and recouplings are rich cultural roots that shaped who they are. Let’s see how well you know where those Love Island stars come from!

Amaya Papaya, winner of this season, is from New York City, but do you know more about her roots?

Can you guess which Caribbean island her family is originally from?

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Chelley didn’t make it to the finale with Ace, but her heritage from the first free Black republic was central to her journey.

What’s her cultural background?

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She grew up in North Carolina and is proud of her heritage, which traces back to one of the oldest civilizations in the Middle East.

What’s Huda’s ethnicity?

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Her home state is Arizona. Cierra’s roots are rooted in both the Caribbean and Latin America.(Cierra was removed from the island a few weeks ago after resurfaced social media posts of her using racially insensitive slurs)

Can you guess her background?

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Talking about love, check out the last episode of Love-ly: Love-ly Letters: Burn Bright, Fade Fast

This newsletter was curated by Laïny.

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Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.