La Llorona's origins date to precolonial indigenous cultures. She is said to have been a celebrated goddess of fertility who was worshiped by the Aztecs. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived, however, they sought to suppress the native religions and turned La Llorona into a symbol of sin and punishment. Her legend has been passed down for generations and has taken on many variations over time, from a ghostly figure to a vengeful spirit preying on children who wander too close to the water's edge. The figure appears in literature, film, music, and pop culture media.

Weeping Women: La Llorona in Modern Latina and Chicana Lore is an illustrated mixed-genre anthology that brings together poets, researchers, artists, and storytellers from diverse backgrounds to examine the figure's literal and metaphorical influence. La Llorona continues to be a popular legend in Latin America, but one in need of greater study in order to fully understand her cultural influence and importance.