Afro-Latino. A term that seems to be sprouting up like the rose that grew from the concrete now more than ever.
I went to an event last night held by Columbia University that was all about being Afro-Latino in the Americas and how this affects us as adults and how it affects our children. Although the forum was focused more on how to teach this term and how to discuss this part history to students in a classroom setting, it did spark many questions and discussions when the floor was opened to the attendees.
One girl, from the teachers program @ Columbia, expressed that she couldn’t wrap her mind around the notion that Latinos can be racist. I nearly fell off my chair. It is sad, but it is true. Latinos can be racist within themselves and even within their own families. And I am sure as it was mentioned in last nights forum, that it all dates back to the ideals of what “pretty” or what “the best” was during times of colonialism.
What is more sad is that what our parents learned (if they were born in the “native land”) was taught to us in one way or the other and most of our generation continues to live in a box that doesn’t want to neither accept our African roots nor identify with it on a basic level. I understand that Afro-Latino is a loaded term that can cause an ocean of emotions to turn into a tsunami.
But it does not change the fact that we need to discuss this. I was aware of this term but have never really looked into it, until now. I think now I am ready to sit my mother down and attempt to have this conversation. Lets talk about why it is that people in Dominican Republic say “Tienes que ayudar a la raza” (you have to help better the race). Even if said in the context of a joke, I don’t find that funny. Or why is it that if you are dating someone who is black or Afro-Latino but has Anglo features, they say “ES UN(A) MORENO(A) FINO(A)” (He’s black but he has fine features). What bothers me more is that these are comments coming from people with caramel skin, button noses and wide lips.
What is the issue? Makes me upset. But at last, ignorance is a choice at this age. And I choose to learn rather than to live in this box filled with stereotypes, assumptions, and inherited hatred from the slave trade. I want to look into linguistics, hypo-descent, colonialism etc etc. I know my children will be quite colorful on the outside and I want them to be fully aware of their backgrounds.
Someone in the room said : HOW COULD YOU BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE, IF YOU’RE ASHAMED OF WHERE YOU’RE FROM.
I say the same.
The second part of the forum brought to us a performance by a group of people who had not played together in the past and they were so AMAZING. They played and explained instruments like the congas, el subidor, el buleador etc. they discussed bomba plena in Cuba vs. Puerto Rico.
At one point this woman got up and started to dance and with the shake of her hips and tick of her shoulders she told the drum what to play. It was simply AWESOMETASTIC. After their mini history lessons on the Orishas (a whole other subject I want to explore) and their wonderful songs; I felt as if my soul had been cleansed. It’s the only way to explain it. I kept imagining myself on an island at night dressed in white, hair wild and loose with fireflies lighting the way.
I love culture. Cultura. History. Herstory. OURstory.
Learning.
FanStar.
I went to an event last night held by Columbia University that was all about being Afro-Latino in the Americas and how this affects us as adults and how it affects our children. Although the forum was focused more on how to teach this term and how to discuss this part history to students in a classroom setting, it did spark many questions and discussions when the floor was opened to the attendees.
One girl, from the teachers program @ Columbia, expressed that she couldn’t wrap her mind around the notion that Latinos can be racist. I nearly fell off my chair. It is sad, but it is true. Latinos can be racist within themselves and even within their own families. And I am sure as it was mentioned in last nights forum, that it all dates back to the ideals of what “pretty” or what “the best” was during times of colonialism.
What is more sad is that what our parents learned (if they were born in the “native land”) was taught to us in one way or the other and most of our generation continues to live in a box that doesn’t want to neither accept our African roots nor identify with it on a basic level. I understand that Afro-Latino is a loaded term that can cause an ocean of emotions to turn into a tsunami.
But it does not change the fact that we need to discuss this. I was aware of this term but have never really looked into it, until now. I think now I am ready to sit my mother down and attempt to have this conversation. Lets talk about why it is that people in Dominican Republic say “Tienes que ayudar a la raza” (you have to help better the race). Even if said in the context of a joke, I don’t find that funny. Or why is it that if you are dating someone who is black or Afro-Latino but has Anglo features, they say “ES UN(A) MORENO(A) FINO(A)” (He’s black but he has fine features). What bothers me more is that these are comments coming from people with caramel skin, button noses and wide lips.
What is the issue? Makes me upset. But at last, ignorance is a choice at this age. And I choose to learn rather than to live in this box filled with stereotypes, assumptions, and inherited hatred from the slave trade. I want to look into linguistics, hypo-descent, colonialism etc etc. I know my children will be quite colorful on the outside and I want them to be fully aware of their backgrounds.
Someone in the room said : HOW COULD YOU BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE, IF YOU’RE ASHAMED OF WHERE YOU’RE FROM.
I say the same.
The second part of the forum brought to us a performance by a group of people who had not played together in the past and they were so AMAZING. They played and explained instruments like the congas, el subidor, el buleador etc. they discussed bomba plena in Cuba vs. Puerto Rico.
At one point this woman got up and started to dance and with the shake of her hips and tick of her shoulders she told the drum what to play. It was simply AWESOMETASTIC. After their mini history lessons on the Orishas (a whole other subject I want to explore) and their wonderful songs; I felt as if my soul had been cleansed. It’s the only way to explain it. I kept imagining myself on an island at night dressed in white, hair wild and loose with fireflies lighting the way.
I love culture. Cultura. History. Herstory. OURstory.
Learning.
FanStar.
