In honor of Black History Month, we decided to tackle a subject that comes up again and again in our community; the issue of racism. It has long caused controversy among Latinos, and it’s important to illuminate what it really means to be Afro-Latina. We will shine a spotlight on some beautiful Afro-Latinas in the process.
Wondering what the term "Afro-Latina" means? Miriam Muley, an Afro-Puerto Rican and CEO of The 85% Niche, says being Afro-Latina is, "Not just defined by skin color, because the Afro-Latino experience is such a mixture of different ethnicities. I see being an Afro-Latina as someone whose roots are primarily of African descendant." On the question of racism Muley adds, "There’s an undercurrent of racism, there’s no question about that. There is definitely a ranking that occurs in our community based on skin tone, as well as our hair type and our facial features."
Kafayat Aromashodu, of Nigerian and Honduran descent, also highlights the difficulty of finding acceptance, "People don't really know how to act. Around fellow Latinos, you're seen as the morenita. Around Blacks, you are seen as 'The one who speaks Spanish'. I am raising my children with the understanding of both of our rich cultures. Latin-America and Africa are not different, they go hand in hand."
We've noticed, in our efforts to make the magazine and website as diverse and representative of the whole Latina experience as possible, how truly difficult it is to find prominent Afro-Latina actresses and models to grace our covers and fashion shoots. In that spirit, we gathered a group of notable Afro-Latinas who have made inspiring contributions to our community.
Be sure to check it out below and let us know: What do you think about racism in our community? Have you ever been discriminated against because of your facial features, skin tone or hair type?
by Mariela Rosario
Celia Cruz (October 21, 1925 – July 16, 2003)
This Havana born singer and entertainer also known as "La guarachera de Cuba" is the undisputed Queen of Salsa. Hands down one of the most iconic Latina performers ever, in 1987 she received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ¡Azucar!
Ricky Martin (ricky_martin):
Eva Longoria (EvaLongoria):
Receive Latina.com Updates Instantly!
Personally, I DO NOT like being called Afro-Latina and mostly because I am not Afro-Latina. My Latina roots are indigenous but people still assume the dark skin is the product of Africa and not Brazil. Yes, I am VERY proud of the African heritage I have but I do not want that to downplay my Latinoness. I feel like the term Afro-Latino makes someone with brown skin that much less Latin and it sucks because we already are underrepresented by movies and such. It's somewhat easier for someone blonde and Latina to be Hispanic than for someone with brown skin to be considered 100% Latina, even if that's what we are. I thank God everyday for my African genes and the culture, food and music that comes from it( hey, how do you think Salsa, Bachata and Samba and etc were made?!) but that doesn't take away from the fact that I am 100% Latina and proud. Also, thank you Latina magazine for showing Latinas of ALL colors. You saved my sanity !
Be yourself, sister! You are gorgeous, however you identify yourself. Beauty comes in all colors-Thank God for that!
This is nice post which I was awaiting for such an artice and I have gained some useful information from this site. Thanks for sharing this information..
liksusblog
I personally think the term Afro-Latina is a very beautiful term and I think that many Latinas and Blacks need to realize that we all have African blood running through our veins. I have many Dominican friends who refuse to recognize this. I think it's very sad, but this was the mindset that we were told to embrace--all people of the world. If you are white, then you are right. If you are black, you better stay back. What we can do is learn about all cultures and embrace them all. People mistake me for being a Latina all the time. I do not criticize them, I just smile and tell them that the chance of that is huge given the fact that Africans were shipped all over the world. People, let's not continue the cycle of hatred. Learn about all cultures and realize that we all have something in common.
There is a long history behind Dominicans not recognizing their blackness; it has a lot to do with an old dictator Trujillo who told Dominicans that if they have one drop of black or indigenous (so-called Indian) blood, they cannot be black. I've heard of cases where black Dominicans has Taino Indian on their passports to denote their race. The black race has been given a bad rap all over the African diaspora, but too many Dominicans got the worst of it.
====================================
African American - Latino World
http://ahorasecreto.blogspot.com/2010/05/afro-latinos.html
I happen to be an Afro-Latina & I love the term.
I'm Dominican-African American & my parents have always taught me to be proud of both cultures. I really feel like the very fact that Latina magazine has acknowledge this topic is great! It is not a negative thing and it is something to embrace.
support;
Hosting Murah Indonesia Indositehost.com | Blogger Indonesia dukung internet aman, sehat & manfaat |start sharing not selling | . thanks for share it
Why do so many Latinos deny that there is racism in their respective communities and home countries? Here in the U.S., a black Cuban told me that he does not watch Spanish-speaking television because they discriminate against black Spanish-speakers. Look at Latina Magazine. How many Latinas of African, Asian, or Indigenous ancestry are pictured in its publications? From my personal travels to Latin American countries, I noticed blatant racial discrimination against blacks, indigenous, and Asian people. My blog posts, below, goes into greater detail.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Racism-Latin American style
http://ahorasecreto.blogspot.com/2010/05/racism-latin-american-style.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Perú: Traveling While Black
http://ahorasecreto.blogspot.com/2010/05/traveling-while-black-tumbes-pe...
Hey, its good to see that over time people are still putting a lot of effort into determining their roots and working to preserve their cultures. As the post title says, black is beautiful and people should be aware of that. Thanks for the article and keep up the hard work! Venapro
This is really an awesome article. I agreed with the author thoughts. Beauty lies in the beholder eyes. Color doesn't matter at all. Thanks for this lovely article. WoW Game Card
know that black Latinas have it hard because everyone thinks they should act a certain way and when they don't people think they are betraying their culture because they assume Latinas cannot be black.
videos
indir
Post new comment