Afrolatinas: From Periphery to Power and Possibility

History is written by the victors, the saying goes. Sad but true. How will history record the contributions of Afrolatinas? Though we paint a very visible and physical presence wherever we happen to be, our legacy has rarely been recorded in our own words. Traditionally, others have defined us in their own image, based upon their own world view. One major consequence of this situation has been the marginalization of Afrolatinas. Often the glue that has held the Black family together during times of crisis, often willing to sacrifice our own dreams and goals to give opportunities to those we love, often neglecting ourselves so that those around us can have a little more. Sometimes by choice, sometimes because we failed to value ourselves, sometimes out of a sense of obligation, we have taken a seat in the corner. Sadly, we've often been the ones left behind when those we've supported and uplifted have moved on, no longer appreciative or grateful of the assistance we've provided. How long will we continue to be the universal beast of burden?

Though we, ranging in skin tones from the deepest ebony and mahogany to mid cocoa and cinnamon, to tan, to red, to yellow, to white, and possessing all possible facial features and hair types, are distinctive in appearance, we are, nonetheless, rarely represented as being participants in the decision making that affects our lives and shapes our communities. There are no self identified Afrolatinas serving as heads of state in Latin America, there are few Afrolatinas placed in integral governmental positions in Latin America, few Afrolatinas serve as judges in our courts, few Afrolatinas are at the helm in science, industry or business nor do they hold many decision making positions in journalism or media. Even in the entertainment industry, the one arena in which Afrolatinas have some degree of recognition and should have some semblance of power, few Afrolatina entertainers control their own destinies. We don't own the production companies that produce the programs in which we star, we don't control the proceeds of the mega sell out concerts at which we perform, and we don't control the downstream income producing avenues that are brought about by our intellectual property. If all were as it should be, Celia Cruz would have ruled the world. (lol)

The modern world runs on money, power, and image. Yet we, in general, have little money, little power and increasingly diminished control over our public image, at least to the extent that our images are projected in the media. The popular image has us gyrating to a pulsating beat or receiving the public assistance needed to feed our 5 fatherless children. Powerful Black women are mocked. To some, Condolezza Rice, irrespective of all her accomplishments is inherently unqualified to be Secretary of State because she is a Black woman, lampooned as a monkey and Aunt Jemima around the world.

How do we influence the world in which we live in this type of environment? Do we start from scratch and build upon each success, do we rely upon government to carve out a special space for us and mandate that we have a seat at the decision making table, do we do nothing and let the doctrine of survival of the fittest work its magic, do we groom designated leaders and rely upon them to advance our interests, do we each work within our respective spheres of influence to be more visible and vocal as intelligent Afrolatinas, is the answer to be found in some combination of these options, or is there some other option?

The other issue is, unity. Are we unified enough to consolidate our resources, knowledge and energy to build a powerful platform from which to advance? Are we better off casting our lot with the existing power structure? Should we create a new power structure uniquely tailored to advance our interests? Do we have enough faith in each other to make a difference? While discusted at the disrespect leveled at the Secretary of State, few Black women have spoken out on Condolezza's behalf. This must change if we are to receive the respect we believe should be ours.


What is the answer, I don't honestly know. Only time will tell. As I tend to view the glass as half full rather than half empty, I am the eternal optimist. Rather than seeing the range of available options as too daunting to contemplate, I see the available options as providing a welcomed wide range of solutions. With so many options available, finding "the" answer is only a matter of time. Actually, there is no one answer. We each must examine our own circumstances and be proactive about selecting those solutions that best meet our needs. Given our reputation for being resourceful and resilient, we're generally better suited to a "go with the flow" approach to problem solving rather than to rely on a cookie cutter approach.

The most important factor in our future success is to understand clearly where we have been and why we don't want to stay there. We have seen the problems of the past and understand that stagnation will continue to render us invisible. It is for these reasons, that I believe in our promise of our future and have no doubt that the fog of invisibility will continue to evaporate.

Clearly, the tide has begun to turn. We have shaken the stifling legacies of the past. Afrolatinas are becoming increasingly more visible and vocal. In the United States, Black women, both Anglo and Latina, receive the highest levels of education in our communities, and can command competitive salaries. In Latin America, some nations, like Brasil, are starting to offer educational opportunities to historically excluded groups, like Afrolatinas. The blogosphere is brimming with Afrolatina voices. While others will continue to portray us as they deem appropriate, we now have the tools to counter lies with truth... at least the truth as WE see it. That's no small feat. We are victorious.

Brian Williams of NBC News is set to air a week long series of news casts on the state of the Black woman in the United States during the week of November 26. The series will cover, political, educational, economic and social advancements made by Black women. We're the guests of honor, so be sure to tune in. They're starting to take notice of our existence and are seeking our participation at center stage.

The future is full of bright possibilities. It is our job to seek them and grasp them when they arise, and with laser like focus, chart a new course AND to reach out to help other Afrolatinas.

Step back while I hammer the last nail in the coffin of the myth that Afrolatinas must be relegated to the periphery of life.

Raise your glass. HERE'S TO THE END OF INVISIBILITY!

Pelo Malo, Big Butts, Black Skin And All: Are Afro-Latina Women Beautiful?

The Miami Herald ran a series of articles over the summer on the emerging Afro-Latino population in the United States. The article that I found to be most enlightening was the one that was titled: "Black Denial". Focusing on the Dominican Republic, the article was refreshingly real, depressingly sad and shockingly uncomfortable, all at the same time. The piece addressed the gamut of racial issues in the Dominican Republic, from the myth of "pelo malo" (bad hair which was also described as "barrio looking" hair), to elegant hair(straight hair), to skin tone, etc. Catherine de la Rosa, a US born student of Dominican ancestry studying in the Dominican Republic, was quoted in the article as saying: " I always associated black with ugly. I was too dark and didn't have nice hair...with time passing, I see I'm not black. I'm Latina". Wow, what a shame that she doesn't know that the terms "Black" and "Latina" aren't mutually exclusive. But wait, there's more.

Dominicans interviewed for the article said that people shout insults at women who dare to wear natural hairstyles in public. Xiomara Fortuna said: "I can not take the bus because people pull my hair and stick combs in it... they ask me if just got out of prison. People just don't want that image to be seen." Dawn Stinchcomb, a Black researcher from the US, reported that people would shout insults at her in the street and that waiters at restaurants refused to serve her. She was quoted as saying:"I had people on the streets...yell at me to get out of the sun because I was already Black enough...I don't have a problem when people who don't look like me say hurtful things, but when its people who looked just like me?" Unbelievable. Maria Elena Polanca went on to add: "Look we have bad hair, bad. Nobody says 'curly'. It's bad... You can't go out like that. People will say 'Look at that nest! Someone light a match.'"

The efforts of Dominicans to rid their society of the blight of "bad hair" pervading the country is justified, some say, as a "necessary" step toward defending Dominican nationalism. Ginetta Candelario, a student at Smith College in Massachusetts was quoted as having said, in defending the cultural mandate that Dominican women possessing African spiraled hair alter their hair to make it "straight": "It's not self hate...Going through that is to love yourself a lot. That's someone saying, 'I am going to take care of me.' It's nationalist, it's affirmative and celebrating self." The article says that Ms. Candelario studies "the compexities of Dominican race and beauty." Apparently, Ms. Candelario has more studying to do, as she is clearly oblivious to the fact that if one has to alter who one is naturally to become more "acceptable" to others, one is too preoccupied with pleasing other people to be really focused on loving one's self. Are these Dominicans really comfortable with themselves? Or, are they in denial? It's interesting that Ms. Candelario believes that having African spiraled hair is an indication that Afro-Dominican women don't care for themselves. Now THAT is news.

Given the historical fact of Haitian rule of the Dominican side of the island of Hispanola in prior generations, it is somewhat understandable that some residue of Dominican animosity toward Haitians for abuses that may have occurred during Haitian rule remains in Dominican society. A smart and highly educated woman like Ms. Candelario should understand, however, the absurdity of attempting to cast anti-Black
racism in the Dominican Republic as necessary for the expression of "nationalistic" pride, all the while denying that self hate is at the root of the movement for Dominican nationalism. The Miami Herald did not buy it, and neither do I.

Why is it that the English and the French, who have a long history of national rivalry, never used their mutual whiteness as grounds for hating the other so as to prove their respective national pride? Similarly, why is it that the Japanese didn't justify attacks on the Chinese because the Chinese had the same eye lid folds that the Japanese themselves possessed, so as to assert national pride? And why is it that the neither the Indians nor the Pakistanis justified attacks on each other based on the Brown skin and straight black hair that they each possess? Frankly, I can't think of any ethnic group, other than those of African descent, that encourages its members to mock physical characteristics that they share with their enemies, when those enemies are also Black, as a way of showing "pride".

Other groups would never think to employ such ridiculous and non-sensical "logic" precisely because they DO have self pride. Moreover, they, as autonomous people, understand that by cannibalizing the physical characteristics inherent in their ethnic identity, they reveal a mental weakness that can be exploited by their enemies. Such weaknesses are easily identified by those who possess a great deal of self pride and will, utlimately, result in the defeat of the weak. Until this point is understood and embraced, the Black world will continue to sit at the feet of those who have and continue to exploit us. Is it really any surprise that the Chinese have descended upon Africa in the past decade? They are there because they have observed that much of Africa is weak and rutterless and therefore Africa's resources are ripe for their taking and exploitation. In my opinion the weakness sensed by the Chinese stems from the lack of self pride that resides in the being of many African leaders due to their having drunk the kool-aid filtered through the prism of colonial propaganda. Africa will only benefit from the bounty of the continent when its leaders learn this lesson. Afro-Latinos and Afro-descendants must learn this same lesson. We will only advance and prosper when we act out of pride rather than self hate and shame.

Obviously, Dominicans could, just as other nationalities have, find other grounds upon which to distinguish themselves from Haitians as a means of showing national pride, other than their mutual Blackness, IF they really wanted to. They haven't done so precisely because of anti-Black self hate among many Dominicans. I'm sorry Ms. Candelario, this is the reality, no matter how vehemently you deny it.
The calendar says 2007, but maybe its really only 1807.

Ok, strike one for any thought that Afro-Latinas can be beautiful, as we, according to the apparent consensus of the Dominican people, have "bad" hair.

The next allegation against the possibility of Afro-Latina beauty is that we, allegedly, ALL have big asses. According to a Dominican New Yorker named Ramona Hernandez, a big ass renders Afro-Latinas inherently "ugly". When asked by the Miami Herald if Black Dominican women are considered beautiful in Dominican culture, Ms. Hernandez is reported to have mocked the way Black Dominican women allegedly walk, by shuffling her feet accross her office floor, with her bent arms extended behind her back, in an attempt to mock Black women with large rear ends. She then is quoted in the article as having said: "You should see how they come in here with their big asses! They come in here thinking they are all that, and I think,'doesn't she know she's not really pretty?'"

Amazingly, Ms. Hernandez, pictured above (courtesy of the New York Times), continues to serve as the Director of the Dominican Studies Institute at City College of New York, despite numerous calls for her ouster following the publication of her comments, as alleged in the Miami Herald series. Ms. Hernandez, for her part, denies the charge that she is an anti-Black racist and claims that she was quoted out of context. Maybe she was quoted out of context, or maybe the Miami Herald got it right, I don't know, but I think her admission in the article that she would "never, never, never" attend a meeting at City College without first blow drying her naturally curly hair straight because she's "... a woman trying to look cute", speaks volumes. Upon observing Ms. Hernandez's picture, it is abundantly clear that she has absolutely NO African ancestry and does NOT "suffer" from pelo malo. I'm also sure that if we had a full length picture of her, she absolutely would NOT have a big ass.

Curiously, though, Jennifer Lopez, widely noted for having a large rear end, has not been deemed "ugly" because of the size of her posterior. As a matter of fact, irrespective of her big butt, Ms. Lopez is frequently noted for her beauty, both in the mainstream press and by the general public. I wonder if Ms. Hernandez considers Jennifer Lopez to be ugly? I Doubt it. Further, many rich and famous women flock to plastic surgeons to get butt implants. Apparently it's socially acceptable and beautiful for women to have big butts ONLY if they buy them AND ONLY if they are not Black. Once again, Black women are mocked for naturally possessing a physical characteristic that other women are willing to spend money to obtain. The Black woman's natural characteristic is "ugly", but the artificial imitation of that very characteristic, when co-opted by non-Blacks, is deemed beautiful in the non Black body. It's not just butts though, it's lips too. Full lips in Black women are ugly, but collagen injected lips on non-Black women are all the rage. Hairbraiding on Black women is "ghettoish", but on Bo Derek it magically morphed into beauty. Do you get it now Ms. Candelario?

Ok, strike two. Afro-Latinas can't be beautiful because we have big asses.

The next accusation against the idea of Afro-Latina beauty is that we have Black skin. According to Dominican Sergia Galvan, who was interviewed by the Miami Herald for the article: "There's tremendous resistance to blackness--black is something bad....Black is associated with dark, illegal, ugly, clandestine things. There is a prototype of beauty here and a lot of social pressure. There are schools where braids and natural hair are prohibited."


In the Miami Herald article, Ms. Galvan went on to note that though there were more Black complected Dominican women entering beauty contests, they never win. More and more Afro-Latinas are participating in beauty contests and not just in the Dominican Republic. Irrespective of whether you support the idea of women participating in beauty contests or not, the reality is that we do. In the past 30 years, several Latin American countries have even crowned Black complected women as their national representatives in international beauty pagents. In 1986 Deise Nunes was crowned Miss Brasil; in 1996, Monica Chala was crowned Miss Ecuador; in 1998, Carolina Indriago was crowned Miss Venezuela; in 2002, Vanessa Alexander Mendoza was crowned as Miss Colombia. 2002 also saw Black women crowned as Miss Puerto Rico, Miss Mexico, and that year, Erika Lizet Ramirez was crowned as Miss Honduras. In 1997, Italy named Dominican-Italian Denny Mendez as Miss Italy. Unfortunately, none of these women won the Miss Universe title, BUT they were visible as Black women from the Latin world. Apparently, the slander that Afro-Latinas aren't beautiful hasn't been embraced by all.

So, I guess, for some, that's strike three, Afro-Latinas can't be beautiful because we have Black skin. According to the Black haters, we as Afro-Latinas have completely struck out. They think we're beyond redemption.

All kidding aside, those who chose to believe the slander that Afro-Latinas are ugly, will never view us as beautiful, under any circumstance. Their ignorance does not, however, require that we, as Afro-Latinas, have to accept the lowly position they've designated for us at the back of the line, full of shame about our hair, our bodies and our skin color. We are beautiful because we value who we are. We are beautiful because we don't allow ourselves to be defined by those who despise us. And, we are beautiful because we walk with pride, with our backs straight and our heads held high. Too bad that many Afro-Dominicans,other Afro-Latinos, and many in the general public still haven't figured it out yet. Well, that's their loss.

Alessandra

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Why Afrolatina Alive?

Many people who define themselves as "Black", "African-American","Latino",Spanish" or "Hispanic" often question the use of the term Afro-Latino(a) by individuals who are both of African and Latino descent. Their demand is - CHOOSE. Essentially they are saying, "You can be with us or against us but you can't identify with BOTH of us." This is a strange demand, especially from those who live in the United States, the land where one is, allegedly, free to express one's self in whatever manner one chooses. Nonetheless, the Black and Latino advocates are usually adamant in their belief that our existence threatens their pursuit of "unity". Sadly, they've bought into the maniacal "them v. us" mentality that is all too common in the world today. The political/financial windfall available to the winner of the "biggest minority" label lottery is huge, so the stakes are high. In such an environment, there is no room for the ambiguity brought about by our advancement of the "hybrid" Afro-Latino(a) identity. This brewing Anglo-Black-Latino battle notwithstanding, if the amalgam of nations in the Americas are truly a melting pot, surely there has to be space in the pot for an Afro-Latino identity.

This "them vs. us" mentality did not evolve out of thin air. In the United States, the "one drop rule" required that anyone with any known and/or visible African ancestry be designated as Black. The goal was to isolate and oppress Africans. Brave battles were fought against this discrimination and, as a result, anyone with Black ancestry who attempts to identify as anything other than exclusively Black is accused of being "ashamed" of being Black. I always laugh when I encounter this "logic" because, central to the Afro-Latin identity is the term "Afro". How much more African focused can an identity be than one that incorporates the term "Afro"? If one is essentially identifying as "Afro", isn't one embracing the African aspect of one's identity?

The troubling aspect of what I'll call the "Black only" identity is that it creates a hierarchy of power where those who have the most power attempt to intimidate those with less power into denying certain aspects of their identity so that the identity of the powerful group reigns supreme. That minority groups allow themselves to fall into this trap even though they, themselves, have been victimized by it, is too sad for words. Stated differently, Blacks who identify solely as Black and demand that others do so as well make, the unilateral decision that the Latin connections of Afro-Latinos be hidden for the sake of "unity". Whatever hardships are experienced by those of whom the demand is made are ignored and/or dismissed as irrelevant to the "struggle".


What hardships are we talking about? Many Afro-Latinos speak limited English. Huge numbers of Afro-Latinos speak only Portuguese or Spanish. The Black unity movement, on the other hand, is largely conducted in English and led by English speakers in the US, Caribbean and Africa. How can those who don't speak English be included or even be heard if the important cultural reality of language is subsumed to the demands of the powerful, solely for the sake of "unity"? Similarly there are obvious cultural differences between Anglo-Blacks and Afro-Latinos. The two groups have historically had different religious practices, political views, and cultural practices. These views and practices are as dear to Afro-Latinos as they are to Anglo-Blacks. Anyone who believes that Afro-Latinos will, en masse, drop these aspects of their lives for the sake of being accepted by Anglo-Blacks is sadly mistaken. Frankly, such a demand should never be made as it smacks of haughty disrespect/hubris.


In contrast, ethnic identity in Latin America often demands the denial of one's African lineage. As a consequence, Hispanic/Latin unity advocates demand that Afro-Latinos get on board, without rocking the boat (ie by emphasizing the African aspect of their identity). A further consequence of the Hispanic/Latin "unity" model is that if Afro-Latinos agree to these demands we, invariably, will find ourselves literally in the margins as the "Euro" Latinos grasp all the power available to Latinos as the most populous minority group in the United States. Generally speaking, Euro Latinos (and those who identify as Euro Latinos) are the most visible, educated, and vocal segment of the Latino population. Can they be depended upon to speak up for Afro-Latinos, history tells us that the answer is a resounding NO. Control of the Latino community by Euros is the norm in the US and is replicated uniformly throughout Latin America. For example, Afro identity in Argentina is so hidden that the myth that there are no people of African descent in Argentina is widely held. The Argentinian government does little to dispel this myth. Similarly, people in the Dominican Republic who are of African descent have been convinced by those that govern them that they have no connection to Blacks or Africa even though their mirrors reveal the undeniable truth to them every day. All in an effort to promote pro-Dominican nationalism against the Black Haitian "hordes". Further, people of Black descent in Brasil willingly discriminate against other people of Black descent in Brasil simply because the former group has a fraction more of the colonizer's blood flowing through their veins than does the latter.

Latin America has practically driven itself schizophrenic in its frantic attempt to deny and ignore its African connections. The marginalization of Afro-Latinos throughout Latin America has enabled and empowered the Black deniers. If we have any hope of remaining relevant, viable and visible we must remain vigilant and vocal about identifying as Afro-Latinos. Irrespective of how badly those of us in the US have it, most Afro-Latinos in Latin America have it worse. We have a responsibility to use our education and access to the media to speak out against the abuses that are being levelled against Afro-Latinos as well as attempts to keep us marginalized and excluded.


Those who speak out against the assertion of an Afro-Latino identity do so at great cost to Afro-Latinos in the Caribbean, the US and Latin America. It is precisely because of the incessant denial of the Afro-Latino reality that the descendants of Africans in Latin America and the Caribbean have not attained the same political and social advancements of Anglo-Blacks in the US. Jim Crow laws created an unintended consequence, the discrimination faced by Anglo-Blacks was written in black and white and was undeniable. This gave US Blacks an avenue through which to challenge the discrimination we encountered. Generally speaking and with few exceptions, Latin American countries did not enact such laws. The lack of such legalized discrimination has hampered the advancement of Afro-Latinos because official entities can more easily deny that any problem exists. Inasmuch as nothing was written in black and white, these governments can claim that any discrimination is limited to individuals and does not have the stamp of government approval. Without such laws and the inevitable intermarriage of Euro and Afro and Indigenous Latinos, the presence of Afro-Latinos becomes easier to deny and the value/contributions of Afro-Latinos become easier to de-emphasize and to ultimately, ignore, such that those who are most visibly African become isolated, excluded and marginalized.


Clearly, the tensions that exist between Blacks and Latinos in the US are palpable and without careful treading, will become exacerbated as their relative population percentages shift. Unless Afro-Latinos become vocal and visible about our unique concerns and issues, we run the risk of becoming a casualty of the battle, ultimately required to assimilate and to choose, "them v. us". Inasmuch as we are not exclusively Black, nor exclusively Latino, we must be allowed to embrace both aspects of who we are without apology, rebuke or shame. If allowed to embrace the entirety of our identity, we are uniquely positioned to bridge the widening gap between the Black and Latino communities in the US.


So, I return to the original question, why call this blog Afro-Latina Alive? It is necessary to do so to prevent our marginalization. People who are alive have voices. Autonomous people with voices give expression to those voices so as to protect their interests and identity. Calling this blog Afro-Latina Alive underscores the point that we are alive, have a voice, are autonomous and have interests that need to be expressed and protected.


It is my hope that this Blog will be a positive step toward the improved awareness of the Afro-Latino(a) reality, and a channel through with the Afro-Latina voice can gain expression.


Alessandra