#afro latino history

[mannyblacque]

Source: Aranivah | Links

[enchanted-moura]

Every time October arrives, Peruvians tend to eat the popular nougat . This culinary tradition originated thanks to Josefa Marmanillo , also known as 'Doña Pepa' , since the origin of this delicious Peruvian dessert is attributed to her .

In the month of the Lord of Miracles , the character of Marmanillo becomes more relevant, because she is considered the creator of one of the most famous customs of October. In that sense, we tell you who this emblematic personality was.

Josefa Marmanillo lived in the Cañete valley at the end of the 18th century. During her life, she was enslaved and, for several years, she worked on the cotton farms and during this time she excelled in confectionery, since she also used to sell sweets in the streets.

Upon reaching a certain age, she suffered from paralysis of her arms, which caused her to be released. Another version reports that, in reality, this character suffered a severe blow to the back during a day's work on a cotton farm.

In 1800, he moved to Lima to attend the procession of the image of Cristo Moreno. During his participation, he decided to approach the image and ask for his health. Thus, after his return to Cañete, he was able to recover the mobility of his arms.

-Larepublica.pe

[forthosebefore]

Are there Black dialects of Spanish?

Some people got a surprising result after taking an MIT dialect quiz. It was meant to guess what U.S. dialect the test taker spoke and the person's native language. As results started coming in, many Spanish speakers saw their English dialect had been marked as “U.S. Black Vernacular/Ebonics”

But what's the connection between speaking Spanish and U.S. Black Vernacular?

In the United States, dialects spoken by African Americans are sometimes referred to as Black English, African American Vernacular English, or even Ebonics. Though the terms have had different levels of popularity, having a specific name at all has given African Americans the ability to reclaim their language practices as a joyous part of their identity. 

But much less common are terms and discussions about Blackness and Black language beyond English. If Black English dialects exist, are there also Black forms of other languages due to colonization? For example, are there Black Spanishes and Black Portugueses, too? Read more here.

Source: Are there Black dialects of Spanish? by Aris M. Clemons

Visit www.attawellsummer.com/forthosebefore to learn more about Black history.

Need a freelance graphic designer or illustrator? Send me an email.

[iloveethnicities]

Humility and modesty are essential elements of Afro-Mexican culture, deeply woven into daily conduct, social norms, and traditions. The Afro-Mexican community, largely concentrated in the Costa Chica regions of Guerrero and Oaxaca, as well as parts of Veracruz, has a rich history shaped by African, Indigenous, and Spanish influences. This unique cultural mix has cultivated values that emphasize humility, respect for community, and a sense of interconnectedness with others and nature.

Humility in Afro-Mexican culture often revolves around the principle of “collectivism” over “individualism,” which means prioritizing the needs of the community or family over self-centered pursuits. In Afro-Mexican communities, this value is reflected in how people interact with one another, placing collective welfare above individual gain. This focus on the community manifests in social events, daily interactions, and the division of resources. Afro-Mexicans are known for sharing what little they may have, as generosity and care for one’s neighbor are considered part of being humble and grounded.

Additionally, Afro-Mexican humility is deeply rooted in the ancestral African customs passed down through generations, such as the practice of acknowledging one’s limitations and showing respect toward those who have more experience or wisdom, often elders. There’s a widespread understanding that one should approach life without pride or arrogance, instead valuing one’s contributions as part of a greater whole. This worldview influences not only individual conduct but also the approach to work, social hierarchy, and even personal achievements.

Modesty is another deeply embedded value within Afro-Mexican culture, affecting both personal presentation and interpersonal relationships. Afro-Mexicans often demonstrate modesty in various aspects of life, including dress, speech, and behavior. Traditional attire in Afro-Mexican communities is modest and functional, with clothing that reflects respect for one’s culture and avoids drawing unnecessary attention. While brightly colored garments are sometimes worn for special occasions, they are also connected to celebrations of cultural identity and are viewed as expressions of cultural pride rather than personal display.

Modesty is also evident in language and communication style. Afro-Mexicans are often cautious about boasting or claiming superior knowledge in social settings, instead fostering an environment of humility and openness. A cultural expectation exists that individuals should not elevate themselves above others, as this can be seen as disrespectful. Even in the case of personal achievements, Afro-Mexicans may avoid publicly emphasizing their successes to prevent appearing arrogant. For example, if someone excels in a skill or talent, they might acknowledge it with gratitude rather than boasting about their abilities, in line with the community’s preference for modest conduct.

Afro-Mexican festivals and celebrations, such as the annual Dance of the Devils (Danza de los Diablos), reveal the integration of humility and modesty into communal expressions of culture. This traditional dance, which honors African ancestors, shows how individual and collective roles blend in Afro-Mexican celebrations. Performers in the Dance of the Devils wear costumes and masks that obscure their personal identities, emphasizing the collective over the individual. This anonymity allows the participants to express their cultural heritage without seeking personal recognition, underscoring a shared legacy rather than an individual performance.

In this context, humility is not only a personal virtue but also a collective ethos. Participants show reverence to their ancestors, celebrating them with a sense of devotion and respect rather than using the event as a platform for personal gain. The humility in these ceremonies is further demonstrated through gratitude and respect toward both the ancestors and the community, with participants recognizing their place in a long continuum of cultural heritage and values.

Respecting and honoring elders is a central aspect of Afro-Mexican humility and modesty. Afro-Mexican culture places high importance on listening to elders and valuing their wisdom, as they are viewed as the keepers of cultural traditions, folklore, and family history. Younger generations are taught to show humility in the presence of elders by listening attentively, addressing them with respect, and considering their counsel as invaluable. This modesty in deferring to elders reflects a deep respect for experience, which is rooted in the African traditions carried through generations in Afro-Mexican communities.

In many Afro-Mexican households, it is common to observe rituals of respect when interacting with older family members, such as avoiding direct eye contact as a sign of humility and speaking in gentle tones. There is also a shared expectation that elders should receive preferential treatment in social settings, such as during meals or community events, where they are often served first. These behaviors demonstrate both humility and modesty, as younger individuals are encouraged to take a step back and allow their elders to have a prominent place in the family and community.

Religious beliefs in Afro-Mexican communities are also tied to humility and modesty, especially in regions where Catholicism, African spirituality, and Indigenous beliefs converge. Many Afro-Mexicans are devout Catholics, and their approach to faith often includes practices that emphasize humility, such as attending mass regularly, participating in communal prayers, and observing traditional saints’ days without the extravagance that might be seen in other settings. Religious observance is usually approached with reverence, modesty, and a focus on honoring God or spiritual beings rather than oneself.

Additionally, in some communities, African-inspired spiritual practices still hold significance, such as the belief in ancestral spirits. These practices emphasize humility by encouraging individuals to maintain a respectful and modest relationship with the spiritual world. Offerings to ancestors, for example, are made in a spirit of gratitude rather than for personal gain, and humility is seen as essential in connecting with these spirits. This reverence extends to how people approach nature, often seen as sacred or as an extension of the ancestral world, further instilling a sense of humility in daily actions.

While Afro-Mexican communities face challenges such as economic hardship, migration, and social marginalization, humility and modesty remain crucial to cultural preservation. Afro-Mexicans often view these values as protective measures, enabling the community to stay resilient and unified. Many Afro-Mexican organizations today advocate for cultural pride while emphasizing humility, as they believe that these values are central to community cohesion and identity.

Younger Afro-Mexicans who migrate to urban areas, where individualism may be more pronounced, often struggle with maintaining these values in environments that prioritize personal success and recognition. Nonetheless, Afro-Mexican communities actively work to pass down these traditions through family education, festivals, and community gatherings, reinforcing the importance of humility and modesty as intrinsic cultural values.

Humility and modesty are not just personal virtues in Afro-Mexican culture; they are foundational pillars that support social harmony, cultural preservation, and spiritual connection. These values manifest in a variety of ways, from daily conduct to community celebrations and intergenerational relationships, reinforcing a shared sense of responsibility and respect. Despite external challenges, Afro-Mexicans continue to uphold these values as core aspects of their identity, seeing them as essential to their cultural legacy and collective well-being.

[sanyu-thewitch05]

I feel so sorry for the Afro-Dominicans because when I tell you some non-black Latinos and Dominicans fight to say Afro-Dominicans don’t exist.

[tredawakandan]

These are some old ideas I had for some books when I thought about making them once upon a time(non are real books, at least not at the moment 🤔)

-Book would go into the deliberate Whitewashing of American Indian images that includes proof via drawings, photographs and laws... Analysis would discuss how changing features would lessen the general depiction of what an Indian was.

-Book would dive into what makes a person Indigenous, Aboriginal etc.. Dwelling into what place does blood have to do in the conversation as well.. Does blood make someone Indigenous purely or are there other things to consider in the conversation. This book would go into the topic I've gone over dozens of times before. This topic being the changing of a peoples appearance historically especially more recent history.

-This book would accurately go in depth to the two groups of people who populated the Americas prior to European expansion.. These Two groups being the Siberian/Asian Tribes that migrated and the Dark/Black Tribes who were described to be similar in appearance to Melanesians/Africans .. Lots of Quotes,Drawings , Culture Break Downs would appear in this one.

-This book would be a more simple book that could be understood by younger readers or readers who generally love pictures. It would include not only pictures but simple descriptions from Explorers to use as evidence in support of the Dark Skinned indigenous that dwelled here..

This last book would be similar to the last book. In this piece we would explore the different rulers of both South & North America and the different downfalls they experienced. As I've shown before simple Europeans coming over did not conquer the America's.. Infighting among other things were all at play

[blackownersseekingsuccess]

The Resurgence of Cult Jam: Why Their Comeback Is Worth Celebrating

by Levi Wise Kenneth Catoe Jr.

Step back in time with me to the 1980s, when New York City's art scene was bursting with vibrancy and color. From the underground Hip Hop culture to the iconic Paradise Garage and Funhouse, the city was a haven for creatives of all kinds. Whether you were into New Wave, CBGB's Punk Rock, Graffiti art, or Breakdancing in Times Square, NYC was the place to be.

Amid all this creative energy emerged the musical group that would take the city by storm: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam featuring Full Force. "I Wonder If I Take You Home" sold out in record stores as the soulful voice of Lisa Velez and the group's unique sound made them an instant success.

But with fame came a price, and it was a steep one. Recently, I had the chance to sit down with Michael Hughes, one of the founding members of Cult Jam, and discuss the challenges that come with success in the music industry. From the highs of topping the pop, R&B, and dance charts to the struggles of navigating the industry's demands, We spoke in-depth regarding the price of fame. I was fortunate enough to have musician Michael Hughes share his insights on making it in the music business in the 1980s and today

Levi Wise Kenneth Catoe Jr.: How are you, Mr. Mike Hughes? You came out of a very vibrant art scene in NYC that pretty much centered around “you had to be there to understand” How would you describe those days in the early 1980's on W. 26th Street in NYC at the Funhouse? 

Michael Hughes: At that time in New York City, at that age was phenomenal. Music and dance were so experimental then. We had such a great variety of music. Not just House music, R&B, or just Funk and Disco if it had a great rhythm or said something special, it got played; mixed crowds, straight or gay, we danced all night. 

LWC: Back in those days you had innovators like Keith Haring, Basquiat, Jellybean Benitez, Madonna, Africa Bambata, Shep Pettibone, Mister Magic, Funky Four Plus One More, and on and on and on; even Sade once worked at the Danceteria what was it about that period in a time in which none of the useful tools that young people now have easily at their disposal is made available; but yet so much creativity came out of that scene of music artist, graffiti artist, makeup artist, DJ, dancers, etc.?

MH: When you appreciate and respect all that came before you. And feed on the creativity of those around you. It's impossible for the seeds of growth not to enter your soul.

LWC: Cult Jam was the first Street/Urban act that came out of Columbia Records which is now Sony take me through that from A&R to executive decisions it was apparent that they were jumping on a bandwagon by opening the door to an act that had street-cred yet were still musically accomplished to be a gateway for the Hip-Hop that followed once you guys opened the door with two #1 smash hits on the Pop charts Head To Toe which also topped R&B and Dance Charts as well, and Lost In Emotions which to me aged better than Head To Toe and that music video was amazing; especially given the time of cheap urban videos. What was your take on that?

MH: Cult Jam came out following in the footsteps of groups like "Secret Weapon ", Unlimited Touch, GQ, and Shannon; other groups and artists came behind us continuing the music flow. Labels and the so-called powers that like to put music in boxes/categories so they can control what they usually don't even understand. 

LWC: CBS/Columbia Records {note: CBS/Columbia records is now SONY} did a poor job promoting the group the name was too long ‘Lisa, Lisa & Cult Jam featuring Full Force’ I feel it was a marketing strategy that was also being used with Miami Sound Machine to breakup the act and create a solo space for Lisa Lisa (Lisa Velez) do you agree? 

MH: The add-on to our name ‘Cult Jam’ was merely a shot in the dark at marketing something catchy. You never really know about that stuff. We used to say what's in a name. It's a stupid name until you have a hit.

LWC: How has the music industry changed since those early years? 

MH: The industry is different now, but what remains the same is money makes promotion make success. 

LWC: Do you guys, Cult Jam {note: founding member drummer/keyboardist Michael (Cultjam)Hughes, guitarist/bassist Alex (Spanador) Mosely, and their latest female vocalist/soultress, Long Island native Mystina Sol} feel more empowered today, or was the industry machine better than the social media and internet freedoms of today?

MH: We as a lot of indie artists are empowered. We can create something we love 100% with no interference or someone looking over our shoulder. Those creations can feel like your children. But the company machine can be very helpful. There is a give and take in every situation. Life is full of compromise. 

LWC: Talk a bit about where you are now and Cult Jam in its current form and describe your music genre. Are you still under the umbrella of Hip Hop and freestyle? What is the evolution?

MH: Cult Jam music can be best described then and now as feel-good-good. You dance and sing we supply the ambiance.

LWC: I represent a Black Literature space as well as a college student base that often is unaware of music beyond the same mainstream artist that’s constantly being streamed if there was one song of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam to introduce them to your music what would that one song be?

MH: I wonder if I take you home our first puts you into the feel of what comes in the colors of Cult Jam. Celebrate what love can do from our current creations and keep that sexy feel essence. 

LWC: So now my question is how would you introduce someone unfamiliar with your previous music to who you are as Cult Jam today?

MH: Seeing Cult Jam live has always been what represents us best. We were a touring band from day one.

LWC: Thank you so much for speaking with our audience today. You are a boss.

MH: Much love and appreciation - Mike "Cult Jam" Hughes. 

*New Music* Holding Back The Years - Cult Jam / 2024

Levi Wise Kenneth Catoe Jr.

Editor, BOSS NYC

[theheiressjcs]

Latina and Proud

What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in? What I learned from my abuela was to garden. Unfortunately, she was hiding her heritage, so I had to learn odd things here and there. I had an idea she was Mexican (coffee ice cream, and banana popsicles gave her away) but I wish she would have said more. She had a recipe box full of passed down recipes that my mom…

[libraryofbaxobab]

August 5, 2023:

This was a bit all over the place. I may have liked it more if I hadn't just read another horror novel about an insular community with strangely strict, cultish rules (Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano) that did it better.

There was a thread or two that were introduced and didn't go anywhere. A few major things didn't quite make sense to me (a character died and I do not actually know who killed them??) Oh, and the ~Secret Rules~ the town need to abide by (or else!) were extremely disappointing, especially after a 200-page tease. Just too much taking various vehicles back and forth and dialogue that boils down to "tell me the secret" "no, it's secret" "well then I'm mad."

It takes itself so seriously, but it all being over the nonessential act of swimming is hard for me to suspend my disbelief for. I get that it's using the US's fraught history of public pool integration as metaphor for the larger fraught history with race, but still. If my own neighborhood had rules against swimming, I wouldn't even know.

It was also clumsily edited? Several places where clearly one word was missing or there were synonyms next to each other like they thesaurused it and forgot to delete the old one.

3.5/10

[wittyworm]

The linktree is live! @lovingthyneighbor was put together by me and my sister

We are going to be spreading stickers of these all over my town. a lot of people don't know what is happening in the world aside from what they see on the news. so i created a concise list of resources including videos and ways to help out, i want to help give people a better understanding of how it effects them and their neighbors.

I myself am Afro Boricua , and I live in a mostly Latino populated area aside from heavy tourism. It is important that we learn from our history. people think it cant happen to them, but it already has.

if you think this will be helpful to you and your neighbors, feel free to use the link and the QR code and the art yourself! no credit needed. lets get educated !

#Landback

[thottyoptimusprime]

There are white Latinos. Prominent white Latinos would like yall to stop saying the entirety of Latinos are mixed, especially afro and indigenous Latinos who are continously oppressed and scrutinized by white or mestizo Latinos. Randomly saying whitinos don't exist doesn't stop them existing. Especially when they make up the media and politicians. Also you tagged this Americans need to stop thinking race equal skin color. And the same argument was happening in the Twitter thread, ethnicity and race are 2 different things. Also you brought up Carlos, i didn't name drop him in the post and was mostly talking about Rafael and characters that stayed in the background.

So I love transformers everyone who  knows me knows this. And when Transformers Rise of the Beasts came out I enjoyed it immensely. Me and a friend were talking about finally some black people, finally some culture in this franchise. But I didn't post about it because i knew I would get whytes in my mentions like this.

Not only are they comparing these characters, but they are pulling a bunch of whataboutism. "Miko was in Transformers Prime, so there has been POC" ok...we can't have more? Also OP brought up specifically black characters. Every character brought up to try to bring down the positivity of the post was either an asian character or a whitino as if that should be enough, we should be satisfied with that one POC in a franchise that's existed since the 80s.

[zenlesszonezero]

Join Zenless Zone Zero with Tsukishiro Yanagi, the deputy leader of Hollow Special Operations Section 6! Beneath her ordinary office lady exterior lies a meticulous, emotionally intelligent big sister to the team.

[elbiotipo]

Afroargentina here to say those people are deranged fr, there is race issues in argentina but it's none of their business to judge? why won't they simply let afroargs speak for ourselves??? USamericans are oppressors, and benefit from US imperialism, yes, even POC, enough to oppress people in third world countries, specially other POC. Black usamericans moving to africa and latin america and gentrifying local communites bc of their access to us dollars is just one of many examples of that. (1/2)

Let's not even mention how they are so quick to appropriate anything latine, music, food, religion, customs, language, but then turn around and isolate us or throw us under the bus at every chance possible. You simply made a joke calling out white authors for their bs. Isn't that exactly what we always ask white allies to do?? to call out other white people's racism?? you're doing just fine, biotipo. Gringos stfu in latine discussions challenge. (2/2)

I don't think they care about Afro-Argentines and other afro-latinos, if they even know about them. While I'm sure many Usamericans do learn about racial issues in their own country and others, most of the time I find out that when they talk to people from other countries they make absolutely no effort to learn about them. They just want to know your race to see how they can insult you and in what box you fit. Which is… an extremely fucked up worldview, but there they go.

I also love that they assume that we are not aware about the history of racism and genocide in Argentina, as if it isn't taught in schools and as if isn't a major ongoing discussion, as if afro-argentines, indigenous argentines, and other groups aren't organized and pushing for their recognition; these past few years have brought those issues to the national spotlight and I think the discussions so far have changed a lot of peole's minds. But again, yanquis just don't care. It's up to us to learn, care and change our own societies, they don't have anything to offer but meaningless discourse.

I will not comment that much on gentrification and cultural appropiation because it's such a huge topic, but I will say that while it's not as criminal as naked imperialism, it shows that no matter your ethnicity, you can assimilate imperial ideologies and mindsets and try to impose them in other people, and those people will call you out for it.

Thanks for the ask!

[nitearmorweek]

As everyone gets to work preparing for NiteArmor Week, the mods wanted to encourage people to bring their own lived experiences into their creations. You are welcome to write and draw mandalorians in a way that reflects your own life and culture; Bo-Katan and the Armorer do not have to physically resemble their live action counterparts.

What does this mean? Do you want to share your Mexican heritage and weave it into the story of your NiteArmor fic? Hell yeah! Do you see the Armorer has having dreadlocks? Include them! Do you have an insulin pump and think Bo-Katan has one under her flightsuit too? We want to heart about it!

For those who may need a little help or are looking for new resources, we have gathered a small list of guides. Some of the below sources came from @lavenderursa's collection of inclusive writing tips. The mods recommend reading through the original post they worked hard to put together! The hope of this new post is to build out their post to include a few more elements specific to Star Wars.

Writing Resources Collectives and authors who have published tips and guides on writing stories that center diverse experiences:

Writing With Color

The History of Black Hair [Words to Describe Hair]

A Guide to Natural Black Hair

How To Write About Trans People

A Primer on Writing Trans Characters

The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Transgender Characters

Important Tips on Making/Writing Asian OCs

Dear Non-Asian Writer

How to Avoid Asian Stereotypes, Appropriation, and White Washing

​Tips for Inclusivity with Reader Inserts

A Guide to Writing Disabled Characters

A general cane guide for writers and artists (from a cane user, writer, and artist!)

Creating authentic deaf and hard of hearing characters

Art Tips Helpful information on how to draw different body types, skin tones, and hair:

Basic Skin Tone Coloring [part 2]

Kupa's Guide to Skintones

A Guide to Drawing South Asian Skin Tones [part 2]

Protocols When Drawing Native American Hair

A guide to designing wheelchair using characters! [part 2]

Whitewashing in Art and How Colors Work

​How to Draw Disabled People

Drawing East Asian Faces

Plus Size Body Types

POC Blush tones

Afro, 4C hair

Image References Websites that offer images that can be licensed for use and/or inspiration. The below three are highly recommended resources, but some do have a cost:

createHERstock - Your destination for authentic stock images featuring melanated women

Nappy co - Beautiful photos of Black and Brown people, for free

Eye for Ebony - Beautiful lifestyle stock photos featuring people of color

Affect The Verb - This is a disability-led effort to provide free & inclusive stock images from our own perspective, with photos and illustrations celebrating disabled Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC).

Pixerf - Asia's fastest-growing Asian stock photo market place

Disability: In - Disability Inclusive Stock Photography

Disability is Beautiful - The best free stock images provided by the disability community.

Cosplayers Artists and content creators that have posted amazing Star Wars cosplay! Their hard work and attention to detail in costuming is a wonderful source of inspiration and reference. If you are inspired by any of their photos, please make sure to credit them and send your love. Here are just three examples of cosplayers within the fandom:

Jahara Jayde | twitter | ko-fi

arseniccupcakes | twitter | patreon

cutiepiesensei | twitter | instagram

Further Reading Additional articles, studies, and analyses that discuss racism and ableism within the Star Wars fandom specifically:

Racism In Star Wars: A List of Resources

Star Wars Franchise: Stitch's Media Mix Analyst

Star Wars: A Tale of Racism

Disability In Star Wars

Blind Warriors, Supercrips, and Techno-Marvels: Challenging Depictions of Disability in Star Wars

What's the Problem, Papi?: Internet Daddy-ism and Coddling, Fetishization, and what "Latino-looking" actually means.

Sinophobia in SW Animation

Thank you for making it to the end of this post! Please do not consider this a definitive list or a replacement for anti-racist work in the real world. Keep reading, stay curious, and seek out new perspectives from voices you may not have been listening for.

Do you have any additional recommendations, sources, or guides to share? Feel free to drop them in the comments of this post ❤️

[franciskirkland-deleted]

Hetalia Headcanons - Cuba 🇨🇺🏝️🌺

his full human name is carlos ángel machado ruiz, or shortened to carlos machado. i don't have a set physical age for him but maybe around 30?

he's a marxist-leninist. very intelligent, intellectual but unpretentious, and politically active. he's an academic, probably has degrees in political science and/or economics. i could see him being a medical doctor as well, as cuba is renowned for its advanced healthcare.

he's friendly and generous with a laid back personality, loyal to his loved ones and passionate about social/environmental causes. he can be impatient, and does have a temper but it's hard to provoke and reserved for rude and ignorant people. very much a beliver of respect being a two way street.

his canon bday is may 20th and i honestly love that for him. classic stubborn taurus with a touch of unbothered gemini swag.

he's an ambivert, he throws a great party and likes to socialize but also keeps his circle small and needs a lot of alone time. i think he'd be old friends with russia, though they're not as close as they once were and ivan can get on his nerves. he understandably has beef with america, but is slowly becoming more civil with alfred.

he loves to read, particularly history and political theory. some other hobbies are swimming, fishing, playing the tres (a type of guitar) or afro-cuban percussion e.g. tumbadora (aka conga) and bongós.

his sense of humor is dry with a goofy side that comes out around people he's closer with. he has a quick wit and is always telling dad jokes. also very much a softie for kids, animals and nature.

i headcanon him as gay/demisexual, cucan is an essential ship for me personally so they're a package deal. he is so gentle with mattie, so giving and protective. they treasure each other selflessly and understand one another better than anyone.

he loves to eat and cook, especially loves when matthew cooks for him or they cook together. his favorite dish is black beans and rice with tostones. he also loves strawberry ice cream and tropical fruits.

he's afro-latino + mixed race, with yoruba (west african) taino (indigenous carribbean islander) and spanish ancestry. his skin tone would be a medium warm brown, maybe a 5 on the fitzpatrick scale. once again the canon design is kinda colorist.

he has a distinct accent and is mutlilingual, and speaks quite a bit of quebecois thanks to matthew.

his body type is buff and chubby, he's wicked strong and built like a tank but doesn't have that much definition bc the chub is hiding it. dad bod.... chest hair and moobs. he's about 6 feet tall. he has long dreadlocks that he's been maintaining since he was young.

i could see him being a lapsed catholic/culturally catholic but personally atheist. he's much more material than spiritual in terms of philosophy.

he smells like coconut, cinnamon and cigars (in a pleasant way)

he mostly dresses casually (hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts lol) if hes just chilling at home he's probably shirtless. earth tones suit him well, so do orange, yellow, pink, and jewel tones. bonus; he wears a gold chain and sometimes rings.

he partakes in alcohol occasionally, when he does he loves rum and fruit-based cocktails. sipping a lil drink on the beach is one of his favorite ways to relax and he deserves it. he does smoke weed recreationally but honestly i think matthew is way more of a stoner.

[roga-el-rojo]

“Borderlands/La Frontera” - Gloria Anzaldúa

Hello friends,

For my first recommendation this Latine Heritage Month, I want to highlight a famous text that dissects the contradictory identities Latines face inside the “US” from a queer Chicana perspective: “Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza” by Gloria Anzaldúa.

Gloria E. Anzaldúa was an internationally-acclaimed independent scholar, cultural theorist, creative writer, and social-justice activist who has made lasting contributions to numerous fields. This book in particular played a major role in shaping contemporary Chicano/a and lesbian/queer identities.

“Borderlands/La Frontera” is a semi-autobiographical work that explores the Chicano and Latine experience through themes of race, gender, identity, and colonialism. The narrative reflects on Anzaldúa's upbringing in South Texas, her cultural heritage, and the struggles of her community, particularly in relation to land and identity. Her writing aims to connect oppressed Latine peoples with their indigenous cultural backgrounds as shown through her “poet-shaman aesthetics,” her poetry, and English-Spanish code switching.

I really appreciated how Anzaldúa examined the pain and trauma imposed on Indigenous and Chicano communities by colonial powers in relation to their struggles for cultural survival as a form of spiritual healing. I also loved how she critiqued traditional gender roles within Chicano contexts and embraced her lesbian identity as a way of standing in solidarity with queer Latines to affirm current and ancestral queer identities in the face of patriarchy.

Another important and controversial concept Anzaldúa unpacks is mestizaje, referring to the blending and intermingling of different cultural, racial, and ethnic identities, particularly in the context of the Chicano and Latino experience. This can potentially be empowering as it allows folks to re-imagine their histories beyond strict notions of identity and belonging, but can also romanticize the idea of cultural blending at the expense of acknowledging that Afro-Mexican, Afro-Latine, and Mexic-Amerindian experiences are unique.

I highly recommend Latines read this text as a part of our contradictory history.