#afro latinx history

[iloveethnicities]

The Festival de la Tercera Raíz (Third Root Festival) is a vibrant celebration in Mexico that honors Afro-Mexican heritage, recognizing and elevating the unique cultural, historical, and social contributions of Afro-descendant communities in the country. Primarily celebrated in the coastal regions of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Veracruz, the festival brings together traditional music, dance, food, art, and spiritual practices in a rich tapestry of Afro-Mexican identity and resilience. It underscores the legacy of African influence in Mexico—often overlooked in mainstream historical narratives—paying homage to the "third root" of Mexican heritage, alongside the Spanish and Indigenous influences.

The name "Tercera Raíz" (Third Root) reflects the recognition of African roots as an essential component of Mexican heritage. While Indigenous and European (Spanish) roots are well-known, the African heritage that arrived with the transatlantic slave trade in the 16th century has often been overlooked. During this era, enslaved Africans were brought to New Spain (now Mexico), predominantly working in the sugarcane plantations, mines, and alongside Indigenous laborers in various regions. Over time, African, Indigenous, and Spanish cultures intermingled, forming a rich and unique cultural synthesis that shaped the identity of Afro-Mexican communities.

The festival was developed as part of a broader movement to increase visibility and acknowledgment of Afro-Mexican culture, which had long been marginalized in Mexican society. Recognition of Afro-Mexican communities gained momentum especially in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, as these communities advocated for the preservation and acknowledgment of their heritage. The festival plays a crucial role in affirming Afro-Mexican identity, celebrating their unique cultural practices, and educating the broader public about the African presence in Mexican history.

Although not confined to a single location, the Third Root Festival is most prominently celebrated in the Costa Chica region, which spans parts of Guerrero and Oaxaca. This area has historically high populations of Afro-Mexican communities, who have preserved African-influenced customs and traditions over generations. Veracruz, another coastal state with a strong Afro-Mexican presence, also hosts the festival and events to honor Afro-Mexican heritage.

The festival generally takes place during special cultural and commemorative dates, often overlapping with Mexico’s national celebrations or other important Afro-diasporic celebrations. In recent years, it has often been held around the International Day of Afro-Latin, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women (July 25) and Black History Month (February). However, it is celebrated year-round in various forms in different communities, depending on local traditions and scheduling.

The Festival de la Tercera Raíz incorporates a multitude of cultural expressions, reflecting the African, Indigenous, and Spanish influences that define Afro-Mexican heritage. The festivities highlight music, dance, food, art, religious rituals, and oral traditions, showcasing the distinct cultural identity of Afro-Mexican communities.

— Music and Dance: Traditional Afro-Mexican music and dance are central to the festival. One of the most iconic forms is La Danza de los Diablos (The Dance of the Devils), performed in Guerrero and Oaxaca. In this dance, participants wear devil masks adorned with horns and often move to the beat of drums and marimbas, instruments with African origins. This dance, with its intense rhythms and symbolic masks, is thought to represent the struggles and resilience of African slaves who resisted and survived their conditions. It also includes son jarocho in Veracruz, a musical style characterized by the use of string instruments like the jarana, requinto, and marimbol that blend African, Indigenous, and Spanish influences.

— Cuisine: Afro-Mexican culinary traditions are celebrated through dishes that blend African, Indigenous, and Spanish ingredients and techniques. Dishes often feature plantains, yams, coconut, corn, and a variety of seafood, reflecting both African culinary heritage and local resources. Popular dishes include tostadas de camarón (shrimp tostadas) and pescado a la talla (a grilled fish dish) in coastal areas. Food not only serves as nourishment but also as a medium through which Afro-Mexican heritage is passed down, with recipes and cooking techniques often preserved within families for generations.

— Art and Handicrafts: Art forms are another vibrant component of the festival. Artisans showcase crafts such as woven goods, pottery, and sculpture that reflect Afro-Mexican aesthetics and iconography. Many pieces include symbols and imagery from African cosmologies, such as representations of animals or elements believed to carry spiritual significance. The visual arts in the Third Root Festival offer a means for Afro-Mexicans to celebrate their heritage, create connections to ancestral African lands, and express pride in their communities.

— Spiritual and Religious Practices: Spirituality also plays a significant role in the festival. While many Afro-Mexicans are Catholic, their religious practices often incorporate elements of African spirituality and local Indigenous customs. For instance, some communities maintain African-based spiritual practices such as honoring ancestors, engaging in ceremonial drumming, and participating in rituals connected to nature and spirits. These practices serve as acts of cultural preservation, emphasizing the importance of maintaining connections to African heritage within the framework of Mexican religious practices.

— Oral Traditions and Storytelling: Oral tradition is a key feature of the festival, with elders recounting stories, legends, and songs that have been passed down through generations. These stories often include themes of resilience, freedom, and identity, offering insight into the historical experiences of Afro-Mexicans and their ongoing fight for recognition. Storytelling sessions may involve tales of maroons (enslaved people who escaped and formed independent communities), the significance of particular rituals, and the influence of African deities or heroes in local lore.

— Workshops and Educational Programs: The festival also includes educational components, such as workshops, panels, and seminars, where scholars, activists, and community leaders discuss Afro-Mexican history, identity, and contemporary issues. These events serve as an opportunity to learn about Afro-Mexican contributions to Mexican society, confront issues of racism, and advocate for greater political and social recognition. For young people, the festival offers a space to explore their identity and connect with their heritage through art, music, and dance workshops.

The Festival de la Tercera Raíz plays a crucial role in challenging historical narratives that have minimized or erased Afro-Mexican contributions to Mexican culture. It fosters pride within Afro-Mexican communities and brings awareness to their struggles for cultural, social, and political inclusion. The festival is a moment of collective celebration but also a call to action against systemic discrimination and the invisibility that Afro-Mexican communities have faced for centuries.

In recent years, Mexico has taken strides to recognize Afro-Mexican communities, with the 2020 census marking the first time Afro-Mexicans were included as a distinct ethnic group. The Third Root Festival has contributed to such achievements by spotlighting the lived experiences and cultural wealth of Afro-Mexicans, drawing national and international attention to their contributions and challenges.

Through its vibrant expression of art, spirituality, and communal solidarity, the Festival de la Tercera Raíz reminds all Mexicans and the wider world of the depth and beauty of Afro-Mexican culture. It underscores the ongoing importance of preserving and celebrating Mexico’s African heritage, ensuring that the legacy of the "third root" continues to grow and flourish as an integral part of Mexico’s cultural mosaic.

[blackownersseekingsuccess]

Naturalmente Mío (Afro-Latino)

Tienes que amar mi cabello. Es un mundo de rizos.

Todas las diferentes formas, tamaños y texturas con

solo una pizca de sal y pimienta. mi cuero cabelludo es

Con sabor a Nueva York: sigue mi viaje: Mis hebras

podría formar un círculo alrededor - Ludlow Street para Christopher Street un sábado por la noche pero

Estas raíces serán todas de Harlem. Mis consejos se doblan hasta el centro de Brooklyn, a través de la 2 o

el tren 3 durante los húmedos meses de verano

mi patrón de rizos se vuelve más apretado que un

acera en Times Square, el otoño

Los vientos de octubre tienden a dejarme el pelo.

Más salvaje que una pelea con cuchillos.

como el concreto

Los ladrillos del invierno forman mi cabello

un acabado de laca impecable

pero solo después de co-lavar y luego enjuagar

Y luego relajo mi cabeza contra mi almohada de satén.

caso... durante esas frías noches de invierno dejando

extremos duros y quebradizos que arrojar su camino hacia un nuevo amanecer…

[louiesmixtape]

before the release of her blistering underdog anthem “girl from the gutter,” kina was part of the second line-up of 90s r&b trio brownstone. singer/songwriter kina recorded only one album with brownstone, their 1997 album “still climbing,” before striking out on her own.

kina signed with the short-lived dreamworks label after leaving brownstone and released her self-titled debut album in july 2000. “girl from the gutter” served as the album’s lead single and the fiery guitar driven track was an immediate add at VH-1 and the box video channel.

unfortunately, despite the strong radio play “girl from the gutter” only managed to chart of the billboard dance chart peaking at #21. two more singles followed but failed to garner radio spins. by 2001, kina parted ways with dreamworks records. the label folded in 2003.

like dionne farris, kina would have garnered greater success had it not been for anti-blackness and america’s resistance to black rock artists.

[st-armand]

Across Lands and Seas

( Reposted from @armands-sanctum ) Summary: Headcanons for Hobie Brown and Afro-Latine!Reader

Author's Notes: More like an analysis on colonization with Hobie in it im sorry.... CW: political language and ideas, mentions of white supremacy, mentions of racial hierarchies.

Masterlist

I talked a bit with ellie anon about this, and this is for them so <3

Hobie is a culturally literate man, he absorbs history like a sponge, constantly learning and engaging with new material that intrigues him about things he already knows or new information brought to him, that being said I think that Hobie is extremely culturally intelligent ESPECIALLY as a black man, there is no room for arguments about colorism, or privilege around him, and he shuts down someone with vile opinions quickly.

“Mate you don’t really know what you’re talking about yeah?”

Hobie with an Afro Latine significant other is like having a living encyclopedia, he knows so much not just from what he’s read but lived experience with people in his communities.

If you’re estranged from your culture due to the diaspora and colonization Hobie make it his personal goal to help you build a found family with the Afro Latinxs in his punk circles, taking you to festivals and markets with them, they excitedly talk about their country specific dishes, who makes the better variants of food, linguistic similarities between each other, conversations about gender expression within each country and how indigenous beliefs shaped the land and it’s people even when colonization has deemed them eradicated and nonexistent.

You know how people say “Show me your friends and it’ll show me who you are”? Hobie is that kind of person, he holds his friends in high regard and holds them to standards he knows they are capable of, his Latino friends are amazing, they hold no judgement if you can’t speak Spanish, reminding you that the language was enforced on you all as a means of control and to diminish the histories of the indigenous tribes who lived in tandem with the earth, they are all gender diverse, all sorts of familial backgrounds. They sit and help you navigate your culture like a family would, and after a year of being with Hobie and adopted into his friend group, they are your family.

On certain weekends, even when Hobie is gone off being Spiderman, his friends crowd your space, or host in their own homes, spending all the light hours of the day prepping all sorts of dishes, and walking your through the preparation, the ingredients and the cooking, the place fills with laughter and chatter like a home filled with love and care.

Hobie is the kind of person who knows everyone, so don’t be shocked when you’re going about your day and by the time the evening hits your arms are filled with treats old women give you just because Hobie showed them a picture of you in passing and has been flooding them with all sorts of conversations about you, and like any good maternal figure that comes with all kinds of tasty snacks, elotes, small servings of baked chicken with rice and peas, fresh tortillas and empanadas, so much that when you do return home and Hobie sees the mountain of food you obtain all he can say is, “We better get to eatin’ huh? Can’t let ‘his all go to waste”

On one summer afternoon while downtown he sees another elderly woman he enjoys helping serving icees on the corner, he’s already scrounged up a few dollars to purchase, but she INSISTS on giving you both a large cup of lemon and mango icee just because Hobie had repaired helped repair her cart, and intimidate some cops who were pressing her about a ‘food license’ which makes a small child whine about how they wanted a cup that big, Hobie would kneel to the child and offer to buy them as many cones they want, even to their parents displeasure.

Culture has a symbiotic relationship to the land and it’s people, you can displace the people from the land but the culture doesn’t die, it simmers and brews in the belly of the people, forced to uproot themselves due to the violent nature of colonization and white supremacy, and Hobie helps you navigate these circumstances everyday like a lighthouse leads sailors through turbulent stormy waters.

Hobie shares with you information about the anti-colonial pro-indigenous movements in Latin America, reminding you that there are people fighting every day for reparations and liberation, when your blackness is seen as a contested subject amongst other Latinos especially those who are anti-black or colorist Hobie has no issue leaping up from his spot to go on the defensive.

“Black people exist everywhere bruv, that don’t make them any less Latine.”

He brings you all kinds of gifts, I like to think his favorite is jewelry, beaded ornamentation he acquired as payments for odd jobs and favors around the neighborhood, some of them are more alternative, and others are just crafts made with expert precision from their indigenous crafters, he even brings you to these shops so you can learn beadwork, or just to watch them work in a somber calmness.

As a Jamaican one of the things you two share in common is a taste for plantain, he buys plantain chips in bulk, but sometimes maybe after a day of spending time with Grandma Brown (who often complains about the youth losing touch with their roots) he’ll take you to the Caribbean market to buy sweet and ripe plantains, you spend all day frying them and eating them freshly hot and crunchy out the oil, until there isn’t much left after you’re done cooking.

On especially hard nights while you reminisce about family, Hobie will rest your head on his chest, stroking your head softly, conversing with you in hushed tones about how hard it is to be an immigrant, living in a diaspora and feeling disconnected from your traditions, or not feeling acclimated to your culture, he's quick to remind you about how you're living proof of your ancestors determination, that years of slavery and colonization couldn't keep you from being alive, that you existing is revolutionary enough, he traces your facial features, kissing your lips, your eyes your nose, reminding you that you're the product of their resilience.

My last headcanon is that Hobie goes only to queer people of color for tattoos and piercings, they are indigenous arts after all! He doesn’t get cultural tattoos but he loves showing off their work to other people of color, especially considering how white alt dominated body modification has become especially in the west. He pushes you to try and get some, he doesn’t press you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with but he does support you, and if getting a body modification can help you feel a bit closer to your roots, he’s your number 1 supporter.

[moneeb0930]

10 List Of Terms Related To The "Afro" prefix: 🌍

1. Afrocentric: Referring to a cultural, historical, and social perspective that emphasizes the contributions and experiences of people of African descent.

2. Afrofuturistic: A genre that combines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and African culture to imagine alternative futures or realities.

3. Afropunk: A movement and cultural festival that celebrates and showcases the diversity and creativity of black artists and musicians.

4. Afrobeat: A genre of music that originated in Nigeria, blending traditional African rhythms with jazz, funk, and highlife.

5. Afro-Latinx: Referring to individuals of African descent in Latin American countries or with Latin American heritage.

6. Afro-Caribbean: Referring to individuals of African descent in the Caribbean region or with Caribbean heritage.

7. Afrofeminism: A feminist movement that focuses on the experiences, struggles, and empowerment of black women.

8. Afro-House: A genre of electronic dance music that blends African rhythms and traditional sounds with house music.

9. Afro-textured hair: Referring to the natural hair texture of people of African descent, characterized by tight curls or coils.

10. Afro-Latin music: A genre that combines elements of African rhythms and Latin American music styles, such as salsa, merengue, and reggaeton.

These terms represent different aspects of African and African diaspora cultures, highlighting their rich history, creativity, and influence.

[tllgrrl]

“Oba” by Harmonia Rosales.

This is the orisha Obá and the painting is about one of the myths regarding her and her ear.

Rosales is an Afro-Latinx artist whose work is featured in museums such as the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture.

The color and the depiction of that fabric, and the way it highlights the deep brown of her skin is just gorgeous. And her face. The look in her eyes and the hint of a smile. It’s Everything. It’s all just Everything.

I highly recommend that you check out the exhibition brochure for “Entwined”, that was at the University of California, Santa Barbara from January-May 2022.

(Here is a quick walkthrough of the exhibit. Here is part of a talk the art gave about the art.)

Happy Saturday!

[torturedpoetsofpemberley]

I was really struggling with what to post for this week until I was on Twitter (X?) and saw this meme, which humorously juxtaposes a rainbow Confederate flag and captioned "Pride and Prejudice." The flag is a clash of two symbols that, to many, represent conflicting ideologies: LGBTQ+ pride and Confederate nostalgia. This collision is jarring because it visually intertwines ideas of "pride" in identity with the "prejudice" rooted in historical oppression. It brings to mind the ideas we briefly discussed in class of the tension between self-affirmation and systems of exclusion. The tweet's caption—"Pride and Prejudice"—ironically calls out this contradiction, highlighting the deeper meanings of the words "pride" and "prejudice" in a contemporary form.

This also reminded me of some parts of our class discussion on "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi, the novel’s title intentionally omits “prejudice.” By doing so, it shifts the focus to self-celebration, cultural authenticity, and the resilience of Afro-Latinx communities in the face of gentrification and societal bias. Zoboi reclaims “pride” as a means of resisting prejudice, centering on identity and resilience rather than simply reacting to oppression. The absence of “prejudice” in the title challenges readers to think beyond binary narratives, acknowledging systemic inequities while emphasizing cultural joy and strength. By centering on pride and subtly embedding prejudice throughout the novel, Zoboi explores how individuals and communities affirm their worth and celebrate their history despite societal forces that aim to marginalize them. This emphasis on “pride," as we discussed in class, reflects the author's deliberate choice to spotlight resistance and the significance of maintaining cultural roots amid change.

The flag in the meme blends the Pride flag with that of the Confederates, which -- and this may be a reach -- embodies a similar tension between celebration and the historical weight of prejudice. Just as Zoboi’s "Pride," challenges traditional narratives around race and community, the flag's juxtaposition forces a confrontation with how symbols can be co-opted and redefined. Furthermore, the flag seems to support the idea of pride, while equally supporting white supremacy. This reminds me of the core themes of Zoboi’s novel, specifically racial identity and cultural erasure that gentrification often brings, echoing the flag’s contradictory symbolism as a marker of both rebellion and historic exclusion.

[ninja-muse]

So it's somehow the end of May? Not sure how that happened, even though I have been busy so of course the time has flown by! Things done this last month include hosting family multiple times, visiting my first cat café, visiting family, wedding reception, and baking my first rhubarb pie. Somehow I managed to fit 9 books and 2 DNFs in there, and was very good about not taking too many ARCs home. I didn't even buy anything!

Also, this is the first time I think I've ever underpacked physical books for a holiday. I thought for sure that the SF book I popped in my bag would last me at least three days but no, A History of What Comes Next was a fast read and lasted one. Thank goodness for Libby and my cache of T. Kingfisher e-novellas, is all I'm saying. Reading those back to back got my reading goal back on track for the year.

Novel is still progressing apace. Digger is still not shipped. It is reading outdoors weather but I've yet to do so. Nothing else to report.

And now without further ado, in order of enjoyment…

Magisteria - Nicholas Spencer

A history of the interactions between science and (Western) (mostly Christian) religion.

7.5/10

warning: discussions of racism, race science, eugenics, historical Islamophobia

After Villon - Roger Farr

Poetry written in conversation with a late medieval French criminal-poet.

🏳️‍🌈, 🇨🇦

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath - Garth Nix

Susan and Bath’s magical booksellers must rescue Merlin after he’s trapped in a map—which might mean taking on an unknown Sovereign.

6.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (genderqueer), Afro-British secondary characters, Muslim secondary character

A History of What Comes Next - Sylvain Neuvel

A lineage of scientifically-minded women work behind the scenes with one goal: Get Them To The Stars Before Evil Kills Us All.

7/10

main characters consistently read as POC, 🏳️‍🌈 main character (sapphic), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (sapphic), Black-Russian secondary character, Chinese-American secondary character, 🇨🇦 Warning: attempted rape, early methods of conversion therapy

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - Jesse Q. Sutanto

When Vera finds a body in her tea shop, she knows exactly what to do—call the police and then solve the murder herself.

7/10

Chinese-American protagonist, largely Asian-American cast, Chinese-Indonesian author

warning: domestic abuse (not physical)

A Master of Djinn - P. Djèlí Clark

Agent Fatma investigates a mass murder with possible ties to djinn magic.

7/10

largely Egyptian cast, Nubian secondary characters, 🏳️‍🌈 main character (lesbian), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (sapphic), largely Muslim cast, African-American author

warning: contains racists, colonial mindsets, and cultural appropriators

Kiss Her Once For Me - Alison Cochrun

Ellie agrees to a fake engagement and marriage over the Christmas holidays—only to find out her fiancé’s sister is the one-night stand she couldn’t get over.

7/10

🏳️‍🌈 main character (bi), main character with anxiety disorder, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (lesbian, trans, nonbinary, multisexual), Korean-American secondary characters, Latinx secondary character, Filipina secondary character, secondary character with ADHD

warning: depiction of anxiety and panic attacks, toxic parent-child relationship

Minor Mage - T. Kingfisher

Twelve-year-old Oliver is sent away from his village on a quest to bring back rain. He knows three spells, and one is to repel armadillo dander.

6.5/10

Mortal Follies - Alexis Hall

Maelys Micklemore has been cursed, a terrible thing for a young Regency woman. Her best hope of breaking the spell is the mannish Lady Georgiana, who might be a witch. Out in June.

6.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (sapphic), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (sapphic, gay, trans woman), Black British secondary character, Afro-British secondary character

Picture Books

The Octopus Escapes - Maile Meloy with Felicia Salter (illustrator)

An octopus is brought to an aquarium. Being captive is great—at first.

DNF

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library - Hester Fox

Ivy inherits an estate in Yorkshire, with a magnificent library, recalcitrant servants, a ghost, and a curse.

The Absolute Book - Elizabeth Knox

A woman who lost her sister to violence finds herself drawn into another world with bearings on her family history.

Currently reading:

Shadowlands - Matthew Green

Short histories of lost settlements from across the UK.

The Gifts - Liz Hyder

In 1840s England, a woman grows wings.

Stats Monthly total: 9+1 Yearly total: 53/140 Queer books: 5 Authors of colour: 2 Books by women: 3 Authors outside the binary: 0 Canadian authors: 2 Off the TBR shelves: 2 Books hauled: 0 ARCs acquired: 3 ARCs unhauled: 2 DNFs: 2

January February March April

[beautifulbizarremagazine]

Focusing on “African American and Caribbean history,  as well as the intricacies of Afro-Latinx identity”, J. Quiñones creates sculptural representations of a diverse and powerful community. Their icons become witnesses and translators of social formations and dynamics.

---

#beautifulbizarre #jquinones #sculpture #identity

[tteokdoroki]

🌸 - genuine question; do you think it’s okay for Latine people to wear protective hairstyles?

idk if im entirely qualified to answer this since im just,, straight up back but if ur afro-latine then i don’t see why not? and if you’re not, then you need to be able to know the history behind black protective styles and not just do them cause you think they’re cute. do your research. know the cultural significance. but that should be a given! they’re protective styles to black people, not all people !!

like if someone is white they should Nawt be doing black protective styles at all skaksk for the sake and health of their own hair. i don’t say this to be mean, but just bc time and time again the wishes of black/Afro-latinx people are disrespected and someone white ends up bald lmao

[louiesmixtape]

the brief resurgence of freestyle music in the mid to late 1990s was a time! after losing clout at radio and club land at the start of the 1990s, freestyle music was being (re)discovered thanks in part to collage, lil suzy, planet soul featuring nadine rene, lina santiago, and jocelyn enriquez. these artists all managed to release freestyle songs that were sonically in concert with the ever-evolving dance/pop sound.

as a new fan to genre in 1994, coupled with the fact that i am a completionist, i was on a search to listen and purchase every freestyle song and that especially included new releases. so when i first heard buffy’s “give me…a reason” in early 1995, i was on a mission.

now, doing this work was not easy in 1995. my access to the internet was by watching people talk about it on tv (lol) and music magazine’s seldom, if almost never covered freestyle music. so i would just spend hours in the singles section of tower records records going through every CD single until i thought i recognized a title of a song i was looking for. it was WORK!

discovered by frequent stevie b. collaborator dadgel atabay while singing at a friend's wedding, buffy solango landed on billboard's hot 100 in 1996 with "give me...a reason." signed to filipino independent label velocity records, buffy's debut single "give me... a reason" quickly became a regional hit in the bay area upon its release in late 1994.

"give me...a reason" landed on radio playlists nationally and finally reached a respectable peak of #78 on billboard's hot 100 in late march 1996. buffy‘a debut and only album “first love” was a solid release. two additional singles, “no one” and “2 find u” were released by were regulated to regional airplay.

[sorchanitua]

Wichita State University Assistant Professorship in Latinx History

Deadline: October 1 Length/Track: “A terminal degree in History and concentrations in Latinx studies and/or Latin American studies is required. Sub-specialties may include but are not limited to: Afro-Latin Studies; Ethnic Studies; Women’s Studies; Hemispheric Studies; Borderlands; Mexican; (Im)migrations; Diasporic Communities; Public History; Race and Ethnicity; and…

[dtba]

ARTIST LESLIE FORTUNA EXPLORES IDENTITY AND HER SURROUNDINGS

June 23, 2020

Leslie Fortuna is a Dominican / Puerto Rican artist from Brooklyn currently studying at NYU. Her visual work entails representing woman of color through various mediums. Though the work is inherently political, it is also filled wit and playfulness and a pervading sense of humanity that drips from the canvas. We sat down with her for an illuminating discussion on how issues surrounding identity and politics shape her Art.

ARTIST INTERVIEW

How do you identify? What does an Afro-Latinx identity mean to you? How do you embody it?

Leslie: I identify as Afro-Latina, my mom and dad are Puerto Rican and Dominican respectively. To me, this means that I’m a Black Latina, two identities that are not mutually exclusive. I never realized this needed to be said until I began my journey of higher education. My identity is something I understood easily while growing up between a home in Santo Domingo, D.R. and an apartment in Brooklyn, NY. The way I was perceived by others is what shaped my initial understanding of my identity. I knew the world saw my brown skin first, so I knew that’s what I was, but it was also what everyone else I knew was, so it wasn’t a difficult thing. Entering college from this point forced me to classify myself in ways I had never felt the need to before, mostly because I was now having conversations about culture and my racial plight, in relation to whiteness. I understand Latinidad in ways I previously did not after learning about my history and also creating it in the present day. I feel I embody my identity by embracing who I am because of my ancestors. It’s important to me as Afro-Latina to assert that I am both Black and Latinx, neither one or the other, nor half and half. I never felt as though I had to choose one and I would never want to erase my blackness by doing so anyway.

How does identity politics and intersectionality intersect with your artistic practice?

Leslie: Firstly, for my art, I’ve always used myself and my surroundings for reference. I always felt I understood female anatomy better so I enjoyed drawing women and uplifting them with my work. As a plus-sized woman, I have always known what it’s like to feel excluded. Therefore, when practicing my art growing up I made the conscious decision to represent women like myself, and create art that beautifully captures women of all shapes and sizes. Racial inclusivity is also an important feature of my work. Like many other young, self-taught artists, my humble beginnings learning to draw consisted of mimicking a lot of Anime art styles. I quickly noticed that the subjects I was interested in portraying had very few appearances in these drawings. It’s rare to see a person of darker skin in an anime, and many in the art community unfortunately believe the style does not lend itself well to meaningfully capturing Afro-centric features (when it can!). Thus, my position in the artistic world being a plus-sized woman of color has influenced my work greatly. These aspects of myself are the parts that I want to reflect in my work, to normalize representing characters like me as the subjects of works of art as well as animated media.

What are some of the motifs that you have included in your most recent work?

Leslie: Overall my work tends to focus on the representation of women of color. Learning about art means studying a lot of white men who painted a lot of white women. So, I aim to portray the type of women I see in my own real life, the women who are beautiful to me regardless of weight, height, complexion, etc. I find that setting is becoming more important for me, as part of my goal to depict women who are like myself is to portray them in the environments I want my audience to view from my eyes. I want my art to capture the emotions that arise in the various situations Black women face on a regular basis. I love emphasizing the aesthetics of our spaces that are not typically glamorized (i.e. a  Dominican hair salon) and really portraying the beauty that exists in our everyday experiences of these settings. I would say a motif I’ve made a point of incorporating into my work recently is the upliftment of dark skin. In light of the recent discourse on colorism in our community, I really want to celebrate dark complexions in my art and portray their beauty, as I believe this representation is something very important yet too often overlooked in many media forms. I hope to bring this representation into other forms of media as I continue my career.

How has the resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests influenced your work?

Leslie: Firstly, the Black Lives Matter movement is inspiring to me in its fight for the support of other Black people, whether it be a business, a talent, an art form. The resurgence of the movement has firstly reminded me of my place in the artistic world as an Afro-Latinx artist. I’d like to eventually enter the animation field, which is one in which there are not many people like me. This has reminded me of why I wanted to enter this field in the first place, to represent people like myself who are not usually the main characters of their favorite shows or films. I think the media we consume, even animation, influences the way we think whether we believe so or not. The movement has also inspired me to use my art as a tool for my advocacy and has been a way to do my part using my skill. In order to raise money to support the movement, I’ve created work to sell online and donate the revenue from. I collaborated with other artists (Shirley Reynozo and Katherine Bencosme) in creating visuals for infographics about protest safety. Most recently, I created a portrait in tribute to the beautiful 19 year-old Oluwatoyin Salau (Rest in Power). I wanted to raise awareness about her case and continue to spread her message: that Black Lives Matter, we must fight for our Black women, and we must protect Black trans lives.

Apart from your activism art you have created in the last week, your work takes different forms and mediums. What mediums do you use? What does art curation mean to you? Are you aiming to represent your community, or are you aiming to hold a mirror to your community to talk about certain realities?

Leslie: 90 percent of the time, my medium is digital art, by way of pen tablet. The other 10 percent are pencil and paper sketchings I do when my tablet isn’t nearby. In terms of form and format, I have explored comic strip work in my efforts to really tell a story through my art. Art curation to me means displaying my truth, and while this means representing my community, it also means critiquing it in my portrayal of its reality. In my piece tackling gentrification, I reflected on the many changes that I personally noticed my childhood community had undergone. This helped raise awareness and incite discourse about the topic, which is important to me as it disproportionately affects low-income Black/Brown/Latinx communities such as mine. 

You often depict women of color in your visual representations. In what ways do your different art forms serve to evoke different sentiments or purposes?

Leslie: Aside from portraiture, I have also used other art forms for different purposes. I’ve done cover artwork for Black musical artists and have helped create visual brand identities for small businesses owned by people of color. I think that while my work for some of these clients can evoke particular sentiments, my reasoning for taking on the task in the first place is primarily for the purpose of helping uplift other creatives and entrepreneurs of color. Knowing what I do about the glass ceiling that exists in the world of media for the voices of minorities, especially Black people, I feel a duty to do whatever I can to open opportunities for others like myself. This means working together and using my platform as best as I can. 

How are you using your art to mobilize funding for different Black Lives Matter?

Leslie: I’ve recently created a piece in celebration of those the movement is fighting to protect. I’ve opened up a shop on RedBubble.com to sell merchandise with my drawing, including stickers, masks, pillows, and more. I am donating all proceeds from any items on my shop that feature my Black Lives Matter drawing to various bail funds, charities, and GoFundMe pages for victims of police brutality.

To connect with Leslie, you can connect with her on her personal and artist Instagram accounts.

A CALL TO ACTION: 

This post is a call to action to all my Black and Afro-Latinx artists, please keep creating. We are the generation that will set the foundation for this century’s evolution of Black consciousness and expression. The revolution is now, and we must all be engines of the cultural revolution so that we represent our essence and not the stereotypes of the racist patriarchy. This is not a light task. Be careful with yourselves. Self preservation is the greatest form of resistance. I am now accepting Black and Afro/Latinx diasporic works. I am also accepting work from any one who holds different identity backgrounds, and is in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Submissions (works and an artist statement of purpose) can be emailed to Shirley Reynozo at shirlsrey@gmail.com.

For more information, please refer to her activism page: Down To Be an Activist or her Instagram page.

[whatsonmedia]

Discover 5 Captivating Art Exhibitions of This Week

Immerse yourself in a world of captivating art exhibitions. Discover the thought-provoking "Father and Son" by Akram Zaatari, experience the cultural fusion of "Afro-Mingei" by Theaster Gates, and delve into the atmospheric paintings of Matthew Krishanu. Get captivated by Patrick Martinez's powerful narratives and pay homage to the Harlem Renaissance at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Join us on this artistic journey where culture, history, and creativity intertwine. Akram Zaatari: Father and Son When: April 23 - July 13 Where: Thomas Dane, Naples Akram Zaatari, an artist with a passion for unearthing Lebanon's history, presents a unique exhibition that focuses on restitution. Through the use of text, historical documents, and photographs, Zaatari recreates objects and ties that have been lost over time. The exhibition showcases a range of works spanning two decades, including the recent series "Father and Son," which reunites two Phoenician sarcophagi through 3D scans, film, and photographs. With a focus on reconnected untold stories with the present, this exhibition reflects Zaatari's exploration of the recording and forgetting of history. For more visit Official Website Theaster Gates: Afro-Mingei When: April 24 - September 1 Where: Mori Art Museum Theaster Gates, renowned for his sculptures and ceramics, presents his first solo exhibition in Japan and the largest ever in Asia. The exhibition explores the concept of "Afro-Mingei" as the central theme, showcasing existing and never-before-seen works that demonstrate the influence of Japanese culture on Gates' practice. With a focus on marginalized communities, Gates' multimedia approach incorporates installations, neon works, and painted pieces to create a powerful visual language. For more visit Official Website Matthew Krishanu: 'The Bough Breaks' When: April 26 - June 23 Where: Camden Art Centre Matthew Krishanu's atmospheric paintings delve into themes of migration and loss. This exhibition features images of the artist and his brother perched on the branches of a banyan tree, symbolizing both safety and the looming potential of collapse. Krishanu's emotionally charged work captivated audiences in his previous exhibition at Whitechapel Art Gallery. Don't miss the opportunity to experience his beautiful, poignant paintings. For more visit Official Website Patrick Martinez: Histories When: April 3 - September 1 Where: Dallas Contemporary Dallas Contemporary presents the largest show of painter Patrick Martinez's works, showcasing brand-new pieces and a selection of his past works. Martinez's art aims to shed light on marginalized Latinx and BIPOC communities through a variety of mediums, including painting, installations, neon works, and more. The exhibition serves as a platform for unifying immigrant and BIPOC communities through a shared visual language. For more visit Official Website The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism When: February 25 - July 28 Where: The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art pays homage to the Harlem Renaissance, a significant Afro-American movement of the interwar period. This expansive exhibition features over 160 photographs, paintings, and sculptures from artists integral to the artistic and social movement. The artworks are juxtaposed with European works by Henri Matisse and Edvard Munch, offering a unique perspective on the African diaspora. Don't miss this celebration of cultural and artistic exchange. For more visit Official Website To get more updates on Arts and Culture visit WhatsOn.guide Read the full article

[reasoningdaily]

Texas A&M University Black Student Alliance Council, MSC Woodson Black Awareness Committee and The Association of Former Students welcome the campus community to Black History Month events beginning tomorrow, Feb. 1.

The national theme of Black History Month 2024 is “African American and the Arts.” Read more about this year’s theme from the Library of Congress.

Schedule of Events

Black History Month Kick-off Black Student Alliance Council Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. MSC Gates Ballroom

Beyond The Canvas: Challenging And Shaping Perceptions In African American Arts Aggie Male Black Connection Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. MSC 2200

Black History Month Maroon Table Talk SGA Diversity Commission Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.

Afrofuturism Conference School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts Feb. 16 at 3:30 p.m. and Feb. 17 at 8:30 p.m. Liberal Arts and Humanities Building Room 465 RSVP is desired

The Art of Professionalism  Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.

The Art of Stepping: A Black History Showcase National Pan-Hellenic Council Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.

BSAC Hump Night: Muses and Melodies Black Student Alliance Council Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. MSC Stark Galleries

Afro-Latinx Life In Writing MSC Woodson Black Awareness Committee Feb. 29 at 9 a.m. MSC 2300D/E

For more information on these events and how to attend, visit tx.ag/bsacBHM.

Read more about Black history and achievements at Texas A&M University.

[minstrelsyinthemedia]

How Blackface "Humor" Thrives in the Americas

While blackface is majorly condemned here, Americans are blind to its persisting legacy. In class, we learned about examples of anti-blackness and minstrelsy that are majorly supported. A prominent example is Soldado Micolta, a beloved TV character in Colombia.

Soldado Micolta is an Afro-Latino soldier character played by a white man in blackface. Yikes. (image credits)

Afrolatinx protesters went to Bogota, Colombia in 2015 to protest Soldado Micolta, demanding the character to be taken off air. When this happened, however, Colombians responded by claiming that Soldado Micolta represented the country’s “diverse cultural and racial expressions of humor” (Meraji & Demby, 2018). 

Using humor to excuse racism is nothing new in Latin American society. There has been a recent study analyzing cases of racial discrimination brought to the Justice Tribunal of the State of Sao Paulo in Brazil. From 2012 to 2016, judges have often dismissed these cases because the question of criminal intent is analyzed through “the lens of racialized social teasing and jokes” (Hernández, 2019, p. 351). Racial discrimination, despite how hurtful it can be, continues to be ingrained in the culture because of how people continue to be flippant about it.

You would probably be asking, “What does this have to do with me? Sure, this sucks, but Black people in the US have it so much better now.” It would be silly to not recognize the changes that society has made to make the world a better place. However, we should not ignore the United States’s history of white supremacy and anti-blackness. Distinct non-white ethnic groups in the United States are continued to be seen as foreign, but often times, they would show support towards conservatism and racist ideologies. This can be explained with the idea of “multiracial whiteness.” Multiracial whiteness is an ideology that reflects the understanding of whiteness as more than a skin color. Whiteness guarantees a political identity and culture that represents dominance over others (Flores, 2021). Afrodescendants of today who are successful in a White-powered society like the United States’s look this way because of adaptation. While Americans have become more accepting of Afrodescendants, African-Americans have also adapted to white standards of life.

In fact, Latinx Americans, including all skin tones, participate in anti-Black violence. There has been a "disturbing trend" of more Latinxs joining white supremacist hate groups like League of the South and the Proud Boys (Hernandez, 2022, p. 103). There have also been isolated incidents where Latinx Americans have assaulted Black folks. In 2012, Peruvian American George Zimmerman murdered Black teen Trayvon Martin for walking in his neighborhood, but it was argued that he was not racist because of his Latino heritage (Hernandez, 2022, p. 102). Minorities in the US are just as capable as white people of being racist towards African-Americans, and we often ignore this fact.

“The problem today is that people are laughing at the wrong things,” my theatre and film professor, Allan Havis, tells me when describing blackface in film. There have been many examples in movies of blackface being used in satire, such as Tropic Thunder (2008) and Bamboozled (2000). While they have both received mixed opinions because of their controversial themes, there has always been an existing minority that finds these movies funny not because of the satire, but because of blackface itself. 

Reparations toward African Americans have always been the subject of a complicated debate, but I believe that they are necessary given the long-lasting stain of blackface from the past to the present.

Works Cited

Flores, Tatiana. “‘Latinidad Is Cancelled’: Confronting an Anti-Black Construct.” Latin American and Latinx Visual Culture, vol. 3, no. 3, July 2021, pp. 58–79, https://doi.org/10.1525/lavc.2021.3.3.58.

Hernández, Tanya Katerí. “Latin American Racial Equality Law as Criminal Law.” Latin American and Caribbean Ethnic Studies, vol. 14, no. 3, Sept. 2019, pp. 348–58, https://doi.org/10.1080/17442222.2019.1661971.

Hernández, Tanya Katerí. (2022). Racial Innocence: Unmasking Latino Anti-Black Bias and the Struggle for Equality. Beacon Press. 

Meraji, S. M., & Demby, G. (Hosts). (2018, June 13). Twenty-First Century Blackface. [Audio podcast episode]. In Code Switch. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/2018/06/13/619359049/twenty-first-century-blackface