Orgullosa, grateful and honored are all understatements when describing how I feel about being Latina. My Puerto Rican and Dominican roots are interlaced throughout my thick, dark hair; my loud, boisterous voice and my constant craving for my mother’s arroz con habichuelas negras y aguacate. There is no getting around how much I love where I come from. Feelings of brotherhood come instantly when finding out that a random classmate shares your ethnicity. Our hugs and our kisses on the cheek are as warm as our climates. However, behind the beautiful beaches of San Juan and the infectious, rhythmic beat of bachata, there lies an inherent problem tied to every Latino country’s culture that we need to talk about: racism.
Growing up in a Latino household would simply be lacking if my family did not bring up what kind of man I am planning on marrying. He should be a Christian, more specifically, an Adventist; he should be smart; he should be musical; and, of course, he should be white.
Funnily enough, while my mother is a white Puerto Rican woman, my father is a black Dominican man. So, why was I being told to marry to mejorar la raza?
The answer to this question is deeply rooted in colonialism-inspired racism throughout Latin America. Dating back to when Spain colonized Latin America, eurocentrism was instilled in the indigenous peoples. The indigenous peoples were manipulated and controlled into believing the colonists’ lies. Today, this eurocentrism looks like being admired by fellow Latinos for having straight hair, known as “pelo bueno,” or being looked down on for having Afro-textured hair, known as “pelo malo.” This eurocentrism looks like getting complimented on your “good skin” if you are fair-skinned, and not getting looked at twice if you have a dark complexion. This eurocentrism, thanks to colonization, is prevalent in nearly every Latin American culture.
As proud Latinx, we would like to pretend that our racial differences do not exist. Well, this is a wake-up call for all of us. It is time we recognize and change the issues of our culture. This recognition and change can begin with acknowledging and applauding the beauty in being Afro-Latino and with calling out common phrases and thought processes in our culture like “mejorar la raza” for the normalized racism they truly are.
Our predecessors’ thoughts do not have to become our own. My family, similar to Latino families everywhere, is loving and welcoming to every person they meet. But old, hateful ideas disguised as tradition have harshly clouded their hospitality. Thankfully, Latin American communities have become far more accepting compared to years past. Yet, this cultural change would have never manifested if not for individuals who stood up to be that difference. As a people, by listening and dialoguing with each other, we can grow together and learn together. Change can only happen si lo hacemos juntos.