Why People Need To Acknowledge The Term "Afro-Latino" | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Why People Need To Acknowledge The Term "Afro-Latino"

“There were 11.2 million Africans that we can count who survived the Middle Passage and landed in the New World, and of that 11.2 million, only 450,000 came to the United States. That’s amazing. All the rest went south of Miami as it were.” – Henry Louis Gates Jr. on “Black in Latin America

1532
Why People Need To Acknowledge The Term "Afro-Latino"
Pexels

Racial identity and ethnicity may seem highly complex and is a difficult subject to discuss. There is no doubt that Blacks and Latinos carry similar ties. One day, I was surfing through social media, and viewed promos for the new reality TV series, Love & Hip Hop: Miami on VH1. I am highly familiar with the Love & Hip Hop franchise, but I’ve never watched the Miami season.

After deciding to watch the first episode, I was shocked that one of the breakout stars, Amara La Negra, who openly identified herself as Afro-Latina, was being judged by her race. During the episode, Amara was seen meeting up with a Latin producer and he made a few racist comments regarding her “look.”

For instance, he told her that he didn’t think that people would take her seriously with her Afro, and how she needs to switch up her look in order to be successful in the music industry. Amara told him that she was an Afro-Latina and he asked “What does that mean? Does that mean that you have an Afro?” And even made a comment about her “Nutella” skin color, which was undeniably racist. Below is a picture of the lovely Amara La Negra, who is Dominican-American and of course, a proud Afro-Latina:

After the episode, I went on Instagram and saw nothing but clips of what I just saw regarding the scene with Amara and the producer all over my timeline. After seeing the online reviews, I was shocked by the comments made about the situation. I noticed that half of the fans were supporting her and others were judging her.

I was shocked because the people who were judging her were mainly black. In fact, those people were claiming that she was doing “black face.” I found this very ignorant and wanted to know why her skin color and hair were an issue. I noticed comments saying “oh she’s not black she’s Latina. These people want to be black so bad.” And “Her skin looks so airbrushed and fake to me.” What bothers me is that it is 2018, and people can’t learn the difference between race and ethnicity.

But the question is, what exactly does Afro-Latino/Latina mean? Well, according to Latin Times, Afro-Latino/Latinas are people of African descent who have origins in Latin American and Caribbean countries. This mainly focuses on the culture and language. For example, a darker skin Latino who was born in the Dominican Republic or Cuba. People just assume that Latino is a whole race, which is FALSE. It is important that we are more open-minded when it comes to race vs ethnicity.

Let’s be clear. Amara’s RACE is black, and her ETHNICITY is Dominican-American. There have been issues where some dark-skinned Latinos would deny being black, which is another major problem. This is because people in both parties are still refusing to acknowledge that Afro-Latino is a real term. What needs to be understood is that black people come in all forms and colors ranging from light to dark skin. Afro-Latin does exist and you should not be skeptical when you see a black person speaking Spanish or any other language. This goes for mixed races such as Black and Asian, also known as “Blasian.”

What people need to understand is that we Africans came on the same boat, BUT not all of us went to the same place. In fact, according to Henry Louis Gates Jr. in "Black In Latin America," a 2011 PBS documentary, he stated that 11.2 million Africans were transported from the Middle Passage to the New World, but only 450,000 made it to the United States, while others landed all over Latin America, the Caribbean, and even other nations. This also can be taken back to the early 17th century where Ouidah, a West African city (currently the Republic of Benin) was one of the major trading routes of slavery. Villagers witnessed people being enslaved and stripped of everything they owned and taken to foreign countries.

According to Jehovah Witnesses from JW.org, 11-12 million Africans were shipped and only 6 percent were sent to the United States, 85 percent were sent to Latin American countries and Caribbean countries, while the remaining went to other countries.

Still, don’t believe me, or think you have never seen an "Afro-LatinoLatina"? Here are some popular celebrities who you didn’t know were Afro-Latino/Latina:

1. Lala Anthony

Yes, Lala is a well-known television personality, businesswoman, actress, producer, and NY Times best-selling author. She is also married to famous NBA player Carmelo Anthony. Anthony was born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in New York City.

2. Zoe Saldana

Saldana, a famous actress, was born to Dominican and Puerto Rican parents. She also has traces of Haitian and Lebanese roots. Saldana stated "There's no one way to be black. I''m black the way I know how to be."

3. Victor Cruz

Cruz is a well-known American football wide receiver, who is currently a free-agent. He was born to African American and Puerto Rican parents in New Jersey.

4. Bruno Mars

Popular singer and songwriter who was born under the name Peter Gene Hernandez, Bruno Mars was born to parents of Puerto Rican and Jewish in Hawaii.

5. Christina Milian

Yes, well-known for her hit singles, Milian is indeed Cuban-American. In a statement, she said, "I’m Cuban but people didn’t get it because I was also brown-skinned... Latinos come in all colors, all shades... You should see my mom and her brothers and sisters... We just vary in color, shapes and sizes. But we’re still Latinos — that doesn’t change a damn thing."

6. Selenis Leyva

Leyva is a Cuban-born actress. She is best known for the Netflix Original hit series, "Orange Is the New Black."

7. Cardi B

Well-known rapper and billboard superstar born Belcalis Almanzar was born to Dominican and Trinidadian parents.

8. Fabolous

This famous rapper was born to Dominican parents. He was also a former member of the Love & Hip Hop franchise on the New York season. He and Amara La Negra aren't the only Afro-Latin artists on the Love & Hip Hop franchise.

9. Tyson Beckford

Yes, he is! The famous model was born to Panamanian and Jamaican parents.

10. Juliet “Juju” Castaneda


Famously known as Juju, is a current member of Love & Hip Hop: New York. She is a proud Afro-Latina and is born to Cuban parents. She and Amara are highly supportive of each other as well. It was shocking that Amara was getting backlash while people gave no opinions on Juju's identity. Both are in the current seasons of Love & Hip Hop.

For those who know me, no, I am not Latina at all. I am a proud Caribbean American who feels that people in the Black Community need to accept their own, and for those who are Latino/Latina need to be informed. But why am I writing this article?

Well, I want to provide a voice for all my friends who are tired of explaining themselves and those who keep being in denial about who they are. Now you know that some of your favorite celebrities are Afro-Latino/Latina, it’s time to have an open mind about race and culture.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Taylor Swift in orange dress playing a moss-covered piano on stage with bright lights.

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

A Few Thoughts Every College Freshman Has

The transition into adulthood is never easy

24250
Mays Island
Courtney Jones

Today I started my third week of college at Minnesota State Moorhead. I have survived welcome week, finding my classes on the first day, and being an awkward loner in the dining hall. Even though I have yet to be here for a month, I have already experienced many thoughts and problems that only a new college student can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Students walking on a sunny college campus with trees and buildings.

"Make sure to get involved when you're in college!"

We've all heard some variation of this phrase, whether it came from parents, other family members, friends, RAs, or college-related articles. And, like many clichés, it's true for the most part. Getting involved during your college years can help you make friends, build your resume, and feel connected to your campus. However, these commitments can get stressful if you're dealing with personal issues, need to work, or aren't sure how to balance classes and everything else going on during the semester.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

9 Reasons Why Friends Are Essential In College

College without friends is like peanut butter without jelly.

10148
Bridgaline Liberati and friends
Bridgaline Liberati

In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Power of Dressing Up

Why it pays to leave the hoodie at home.

7421
sneakers and heels
Sister | Brother Style - Word Press

For a moment your world is spinning. The phone alarm has just scared you awake and you’re flooded by daunting thoughts of the day ahead. You have three assignments due and little time to work on them because of your job. You’re running late because you’ve hit snooze one to many times after yesterday’s long hours. You dizzily reach for a hoodie, craving its comfort, and rush for a speedy exit, praying you will have time to pick up coffee. Does this sound familiar?

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments