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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Assimilate vs being Ethnocentric

I love being a Black Latina on many different levels it means a lot to me and I wear it with pride.

But when is it too much or is it ever too much?

Dictionary.com states to assimilate is "to conform or take in as ones own" but being ethnocentric is "the belief in superiority of ones ethnic group or culture".

There has truly been a shift in our communities from being forced or willingly assimilating in periods such as slavery and the surge of Hispanic/Latino immigration in the 20s-50s . We were force to change our names as depicted in Alex Haley's "Roots" to just taking in American culture and yearning to fit in. The flip side of the shift started with the 60s Black is Beautiful Movement and research proving life began in our homeland of Africa to now the Black Latina Movement ;).

Where do we find the balance.

I am not apologetic towards my outward love for my race, people and culture but because I was born in the US I didn't have a say on assimilation; that decision was made before my parents were even born.

I whole heartedly agree with Dr. Dubois teaching of double identity and embracing both. Learning to live with this duality that runs throughout my entire body. Would I love to do what my Jamaican forefather the incomparable Marcus Garvey suggested and create schools and communities for our people... hell yes! But it would also be denying our American birth rights so there's definitely a fine line many of us must follow. It is not at easy as it looks but our complexities make us that more intriguing as humans.

CSR

Labels: Africa, American, Black is Beautiful, black latina, Immigration, race, slavery

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