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

My Language

Ever since I can remember I have been in love with the Spanish language. Culturally I have not always been around it as I would have liked growing up as my parents separated when I was really young age. Growing up culture was everywhere and nowhere. Living in NYC it’s hard to miss but being immersed in it and learning it is a different story. I remember as a kid the only words I needed to know were plugged into a conversation that went something like this:

Me: Hola wela

Abuela: Hola mi Niña, Como estas?

Me: bien

Abuela: Quiere comer?

Me: no gracias wela.

…..later on

Me: bye wela

Abuela: ok mi Niña cuidense

….and that pretty much made up my Spanish vocabulary growing up.

Of course there were the required courses I had taken in my predominantly Hispanic populated school where about 1% of the students did not come from Spanish speaking home. Those test results always came back with several red correction marks on them. I just couldn’t catch a break. Maybe my lack of learning the language at an early age gave me this burning desire to perfect it. At some point I just started picking it up, listening to people speak it at the hair salon (I know typical) at the corner store, or even in a cab. I would talk back to people in Spanish as if I knew what I was saying and try to carry on a conversation.

In college I did take Spanish as my language elective; although I really did want to take Japanese I could not convince myself that I would use it ever. So there I was this Black Latina with an insatiable appetite to know every aspect of this foreign language that should not be strange to someone with a last name like Lopez.

I immersed myself in every aspect of it that I could. I found myself fascinated with speaking to people in both English and Spanish and working my way around the words I did not know. I would often say things like “como” to try to get my point across and “como se dice” to get help in expressing myself. I started downloading learning and translation aids as well as reading books to help me learn more and to “get around” my getting around speaking perfectly.

Today I feel like the little things have gotten me far. I can somewhat hold a conversation with a person who only speaks Spanish and I use what I know to continue to listen and learn the bits and pieces I do not know. Rosetta Stone would really make money off of a Black Latina like me but I do not see the point of having to go to such extreme measures when the language is in my blood. For those of us that are Hispanic or have some trace of Hispanic blood running through their veins, Spanish may have been your first language. Studies have shown it is so much easier to learn a second language at an early stage in life. But for those Black Latinas like me it is definitely one of the challenges of being on both sides of the spectrum.

Be The Change

What good are we if we only seem to fall into the stereotype others have set in place for us?


Whether it is social, economic or political, we as individuals should aspire for more.

I’d hate to be that Black Latina society paints out as this uneducated, teen mom on welfare. It has gone on for several decades and only seems to be worsening. The culprit? We are.

This is only an example of a stereotype others have given us, maybe not realizing that “we” are not all grouped into one category.

These thoughts came into my mind as I was grocery shopping today.

An older Hispanic woman was in the frozen food section shopping with her grandson.

She asked for my help on reading the sale ads and choosing the correct product.

As we walked through the refrigerated section I couldn’t help but notice all the unhealthy choices she made. The first were French fries she asked about and I am guilty of the same as many of us are, they are easy and simple. The second were those little lunchable meals that kids seem to love. Yes frozen and convenient I attest to buying them a few times, but what real nutritional value can come from them. But the third and most shocking to me was, White Castle burgers. Speechless. I am by no means judging anyone who eats this, but White Castle as with any fast food business is meant to be just that, fast food. Why would this be a product in the super market? Yes I know, maybe people love them so much they want to eat them at home as well, but it just did not sit well with me.

Granted she was an older woman and most likely set in her ways, but through all the years should there not have been a line drawn.

Then there’s the other harsh reality in the back of all our minds, the unhealthy items that are placed in these inner city, predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, giving us the option to eat this garbage.

I for one have been guilty of traveling to another borough just to purchase fresher healthier options, but am not proud of it. It is a shame that we have to go through such measures to maintain our health. This said supermarket where I met this woman was not the nearest to my home either. Let’s put it this way en route from my house to the supermarket I pass about four other supermarkets that I rather not go to.

But this also goes back to being the change you want to see in YOUR neighborhood.

How can we continue to complain about the problem but not offer a solution?

PAWAS 2011 Conference

We have been honored at the Movement  be showcased at the Pan-African Women's Action Summit
Conference in Minn. Minesota August 10-11. On the 10th our film Memoirs of a Black Latina be screened with a panelist discussion and on the 11th we will be Keynote Speakers to young women within the ages of 21-35.

I must say when we started the company we knew it was a social and to certain extents a political statement. But in essence all we wanted was for the media to acknowledge Black Latinas. As actresses we tackled the entertainment industry and created production companies. But now it is taking a different turn which I
guess sub-conciously we knew the power and impact this was going to have. We did the film Memoirs of a Black Latina to showcase beautiful Black Latinas and show the world we do exist but also tell our stories. We never knew it was going to be used as an educational piece one that would be used at topics of
discussion in conferences.

We are so honored and taken back by that.

Although we are blown away we are tremendously humbled, switching gears and broadening our mentality as to how far and big we can take this. We welcome it... Thank you!

Magazine World

So I was appalled and shocked when I saw a link on Facebook that Latina Magazine was having an Afro Latina week in fashion.

At first it is misleading because you think, ok well they are finally showing us some love although it is just a week... something is something! But then come to find out it was what the week was a tribute for. It was to some celebrity Afro Latinas and how they find the right clothes or makeup shade in fashions for themselves. So for example the right red lipsticks being that the 80's fad of red lipstick is coming back. And I thought ok this could be a good thing to finally recognize Black Latinas in the industry because there has been many of us that have not gotten the shine we deserve.

But then I got extremely angry like really Latina Magazine... One Week! One week.... Really?! Now I know I should be happy and grateful it is an accomplishment but still... We deserve more then a week. So I thought how would they integrate the Black Latina world into Latina magazine because clearly they know we are a sub group within the Latina community as a whole. But how would they go about doing this in a unifying way without making it seem as though we are a separated group of people. Doing it in a positive way and not in a negative way as if we are segregated, which we know to a degree we are but we are trying to move past that.

I ask because many feel by me creating the Black Latina Movement I have sparked a huge division amongst my people so now I ask you. How do you bring light to a sub-group within a larger group without causing further division?