Because I love a good Kinky Gazpacho story in any format, a friend sent me a link to this article about the plight of the Afro-Mexican population in Mexico. It's an interesting piece with some great photos.
Overall, the story points to the lack of awareness the whole world has of Mexicans of African descent and their subsequent impoverished existence in Mexico. Be honest, did you know there were Black Mexicans? If you are a regular reader of this blog, you do because I wrote about a photography exhibit that documented their lives a few years back. But even I admit, one doesn't hear a whole lot or see Black Mexicans in the media --at least in the US media. Anybody know different in Latin America. Is there any part of the world where Black Mexicans are getting love?
I'm listening.
Peace.
5 comments:
Hi Lori, after my visit to Mexico, I thought about Afro-Mexicans quite a bit. I finally wrote about my experience there and them in a post this past May on my blog here... http://iamatraveler-adventuresoflife.blogspot.com/2010/05/blood-we-share-with-mexican-americans.html
Hi Lori,
I did my thesis on Afro-Mexicans. I very much enjoyed my visit to the costa chica of Oaxaca. If you're interested in learning more about Afro-Mexico, you should check out Bobby Vaughn's work. He has studied that population for over 10 years. Laura Lewis is another one who studies Afro-Mexicans.
Well, I know an opera singer who's Mexican and Bulgarian. She speaks fluent English, Spanish, French and Italian. She grew up in a Michigan town where she was the only Latina in her school. She was the object of racist taunts. In many ways her story mirrors mine, which has allowed us to become friends.
Besides singing, she has dual U.S-Mexican citizenship and she's the Cultural Ambassador to Mexico, teaching singing to orphans and homeless children. Many of these children are orphans as well. She also loves all of Maya Angelou's work! Imagine that!
She lives right outside Philly so she's close to you Lori! We haven't met in person yet but we stay in touch!
I only recently became aware of the enslavement of Africans in Mexico and other parts of Central America as well as in South America. Growing up, I was only made aware of slavery in the mainland American colonies and I really wish it'd been made clear that African slaves arrived to so many parts of North and South America.
I knew of the brazillians and their racial system (similar to that of south africa) so I am not surprised it is no different in Mexico either...
Heck every part of the world seems to have it in for blacks even in Africa of all places!
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