At some point I wonder if Black people get tired of consistently having egg on their face. Y’all love to defend other groups, but they rarely ever do the same for us as Black people.

Black people like to defend Latinos and they get a bunch of lightskinned and mixed Latinos saying the Ni**er to their faces because of their general ignorance of race vs ethnicity.

Black people like to defend indigenous people and they those same indigenous peoples(this really only applies to the ones in the south like the Cherokee, Seminole, Creek, and Chickasaw, and Choctaw) rarely ever acknowledge the fact they were oppressors to Black people. Or when’s someone brings it up, it’s “but they were kinder than the white people!” Like please-

Black people defend Asians, especially South East Asians, and we get them calling us slurs in their own language, extreme colorism, extreme texturism, and generational prejudice and biases about black people.

Black people defend biracials and their “blackness” and instead we get them replacing and erasing us in our own shows, other media, and praising the white features that they inherited from their white parent. Meanwhile, darkskinned women from Africa are called Eurocentric because they’re beautiful and have different features(despite black people saying we come in all shades and colors and features. Black people don’t like it when those different features aren’t on a mixed or biracial girl)

Black people defend the lgbt community and we get their community members saying we as black women aren’t women because of white supremacy.

Like are we not tired! Are you not tired of constantly being laughed at and being made the joke of the world?! Are you not tired your people are considered the front line warriors who will defend everyone if they don’t deserve it?! Would it kill the black community, especially the black girls and women, to focus on ourselves and our image that’s slowly disappearing. When will we learn to say it’s not our fight.

Read before you follow!

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Im a minor, please keep that in mind!

I am NOT a system, I refer to myself as multiple people out of habit!!!

Im Afro latino/A POC (Dominican Puerto Rican & Black)

Im trans, He/It/That/Xe (fem terms are okay tho!)

I interact with a lot of horror media.

I go inactive a lot due to many things like school, im trying to post more though.

I have a depression diagnosis and am working in a few others, please understand that this effects me and be understanding!

If you need to adress me beyond pronouns you can call me by any part of my username, bugs, or Maze (if were mutuals you can use any sfw nicknames/petnames)

I will post abt non agere things from time to time like my intrests!!!

Id perfer if you used tone tags or specified tones, i mainly use tumblr when im little and that makes determining tones difficult.

If your not okay with those things maybe you shouldnt follow me! /nm

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DNI

Basic dni criteria

Turfs, transmeds, transracials, transphobes, and variants

Racists, to ANY race.

Anti agere

18+ and/or nsfw accounts

SH, ED, Vent, gore accounts. (ETC)

Anyone who doesn’t support Gaza

If any of these apply to you and you proceed to interact with me in anyway I will block you and call you out if reasonable.

In the U.S. dreadlocks became popularized by Jamaican artist and spread through reggae music. In the United States dreadlocks are very much a Afro-Jamaican thing. This might not be true in other parts of the world but it is true here. Many black people in the U.S. adopted the style once it became mainstream but it came from the Rastafari movement.

Also, I would just like to say that Afro-Latinos are very different culturally than our black brothers and sisters. Cultural identity is very much tied to nationality in Latin America and that complicates things in a lot of ways when discussing racial issues within the community and how we identify. Keep that in mind when discussing racial issues as it pertains to LATAM and the boys.

You aren't really saying anything relevant tho. Again, dreadlocks may have been POPULARIZED by the rastafari movement, but they didn't ORIGINATE in the movement. They may have a lot of religious meaning to AFRO JAMAICANS but they are NOT exclusive to them. If an Afro-American gets locs its not a fashion statement, but any other black person can do it for any reason, even IF that reason is fashion, and its not appropriative of rastafari culture because it didn't originate there. Hell, textured hair will form locs when its left uncombed, so the idea that the style is limited to some black people when it is the natural state of black hair is ridiculous.

Second of all, if you want to apply this argument to dreads you'd literally have to apply it to every hairstyle within the black community. Cornrows were popularized in the slave trade. Can black people only get cornrows if your ancestors were slaves? Can you only wear an afro as a symbol of the civil rights movement? NO! These hairstyles have permeated black culture for millenia and have had countless meanings in countless cultures. And they will have countless more as time goes on. To try and limit them to a single culture within the black community is incredibly ahustorical.

If you, as an afro-dominican, do not feal comfortable wearing dreads, DONT GET DREADS. but richard, who identifies as a black man, has every right to wear them.

And um. We need to talk about this last paragraph. Because I did some research, trying to figure out where this distinction between afro Latinos and other black people came from. And a lot of it stems from racism in Latin culture. And its actually something a LOT of afro latines are fighting against. So to argue that its somehow unacceptable to talk about yall as black people, when people from within your culture are coming forward to talk about how the only reason that distinction exists is internalised racism, is a bit ignorant on your part. Like by all means, identify however you want to identify. But dont try to disregard WHY that identification is so popular. Ethnicity, nationaliy, and race are not the same thing. You can be latine, Dominican, and black. None of those are mutually exclusive. But it doesn't sit right with me the way you're pushing this narrative that they are. Like, the way the latine community is SO ADAMANT to deny its black roots, when most of your culture is heavily influenced by blackness is more than a little sus. the rastafari movement was based off of the ideas of a pan Africanist, for gods sake. Using it to argue for cultural divide amongst black people is absolutely laughable.

What if I’m Latino and want to draw sapnap as Latino as well? Is neurodivegent headcanons for the dream team okay but this isn’t?

I’ll admit, the lines are blurred with Dream SMP characters because they are both characters and representative of real people. If you want, I can talk about the various levels of Problematic™ that are involved in this question, and since I’m bored and procrastinating, let’s get into it:

First off, there is, actually a history of Tumblr fanartists in particular drawing traditionally white characters as POC and getting backlash for it, so honestly, I’m not totally agains the practice. Frankly, drawing classic characters as POC when they haven’t really been confirmed as any race - just assumed to be the default of white - isn’t a bad thing. One such example is Hermione, who many fanartists have depicted as black, with curly hair or an afro. Because Hermione’s character and story are not intrinsically tied to any particular cultural or explicit details that would make it logically flawed to hc her as non-white, there’s really nothing wrong with this.

This is different from the opposite because it is a way for non-white audiencemembers to drive home the point that non-white Americans/Europeans are, in many ways, just like their white counterparts. That is to say, whether Hermione is black or white doesn’t change who she is; she can be a white English lady or a black English lady, but being black doesn’t necessarily mean she would act any differently or be a totally different person. It is a means to combat the assumption that any American/European character whose culture isn’t explictly brought up by the creator of a work is white.

This isn’t the same as the opposite - portraying POC characters as white - because the latter is a form of whitewashing. When you portray assumed-white characters as POC, you are not erasing anything from that character, while portraying POC characters as white erases their culture, the visibility of that ethnic group/race, and any details the creator of the content might have included in their story about that character. That’s why films are criticized for casting white actors to play POC characters, and artists are criticized for lightening character’s skin tones or erasing physical features of theirs that can be attributed to their ethnic/racial identity.

Now the question with portraying Sapnap as Latino is, is this wrong, exactly? I’d like to preface by saying that everything I’ve said about portraying Sapnap as Latino has been purely my opinion. At the end of the day, I’m not an expert on racial theory or art; I’m just a poli sci major who’s taken a couple courses on racism and has talked and learned a bit about POC in media. You can come to whatever conclusions you like, at the end of the day, and portray him however you like, love.

As I see it, there are several reasons portraying Sapnap as Latino is Problematic™. First off, Sapnap and other white members of the Dream SMP already have problems with recognizing POC and the implications of POC within the SMP. Sapnap has actually answered a donation before by saying that he’s not 100% white because he’s part-Greek, completely unironically and without recognizing why him saying that was wrong. Imo, this indicates a lack of understanding for what it really means to be a POC in Western countries that so many white people exhibit. Being a person of color in Western Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, etc., means functioning within a society where you have to battle with yourself everyday your own, multiple, and seemingly contradictory identities. It means functioning within a society where you have to navigate the crossroads of oppression within you must survive. White people who falsely claim that they aren’t white like this simply don’t understand or are even aware of exactly what it means to be shaped by the oppression of being a person of color. They believe that being a person of color, beyond occassionally experiencing explicit racism, is just a label and a tie to one’s ancestry, when it’s much more beyond that. And the thing is, Sapnap can’t claim that label because he simply hasn’t gone through the lived experience of a POC in the United States. And that’s fine. It’s fine to be white, and to just be a little ignorant to your whiteness. I’m not attacking Sapnap by pointing this all out, I’m just stating facts.

Secondly, this would mean that a 100% white person is essentially playing the role of a Latino character, which is already a far-too common practice in film and TV showmaking. Then again, I will admit that a counter-argument can be made here, in that, headcanons are not actually canon to the Dream SMP plot. For example, Ranboo has told his audience he’s fine with viewers headcanon’ing his character as nonbinary, even though Ranboo himself is cisgender. This is an ambiguous aspect of his character that can be manipulated however the viewers like since there has been nothing within the canon to refute it, so far. However, it would be a different matter entirely if Ranboo, a cisgender man, attempted to write his character as a nonbinary person and then act out that nonbinary character himself. That would actually be unjust and kinda fucked. Now, along a similar vein, one could argue that audiencemembers headcanon’ing Sapnap as Latino isn’t really a bad thing since it isn’t Sapnap himself trying to portray what he believes a Latino character would be like. So I get the potential counter-argument there.

Thirdly, my main problem with this whole drawing Sapnap as Latino ordeal is the hypocrisy of it all. Far too often within this fandom, I see fanartists and writers erase Quackity’s ethnic identity, whitewashing him in their art or completely disregarding his race in their work. And while one could argue that the lack of focus in this fandom on Skeppy can be explained by his infrequent streams and departure from the SMP lore, Ponk is rarely drawn or written about, and he streams regularly and always has something going on with his character, in side plots or otherwise. I just find it lowkey absurd that this fandom thirsts for a Latino character so bad that it has to portray Sapnap, who is played by a white actor, as Latino, when there are other POC whose identities are either disregarded or the characters as a whole ignored.

Fourth, my main question, at the end of the day, is, why are we not advocating for more POC in the SMP? Why headcanon characters as POC, when they could literally just make an effort to uplift more POC CCs, who are highly marginalized within the streamer and Youtube communities? I’m Latinx too, mate, and I’d fucking love more POC characters to fall in love with, but Sapnap isn’t the one to fill that hole.

Regarding other sorts of headcanons and how those relate to headcanon’ing characters as different races: my thoughts on this are way too complicated, at the moment. But to sum it up as concisely as possible: a) I am not neurodivergent, as far as I know, so I cannot do the subject nearly as much justice as a neurodivergent person could; b) my thoughts still kinda align with the same thought process as race - that it’s useful to hc characters as neurodivergent because it helps to break stigmas that ND people are so vastly different from neurotypical people that traditionally-assumed neurotypical people couldn’t possibly actually be ND; c) I would still advocate for more ND representation in the SMP, rather than try to warp the neurotypical people’s characters to fit into that yearn for representation that I so desire; d) there actually are ND people on the SMP - a couple of people with ADHD, as far as I know - who do exhibit ND characteristics in their characters/lore, as well, so frankly, why not give those characters ND hc’s?

Anyways, this was so much longer than I wanted it to be and I still don’t know if I fully articulated my take on the subject properly. It’s really just too complicated a subject to be applied to Dream SMP fanart, so my conclusion is: Imma diss people for drawing Sapnap as Latino when Quackity is RIGHT THERE, and you can draw him however the hell you like. At the end of the day, we’re both just people obsessing over block men, and there’s no significant harm  that will come from either of our opinions or your artwork. I hope this was a satisfying answer, and seriously, thank you for getting me to write this all out because it actually made me realize that I’m not as fully against the idea as I thought I was <3

⌠ CHANCE PERDOMO, 21, CISMALE, HE/HIM⌡ welcome back to gallagher academy, DOMINIC TAYLOR! according to their records, they’re a FIRST year, specializing in KNIFE FIGHTING SKILLS, SWORD TRAINING, PRECISION SHOOTING, FIREARMS & SWAT TRAINING + MEDICAL TRAINING; and they DID NOT go to a spy prep high school. when i see them walking around in the halls, i usually see a flash of (running in the middle of a firefight to grab an ally, perfectly ironed uniforms, a first-aid kit hanging out of a backpack, constant leg tapping during long lectures, a very organized room + closet, ). when it’s the (leo)’s birthday on JULY 26, they always request their LASAGNA from the school’s chefs. looks like they’re well on their way to graduation. ⌿ marv, 23, he/him, est⍀    (filling cousin wc connection for isabella taylor)

Basic information; Name: Dominic Nathaniel Taylor Nickname:  Dom Age: 21 Ethnicity: Afro-Latino Occupation: Student Sexual Orientation: Homosexual Majors: KNIFE FIGHTING SKILLS, SWORD TRAINING, PRECISION SHOOTING, FIREARMS & SWAT TRAINING + MEDICAL TRAINING

Background; - Dominic was born into a spy family with parents who worked  a lot. From a young age he remembers spending many holidays with extended family or his grandparents because his parents had to work. - Originally his parents told him that they worked selling medicine to the larger network of hospitals and pharmacies, and he believed the lie for a number of years. - When Dominic lashed out and had been acting out at school because of his parents work schedule, they finally told him when he was 11 years old their actual jobs. From then on out he had a great deal of respect for his parents. - His parents spoiled him with materialistic and monetary goods due to the guilt of not always being home when they needed him and being an only child was another added benefit. He did still act out and constantly partied/would straight up leave his house/etc. because he knew that his parents would never find out. When his parents were home, he’d hang out with them as much as he could. His mother was the one who got him interested in weapons training. They were a big family of hunters (his mom being the expert) and taught him a great deal about different weapons. - Dominic knew from a young age that he wanted to be a spy, and his parents tried to push the thought of being a spy for a number of years. Dominic enrolled into college out of guilt, but quickly dropped out after only two years. In college he majored in nursing believing that to be the right career path for him. When he found out he’d be able to attend spy school he immediately applied. He still wanted to be on the more dangerous side of the job but still wanted to act as support, which is how he got the both of his majors. Personality;

- Very much an outgoing extrovert. He doesn’t mind being the voluteer for any kind of situation even if he may get embarrassed or hurt. He thrives off social interactions, which could be off-putting to a lot of people who aren’t used to someone with a lot of energy at once. At the same time he has selective seriousness, meaning he’s rarely serious about a lot of things unless the time calls for it. - Though it may not be apparent, he’s very organized. His parents refused to allow him to be disorganized or have something look unpresentable. This also shows in his appearance as his clothes are always ironed, hair is never messy, and he always makes sure his accessories are in place. - It’s hard to make him mad/upset, he has always been one to brush a lot off.It’s also difficult to offend him in anyway. Dominic is perfect for highly stressful situation because he can normally keep his outgoing personality and focus even when there’s a lot going on around him. - He can come off as harsh to others that are not used to him. He’s brutally honest, and can easily say something at the wrong time. -Very open about himself and doesn’t try to hide or change himself for others. - Doesn’t mind getting into trouble, this is caused by being an only child.

I saw a popular tweet talk about the Miles movie coming out and it referred to him as ‘Puerto Rican-Black’

I’m happy that he was referred to as Puerto Rican and not ‘hispanic’ or ‘latino’ but I also find the dash in between and the ordering interesting.

It’s still this kind of odd separation of two identities.

Imagine that Rio was a Black Puerto Rican herself. Then how does that change how people identify Miles? The ‘half black, half rican’ thing makes even less sense and separating the two identities (with a hyphen) is still a bit odd because it’s implying two different and separate backgrounds.

But if Rio was Afro Boricua, the identities are overlapping together in a way where that sort of attempted distinction feels odd.

This same concept still applies to Miles even though Rio isn’t Black. One is a race and the other is an ethnic background. Treating them as different halves doesn’t really hold.

If both his parents were Afro Boricua? What would he be identified as then?

To me, I don’t think there is a difference. Miles is Black AND Puerto Rican in any of these scenarios. He’s 100% both.

Sexual Objectification of Women in media

Women tend to be very sexualized in popular media. While this isn’t a new phenomenon, what made me realize how bad it was when playing a video game and realizing that one of the characters I play, wears very little, tight clothing, has an hourglass figure, and is quite petite. What angered me about this is this character was advertised as a ragtag daredevil who is supposed to be strong and careless, and it doesn’t feel like that’s probably represented in the overly sexualized representation they gave her in game model.

Then, hoping it was just an issue in the gaming scene (majority male audience), I checked other popular media and was really disappointed to see the common trends of pop culture emphasizing a woman’s looks and sexually objectifying woman at every turn.

Now I guess it doesn’t matter if these portrayals don’t hurt anyone, but they absolutely do. Representation matters, in all forms. There’s a reason why I love Miles Morales as Spider-Man, finally an Afro-Latino Spider-Man I could look up to! In this same vein, it seems like it would be very disheartening and literally mentally healthy to project these portrayals of what a woman should look like when a lot of women don’t want to be sexualized.

One of the scarier things I learned upon doing more research on the subject is that there are a lot of studies supporting these claims of how unhealthy these depictions can be to woman. These studies showed that pretty universally, many women didn’t consider themselves beautiful and even 81% of girls in the US are afraid of being called fat. Not only that, but the sexual objectification of women has also been found to contribute to gender stereotypes that normalize violence against woman.

Now what can be done? Well, pushing media with healthier depictions of woman is an absolute must. I thought it was super cool in WandaVision when Wanda got her suit and it wasn’t a tiny, sexualized outfit, but rather a spooky, wicked outfit that fit her narrative of becoming the Scarlet Witch. Apologies for the nerdy tangent, but just generally reducing the sexual objectification in media and allowing other, healthier depictions of woman would represent more girls and allow them to be comfortable with themselves, a message we need to be pushing for every person.

“Not an Object: On Sexualization and Exploitation of Women and Girls.” UNICEF USA, 11 Jan. 2021, https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/not-object-sexualization-and-exploitation-women-and-girls/30366.

“Home.” Applied Psychology OPUS, https://wp.nyu.edu/steinhardt-appsych_opus/the-effects-of-sexual-objectification-on-womens-mental-health/.

#SoyLatinx Selfie Day

I tried to make this thing happen last year and it didn’t really take off but my stupid ass doesn’t know when to quit so I’m going to try again this year. 

Here is what I posted last year which still applies to this year:

-=-=-=-=-

For a few months I’ve been thinking about trying to start this thing where Latinxs* bombard social media with selfies of themselves. Several things have inspired this.

The most obvious inspiration is the #Blackout day which occurred last year the year before last.

The second thing that made me want to start this is more personal. I am SO TIRED of people telling me I don’t look Mexican/Hispanic/Latina. I personally don’t mind when people  confuse me for other ethnicities but that changes when people tell me I don’t look like the ethnicity I actually am after I tell them.

 These days my response to people saying that is always “well, what are Mexicans supposed to look like?”. Despite fitting the stereotype of having dark hair, dark eyes, and an olive skin tone I somehow don’t fit the stereotype well enough… it annoys me that I have to fit a stereotypical look to begin with.

And the final thing that pushed me to finally get this rolling is this Huffington Post article “9 Famous Faces On The Struggles And Beauty Of Being Afro-Latino” (go check it out now!).

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So what’s the point of all this? I want everyone to get a good look at diversity of Latinx faces, I want them to see that we come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. I want brown-eyed and blue-eyed Latinxs, Latinxs with the lightest to the darkest of skin tones, short and tall, curvy and rail-thin, and EVERYTHING in-between. I want non-Latinxs questioning the stereotypes they have, and I want to quit hearing that I don’t look like I'm Mexican/Hispanic/Latinx and I don’t want any other Latinxs being told that they don’t look Latinx either.

WHO gets to post their selfies?

Anyone who self-identifies as Latinx. Why? Because Latin America is a little more complicated than just “all of the countries south of the US-Mexico border”. Is it only the former possessions of the former kingdoms of Spain and Portugal? Is it countries in Central/South America and the Caribbean where romance languages are spoken? Or just where Spanish and Portuguese are used?

Since there are a few ways it can be defined I am leaving it up to you to identify yourselves. If you feel that you are Latinx or of Latinx origin (though I don’t mean that in the “Rachel Dolezal feels like she’s Black” kind of “feel”) then feel free to post and tag your selfie.

WHEN is this happening?

May 5, 2016 2017

That’s right, Cinco de Mayo. 

I know this isn’t going to re-appropriate the holiday or anything, but on the day that white Americans spend eating tacos and drinking on what was only a very minor Mexican holiday and is now confused with Mexican Independence Day I’d like to have social media filled with the faces of not just Mexicans, but other Latin Americans as well.  

HOW to participate:

Just post your selfie(s) on the social media platform(s) of your choice and use the hashtag #SoyLatinx.

You can include something about yourself, something about your ethnic background or country of origin, whatever you feel comfortable sharing.

I will also have submissions open if you would like to submit your selfie to the SoyLatinx blog.

AND DON’T FORGET TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS.

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If you’re not Latinx you can still help by spreading the word. Let’s see how big we can make this and how many beautiful Latinx faces we can fill the internet with!

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(*I’m using the term ‘Latinx’ to include Latinos, Latinas, as well as trans and non-binary members of our community who also deserve to be celebrated in all their Latinx glory)

#SoyLatinx Selfie Day I tried to make this thing happen last year and it didn’t really take off but my stupid ass doesn’t know when to quit so I’m going to try again this year. Here is what I posted last year which still applies to this year: -=-=-=-=- For a few months I’ve been thinking about trying to start this thing where Latinxs* bombard social media with selfies of themselves. Several things have inspired this. The most obvious inspiration is the #Blackout day which occurred last year the year before last. The second thing that made me want to start this is more personal. I am SO TIRED of people telling me I don’t look #Mexican / #Hispanic / #Latina. I personally don’t mind when people confuse me for other ethnicities but that changes when people tell me I don’t look like the ethnicity I actually am after I tell them. These days my response to people saying that is always “well, what are Mexicans supposed to look like?”. Despite fitting the stereotype of having dark hair, dark eyes, and an olive skin tone I somehow don’t fit the stereotype well enough… it annoys me that I have to fit a stereotypical look to begin with. And the final thing that pushed me to finally get this rolling is this Huffington Post article “9 Famous Faces On The Struggles And Beauty Of Being Afro-Latino” (go check it out now!). ———— So what’s the point of all this? I want everyone to get a good look at diversity of Latinx faces, I want them to see that we come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. I want brown-eyed and blue-eyed Latinxs, Latinxs with the lightest to the darkest of skin tones, short and tall, curvy and rail-thin, and EVERYTHING in-between. I want non-Latinxs questioning the stereotypes they have, and I want to quit hearing that I don’t look like I'm Mexican/Hispanic/Latinx and I don’t want any other Latinxs being told that they don’t look Latinx either.

to be tbh honest i still think that when they were casting mariah dillard for luke cage, they should have the actress playing annie in the get down, or somebody with her similar body type. you may ask ‘well would you really want a fat person playing a villain?’ but it’s like...yeah, if they gave her the same kind of characterisation they gave lc’s annie! you know, someone who grew up surrounded by crime and that tried to distance themselves from it, even if they ended up doing horrendous things. it’s not the kind of plotline fat people get often on tv, especially one who doesn’t depend on their weight as a plot point

in fact, it’s the kind of plotline that would instantly give somebody a devoted following, had they been applied to a cishet white guy. 

that’s pretty much true to any of the characters in luke cage, if you think about it. unsurprisingly, though, they didn’t - instead, fandom focus almost immediately switched to the WHITE WASHED character, to a point where you pretty much can’t find anything related to mariah without being bombarded by posts about shades and how “kinky” they are together. they always make sure to overlook the fact that shades should have been played by a dark-skinned afro-latino actor, but instead it is played by a ~racially ambiguous~ white guy who is famous for getting latino and black roles, like some kind of male floriana lima

We Have No HOME

I’ve finally had some free time to reflect upon my recent trip to East Africa - especially, in terms of my general “Back-to-Africa” outlook. And by “reflection,” I’m referring to the life-engaging process that deepens one’s thoughtfulness and distinguishes between a) reflection on experience, and b) reflection on the conditions that shape our experiences (Van Manen, 1991).

First of all, as Black Americans were are NOT African! Certainly, there’s much more to being African than simply being black (dark-skinned). If a man gets a boob job would we call him a woman? Obviously not! Biologically, chemically, skeletally he’ll always be a man despite having the outer appearance/features of a woman. And so the same concept applies for the Black American. Being black (dark-skinned) doesn’t make us African - though we share common physical attributes. 

Not only so, but even native Africans themselves don’t consider us to be “African.” And why would they? We have almost no explicit connection to the culture, no direct tribal affiliations, nor do we speak a native African language (albeit, French is spoken in several African countries). As such, native Africans will always consider us to be mere Americans, Brits, or any other nationalities that we represent outside the continent. Let’s think about that and allow it to sink in for a moment???

While in Kenya, I had a great time going around and visiting many of the popular sites/attractions within Nairobi. By nature, Kenyans are very open to outsiders. I’m sure that being a former British colony has influenced them a great deal in this regard. And with English being a very widely spoken second language, it’s quite easy to strike up a conversation with anyone at random throughout the country. But again, though very outgoing and open to chatter, Kenyans will never consider Black Americans to be truly African. Therefore, I find it quite odd that we’re so quick to latch on to the label of “African-American.” This along with several others are labels that we’ve been branded with over history. Nigger, Negro, Afro-American, African-American, etc. But remember, these are names and labels that we were given - not ones which we as a people have actually coined for ourselves. 

African-American? What does that really mean? Especially, when you personally visit an African nation and come to the very firm conclusion that we are not at all African in the least. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm supporter of Marcus Garvey (d. 1940) and those other like-minded, early black pioneers who helped wake up the black masses from their long-standing delusions. America is not HOME, nor will it ever be! That was their slogan. These leaders clearly saw the writing on the wall, and it was time to start making preparations to migrate elsewhere. It’s as if Garvey could foresee decades into the future and envision black assassinations, political infiltrations, communal disenfranchisement, as well as, the present-day “Black Lives Matter” movement. For Garvey, it was much brighter on the other side of the rainbow (i.e Africa). And above all, his view was quite simple: 

If you can’t beat ‘em, leave ‘em! 

But yet despite this, there are also other factors which I do happen to disagree with concerning Garveyites. For instance, although fervent and sincere in his approach I don’t believe that he fully recognized both the social and logistical hardships with masses of Black Americans migrating to African lands. I have in fact researched about several small communities of Black Americans having some limited range of success with overseas migration. For example, the African Hebrew Israelite community that took refuge in Dimona, Israel under the leadership of the late, Ben Ammi (d. 2014). This community in particular is quite notable – as after decades of political and social campaigning many of their members were in fact able to secure Israeli citizenship via Israel’s Repatriation Program. But of course, this also came with several sharp stipulations including, mandatory military service in the IDF for young men/women under the age of 25. There’s also the Rastafari movement coming from both North America and the Caribbean in the 60s who were allocated small plots of land in Shashamane (Ethiopia) under the auspices of His Highness Emperor Haile Salisse (d. 1975). Several migrant Rastafari’s were given personal land of the Emperor in order to resettle in Ethiopia. Though successful in most respects, many Rastafari’s were never actually given full citizenship (residence permits only) and subsequently had to return back to the West. Nonetheless, these do serve as modern examples of how migrating in small numbers/communities and being persistent in your pursuits can eventually pay off quite rewardingly over the long term. However, I’m speaking more in terms of the “mass migrations” proposed by Garveyites and other Back-to-Africa movements. 

In the broad sense, this is just simply impractical – and not mention, very unreasonable. You also have to keep in mind that even if mass hordes of Black Americans left North America to “resettle” in Africa (or elsewhere for that matter), they’d do nothing more than eventually cause an economic and social strain on the local, indigenous peoples. And sadly, this is exactly what many Americans (melanin-deficient ones in particular) use to overly criticize Latino immigrants in the US, and war-torn Arab migrants in Europe. So while Black migrants seeking African asylum would consider themselves as humbly “returning to the Motherland,” the native populous would come to view them with bitterness and discontent. And how can you blame them? Mass migrants would over-occupy jobs and exhaust other limited resources - especially seeing, that most African nations are still quite infant in their overall development. 

So what does that all mean? Very simple; just like the title represents – we have no HOME! As a people we’re just going to have to get over this in one way or another. And even the idea of “home” itself – what or where is HOME exactly? Is it necessarily your land of origin (i.e. place of birth)? How about your passport – does it by itself truly elicit your “home?” For me, in many years of extensive travels around the world, I’ve humbly learned that HOME is wherever you can forge a social, economic and political future for both yourself and for your family. That’s HOME! Politics aside, you’ll need a place where you can have a feasible opportunity to buy land, own property, secure financial stability, establish business(es), while also having access to affordable education, healthcare and so on. And hey, if you can accomplish all of that from US living, then so be it. But I’m talking about the whole lot – not just a few of the above benefits. Having “partial” benefits definitely wont’ suffice. And so, beyond the meager 2-3% of black celebrities, entertainers, sports figures and a few notable politicians, etc, where does that leave the rest of the Black American masses? Can this remaining lot really acquire land, property, businesses, quality healthcare, and the like? Obviously not. Which means essentially, that the overwhelming majority of Black Americans are living on mere subsistence (i.e. just enough to survive). And so in total agreement with Garvey and others – the question remains…how long will Black Americans be satisfied with living in America on the outer periphery? This question certainly demands an answer. Does it not? Living paycheck to paycheck, and having just enough to get by every month certainly isn’t “success” by any stretch of the imagination. So what’s the solution – migration. And to where? Again, wherever you can accomplish the above mentioned social and economic distinctions. 

Let me give a practical example. I have a good friend/colleague who took up residence in the Philippines after working several years in the country as an English teacher. By marriage to a local Filipina, this gave him direct access to all the rights and basic privileges of a local. In two years time he built a new home from the ground up in a promising residential area just near the beach – all for a fraction of the cost that you’d expect to pay in the US. Along with teaching, he also established a small English language school (private) and opened a restaurant catering to both American and local Filipino cuisines. He also has a young son from a previous relationship who spends a part of the year with him in the Philippines. Under the contract of his current international school he receives a tuition allowance for up to 2 dependents – which covers 100% of their tuition expenses. 

Not only does his company offer Class A medical coverage for his entire family, they also provided free, furnished housing which he declined, as he has his own accommodation. He opted instead for the annual housing allowance which he then used to open his restaurant alongside his part-time English school. Make sense? And when asked about his own personal views concerning overseas living he says this: “For me, I’m all about looking ahead and being innovative in my thinking and world views. Personally speaking, I’ve never really felt like an ‘American’ while living in the United States. Our people have always lived on the outer fringes of American society. And obviously this isn’t going to change anytime soon. Therefore, as a people we must survive and advance - there’s no other alternative. It’s that simple! And so, I’ve found that living abroad can not only be financially and socially very rewarding, but it has also given me the chance to do and experience things that I never would’ve gotten from life in America - especially as a man of color. The US is like one big powder keg just waiting to explode! Black Lives Matter is only the beginning. I believe that another major civil rights movement is well under way in the United States. History always repeats itself. That nation was founded on prejudice and racial indifference. And therefore, race relations and other forms of racial discrimination will always be present in one way or another. And for me, life is simply way too short to be wasted away living in a nation with those types of principles. Not me. I’ve always wanted more for myself and my family. Not to bring up religion, but even the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and his people had to migrate away from their native land in Mecca as a means to preserve themselves and their religious integrity. I would say our situation as a people is much similar to this in certain respects. It all comes down to one’s outlook, and where your standards are set in life…"

Now the Philippines is certainly not Africa; not even close. But who cares! Which continent or country is beside the point. According to my view, my good friend is truly “successful,“ indeed. What more could you ask for? Above all, less than winning the lottery he could NEVER attain this level of status and privilege living in America. Overseas, he doesn’t have the daily worries of how he’ll pay the bills and provide for his family. No police brutalities or wondering whether he’ll make it home tonight to tuck his son in bed. No unfair labor practices that constantly keep him economically disenfranchised. Etc, etc, etc.

There are probably dozens of other factors which I could list in reference to my topic, but I believe that this quick snapshot is more than sufficient to make the matter very clear. But at the end of day, of course, to each his own. I just believe that it’s long overdue for us as Black Americans to start facing our apparent reality, and finding reasonable, viable solutions - elsewhere.

Works Cited: Van Manen, Max “The Tact of Teaching: The Meaning of Pedagogical Thoughtfulness,” 1991

So You’re Afro-Latinx. Now What? Congratulations, mi negra! It finally happened. Today you looked into the mirror and said, “I’m black. Soy negra. Vaya.” You embraced your black or brown skin, your curls and kink. No small feat for a Dominican. You’re ready to forgo the centuries of Dominican anti-Africanism and embrace your brothers, sisters and cousins of the African Diaspora. The reality is, there is no “black coming-out party.” Soon it will begin to sink in that everything black, everything African Diaspora, is appropriated, commercialized, monetized and exploited. Arguably, the term “Afro-Latinx” is suffering from “gimmification.” Within our community, there are Afro-Latinx who pretend black when it is convenient and then try to blend right back into anti-blackness when it is not. The colonial trauma and legacy of self-hate continues to morph into stranger things. Thankfully, many Afro-Latinx are sharing their stories. Read this excerpt from Yesenia Montilla’s poem “The Day I Realized We Were Black,” from her collection The Pink Box: because my godparents were Irish-American because I had suppressed my blackness because my brother shook me when I told him he was stupid we were Latino because he had missed his Jersey to Port Authority bus because he was walking to the nearest train station and lost his way because he was stopped by the police because he was hit with a stick because he was never given the right directions even though he begged because trash was thrown at him from the police cruiser’s window as he walked because he was never the same because we’re black because we’re black and I never knew I was twenty-two Or my 2015 Gawker essay, “Hiding Black Behind the Ears: On Dominicans, Blackness, and Haiti”: America thrusts black or white upon you quickly, and you have to decide, you have to know who and what you are. Life in the Dominican Republic had been too culturally ignorant and insular. Meanwhile in America, some Eurocentric or Castilian Latinos pass for white, but Afro-Latinos are either self-hating or catching hell or both, or just plain confused about who they are. Most of the Dominicans I know have a recognizable African lineage, but too many are quick to claim Latin American status as opposed to Afro-Caribbean identity. But let’s be honest: Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Haiti aren’t in South or Central America—they’re in the Caribbean. We need to re-examine our historical cultural selves. I agree that race is a construct, but identity is a necessity. These stories are necessary, and we still need to shift the focus on strengthening the intersections of our common African heritage and struggles. Remember: We’re not creating a brand. Your identity is not a marketable widget. We do want to move ever closer to a reunification of displaced African people: a political, social, economic, technological and global reunification. Europeans hoard resources and exact power in the name of whiteness. We need to come together and go a step further by accepting our African heritage and by working to eliminate the “color” construct. That being said, all the new terms flying around are confusing: Latinegr@, Blacktino (my fave), Afro Latinx, Latinx, Afro-Latino and Afro-Caribbean Latino. You’re probably wondering which one of these applies to you. In his article “Afro-Latinx: Representation Matters,” Jose Figueroa defines “Afro-Latinx” this way: An Afro-Latinx is a black person from Latin America. Despite sharing the identity of Latinx, colonial structures of privilege and power thrive within the community ... black and indigenous Latinxs are consistently forced to the sidelines and denied, despite their strong influences to Latinx culture. Recognizing and accepting your African heritage doesn’t mean you pretend that you’re African American. Don’t parrot, imitate, appropriate or otherwise “act” African American. That shit is offensive to the African-American community, and stupid. We are a large black family, and we’re all unique based on our experience in the Diaspora. Embrace the beauty of our differences. You have a Caribbean identity, and because people of the African Diaspora share so many traits, you don’t need to play roles. Fact: White supremacists don’t care that you speak English, Spanish, French, Creole, Portuguese, etc. Observe what a Ku Klux Klan leader told Univision news anchor Ilia Calderón, live on camera, during an interview: “To me you’re a nigger. That’s it.” Language is just another of the master’s many tools. The African Diaspora speaks more European languages than we do languages native to the continent of Africa. We embrace the master’s languages as if speaking them makes us special. Coño. Colonial empire builders believed in the exceptionalism of their culture and language. They branded the native languages of the lands they conquered as unfit for instructional purposes; stripping us of our native languages facilitates stripping us of our identities. Show up for black people and support Afrocentric movements—globally, black folks in America (see Black Lives Matter), in Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, France, Germany, South and Central America, and the continent of Africa. The Inter-American Foundation observes: There are significant Afro-American populations throughout the region [South and Central America], although some have been reluctant to acknowledge them. Throughout the 20th century, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile have insisted that they were white nations with few or no citizens of African descent. ... In the Dominican Republic, people visibly of African descent constitute a majority, but because African ancestry is stigmatized it is commonly denied even when it is obvious. ... Afro-Latin activists are changing the national dialogue by insisting that the African and Afro-American contribution to the national culture be recognized. Many African descendants are now realizing that in their home nations they are black first and a citizen second. In his essay “Why It Is Necessary That All Afro-Descendants of Latin America, the Caribbean and North America Know Each Other More,” Afro-Cuban history scholar Tomás Fernández Robaina writes: It is very important that we recognize how this struggle began long ago, when we did not call ourselves “Negroes,” “African-Americans,” or “Afro-descendants,” as has been used more recently, but as “Cubans,” “Mexicans,” “Colombians,” “Brazilians,” identified, rather, as citizens of our respective countries, and as such, rightfully evidenced in our constitutions. Beautiful words, which, in practice, have been mostly lies ...[Emphasis added.] You will not all of a sudden become the epicenter of knowledge on black identity and the African Diaspora because you read a few articles. Don’t pontificate to Afro-Latinx who don’t get it and don’t want to get it. Keep discovering the facts for yourself and, if you’re fortunate, with a community. Find your truth and be open to listening to other people’s stories. Check out Alan Pelaez Lopez’ article in Everyday Feminism: But especially, I thought I couldn’t be Latinx, because everywhere I went, I was labeled “African American,” “mulatto,” “negro,” and so on. But, the reality is that there’s no need for me to apologize to my younger self and there’s no need for you, my fellow Afro-Latinx sibling to apologize because there is no manual on how to navigate being both Black and Latinx. If you are reading this, I hope you understand that being confused is not your fault, that having questions is okay, and that you’re not the first to learn to accept your full Black self and your full Latinx self. Let me get something clear: you are not an impostor! Visit African countries. I had the European trip fever. I wanted to go to Paris and Madrid, and I have visited London and the Canary Islands. Ultimately, the time away with my family was nice, but the trip didn’t bring me closer to my roots. This yearning to visit the master’s cities is the same as the urge to learn the colonizer’s languages (Ooh la la, I speak French, Italian, German). Yes, European cities are beautiful places, but built on the corpses of colonialism. The next international trip I want to take is to Ghana. Read up. Take courses and workshops. Watch documentaries like Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s Black in Latin America (free on YouTube or PBS). Get your hands on books like the ones in the Ain’t I a Latina article “10 Afro-Latina Authors You Should Know.” The website teachthought has compiled a list called “25 of the Most Important Books About Racism and Being Black in America.” Blavity compiled a list of books by Afro-Latinas: “11 Must-Read Books That Center Powerful Afro-Latin@ Narratives.” Find the intersections created in our communities by the Black Panther Party, the Young Lords and the Brown Berets. Visit the Civil Rights Digital Library online. The HuffPost article “Who Benefited From the Civil Rights Movement” briefly demonstrates how the movement became a blueprint for every other marginalized community in America. But be wary as fuck, too. Your family and that clique of cousins who can pass for white might not be ready for this new woke version of you. Get ready for an intervention from the primas and the tías, the mamis and the abuelas, when you decide to stop relaxing your hair and go natural. “Tu ta loca muchacha el Diablo!” Or when you finally call bullshit on that anti-blackness you’ve been hearing your whole life. You are going to be challenged on this newfound blackness; hold fast. And please, whatever you do, don’t expect to be welcomed by all black people, either, simply because ta-da, you dique woke now. Many people of color feign blackness when it suits them, then relapse right back into their self-hating and black-denying ways. You’ll have to forgive us if we’re not ready to grant you a plaque on a building somewhere. Yes, you will get some side eye, and yes, you must learn to deal with it. Black people from Trinidad to Mississippi have seen the “gimmification,” and appropriation of blackness ad nauseam, and we’re not here for that. Be proud, be aware and be emotionally intelligent. A post on the website Lipstick Alley, “A Recent Trend in Many Latinos Identifying as Black/Afro Latinx for Convenience,” reveals what some folks in the African-American community find problematic. I’ll end with a cautionary tale about relapses. My man Sammy Sosa meant a lot to me during the ’90s, and especially during the 1998 home run chase. Here was a paisano representing pa la gente, a Dominican who looked like me shining in the unforgiving American spotlight. After the performance-enhancing-drug drama and the fall of Sosa and Mark McGuire, America did what it does best: It forgave its white heroes—McGuire and, ultimately, Ryan Braun. Then it burned Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds at the stake. I don’t know how much that had to do with Sosa bleaching his skin white, but damn, Sammy, just damn. It’s possible Sosa believed that going white would let him back into that spotlight, into the realm of white forgiveness. Or maybe there’s a deeper trauma at work. Listen, I still love Sammy Sosa, but don’t go out like Sammy Sosa. Don’t relapse. Bueno mi gente; stay woke, stay black.

Intellectual Autobiography: The Road To The Finish Line and Beyond

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs

Introduction                                                          

To go to college or not to go? That is the question that overwhelmed my thoughts for nearly six months before I ever stepped foot onto a university campus; this is the same reality for thousands of high school seniors each year. They ask themselves “do I even really want to go to college,” before they ever open the doors to the rest of their lives.

The difference between them and myself, however, is the small fact that I shouldn’t have been thinking that way—not according everyone around me, at least. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a lawyer. I had a twenty-year plan by the time I turned 10 years old and I was sure I was going to execute it perfectly. My first day of 6th grade I told my English teacher that we needed a junior high law program for the kids with a realfuture, I was a bit of a narcissist, but she volunteered to become our club advisor, anyway.

I started studying for my LSAT by the time I was 8th grade and before I ever made it to 9th grade I had been accepted in a summer law program for prospective students. I spent the summer before my first year of high school at University of California, Berkley mingling (as much as I could as naïve thirteen-year-old) with the some of the most influential scholars and political leaders. I just knew this was for me. So, why as the years flew by and graduation approached was I considering veering from my destined path? I didn’t know then, and to be honest, I still don’t quite know now, but what I do know is that making life altering decisions doesn’t come easy.

Why Interdisciplinary Studies?

As a normal incoming first year college student, you think to yourself “what should I major in,” never really thinking of the future consequences if you pick something too hurriedly. Choosing your major is a major milestone—if made with little consideration—can land you in a scary place: the real world with no degree and a lot of debt.

College, for many, is a considerable investment. According to the Student Loan Debt Statistics, 71% of students graduating from four-year universities had student loan debt, in 2012. Even more startling, 66% of those graduates, from a public university, had loan debt averaging around $25,550. Nevertheless, picking a major simply to be safe, isn’t the right tactic. Students shouldn’t be thinking about graduating to only get a job that permits them to pay off their debt quickly—this takes the beauty out of education. Students who don’t follow their hearts by choosing degree that they are truly passionate about will greatly hurt their chances of being successful. I don’t want to be one of those students!

A New Path

I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer not because it was fun but because I knew I was going to make me a lot of money. Mainstream media put in my mind at a very early age that I only had two routes to success: be a lawyer or be a doctor. That’s what all the kids on television wanted to be when they grew up and I wanted to be like them.

Growing up in a low income predominantly African American community, there weren’t very many kids like me; at least not many willing to admit it. So, if the kids around me weren’t willing to admit they wanted to be successful doctors and lawyers, I was going to be the first. However, now as an adult I realize childhood dreams don’t come with shackles—you don’t have to be tied to them.

Honestly, as a child, I was never big on sticking to one thing and I find it surprising that I was so fixed on being a lawyer for so long. By my sophomore year of high school, I was pretty sure there was other ways to be successful outside of being a lawyer. However, that dream didn’t start to fade until the worst time in my high school career—when I was putting in college applications. I was lost but I kept applying anyway. I figured if I applied to enough schools I would end up somewhere I was meant to be.

The Process

Northern Kentucky University was the first school to accept me and the closest to home outside of the University of Louisville (which was a little too close). My first semester at NKU I went undeclared. I worked day in and day out to be an A student but ended up with only a 3.2 gpa—I was extremely disappointed. And due to the fact pre-law wasn’t a major, it wasn’t until my second semester that I declare political science as my major and pre-law as my minor. However, after putting forth so much effort for an entire semester to only get a mediocre gpa, I knew pre-law wasn’t for me. I didn’t like putting forth so much effort for something I didn’t love.

Nevertheless, I knew that choosing one another minor would be hard because as such a creative person, I know had the world at my hands and I didn’t know which minor to choose. I loved writing, film, theater, sociology, business, communications, and many more subjects. I ended up landing on sociology as minor because it related so closely to political science. The two topics merged together so easily and after taking the course Political Sociology, I knew I didn’t want to study one without the other.

Integrating these to subjects was perfect for me because it allowed me to delve into the part of myself that loved law but also it brought out my outgoing personality because sociology is the study of people and groups. Through my experience as an underprivileged youth sociology allowed me to study why my intersectional experiences affected my life and political science allowed me to study how those experiences can be limited through the government and the court of law. Using political science and sociology equally, I hope to focus my future studies on Afro-Latino and Black feminist politics. I believe these experiences and stories need to be shared and the best way to share them is by using political sociology as the foundation to that understanding.

THEATER / 2017-2018

ON YOUR FEET!

The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical

Featuring music and lyrics by Emilio and Gloria Estefan Directed by Jerry Mitchell Book by Alexander Dinelaris Choreographed by Sergio Trujillo

So, What’s Going On?

The scene: Washington, D.C., 1990

The curtain rises as… Latin pop superstar Gloria Estefan preps for a huge concert while her husband, Emilio, and their son watch from the wings. Emilio tells Gloria her tour bus will have to make an unexpected stop and she’ll have to give up her day off. Annoyed, Gloria heads to the stage to sing one of her hit songs.

Cue flashback.

In 1966, young Gloria María Fajardo lives with her mother (also named Gloria), her grandmother, Consuelo, and her sister, Rebecca, in Miami. Their family has emigrated from Cuba to the U.S. following a violent political revolution. And while little Gloria’s father fights overseas in Vietnam, the women in the family keep things humming at home…literally: little Gloria has a talent for singing and songwriting, and she often performs Cuban songs for her neighbors and friends.

Young Gloria sings and dances while helping her family with the laundry.

As Gloria grows up, word begins to spread about her voice, and, in 1974, a young local musician named Emilio Estefan comes knocking at her door to ask about the songs she’s written. He convinces her to come play a tune for his band, named the Miami Latin Boys, and soon she joins the group as its lead singer.

Time passes and the Miami Latin Boys have transformed into the Miami Sound Machine. The band is booking tons of gigs, which frustrates Gloria’s mother, who feels Gloria should be living a normal life at home and helping her ailing father. Seems like a classic case of “protective mom,” but there’s a bit more to it: Gloria’s mother had her own shot at the spotlight once, but she let her dream go. Consuelo warns Gloria her newfound career may be stirring up old issues.

In a flashback to Havana in the 1950s, we see Gloria’s mother in action on stage.

Take a listen… The real-life Gloria Estefan sings “Mi Tierra” (“My Land”), the song performed by her mother’s character in On Your Feet!.

Despite the tensions at home, Gloria continues to sing with the Miami Sound Machine, and the band starts attracting listeners across the U.S. and South America. In fact, things are going so well that Emilio and Gloria speak to their record producer about “crossing over” into the English-speaking pop world. But the producer hates the idea. He suggests their sound and their Latin names just aren’t “American” enough. Emilio reminds the producer that immigrants count as Americans too, and decides to take matters into his own hands. He and Gloria get creative and market the band’s latest English single, “Dr. Beat,” to clubs and disc jockeys. The song takes off…and a romance between them starts to bloom.

Gloria and Emilio start to fall in love.

With each other for inspiration and support, Gloria and Emilio produce a newer, even bigger English single that captures hearts across the country: “Conga.” Thanks to the song, Emilio is able to get the attention of his studio executive, but the boss doesn’t want to give the band the contract it deserves. A few hits later, however, and Gloria’s talent and popularity can no longer be ignored. Finally, Emilio helps Gloria and the band secure a multi-million-dollar deal.

“Conga” becomes a hit on dance floors across America…and around the world.

Take a listen… Gloria Estefan revisits her hit song “Conga” in a live concert.

But all of this success—and the touring that goes with it—doesn’t make Gloria’s mother very happy. Even worse for Mrs. Fajardo: Gloria wants to take her sister, Rebecca, on the road. Worried her family is falling apart, Gloria’s mother threatens never to speak to Gloria again. And she doesn’t. Not for two years and an entire world tour. Which brings us back to where we started…

Washington, D.C., 1990

Gloria finishes her show and decides to call her mom to try and patch things up. When there’s no answer, she boards her tour bus with Emilio and their son, Nayib.

Then, disaster strikes.

A massive collision destroys the bus, injures Emilio and Nayib, and leaves Gloria in danger of permanent paralysis. Will she be able to walk again? Will she be able to sing again? And, perhaps most importantly, will she be able to repair her relationship with her mother before it’s too late?

Who’s Who

Gloria Estefan (born Gloria María Fajardo), a Cuban-American singer and songwriter Emilio Estefan, a Cuban-American musician and producer, Gloria’s husband Gloria Fajardo, a teacher and former singer, Gloria Estefan’s mother José Fajardo, a policeman and soldier, Gloria Estefan’s father Consuelo, Gloria Estefan’s abuela (grandmother) Rebecca “Becky” Fajardo, Gloria Estefan’s sister Phil, a New York record producer Little Gloria, a young Gloria Estefan Nayib, Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s son

Cuban Water, American Roots

“I came to Miami when I was two years old…my Mom kinda replanted us. But she watered me with Cuban water…everything that [my family] did was to keep alive the culture that they thought that we would go back to.” – Gloria Estefan

On Your Feet! is a tale of two very passionate and talented immigrants who came to the United States during a time of political turmoil in their homeland of Cuba. Starting in 1952, Cuba began its extended period of uncertainty, beginning with a military coup spearheaded by a corrupt and oppressive Fulgencio Batista (whose name you’ll hear mentioned in the show), followed by another coup conducted by the polarizing leader Fidel Castro.

After Castro established a new government in 1959, many Cubans—including the Fajardos and the Estefans—chose or were forced to move to the U.S. But Cuban families were often separated, and many had to leave promising careers behind. Still, the Cuban culture continued to thrive on American shores, particularly through its music. Today, cities across the U.S. are buzzing with the sound of Cuban dance rhythms, and artists like the Miami Sound Machine keep mixing Latino beats with traditional jazz and pop, creating a unique sound that’s both Cuban and American.

For more on the history of Cuba/US relations and info on Cuba’s revolution, go to:

Check This Out…

On Your Feet! features many recognizable songs that have been played on the radio (and at parties, weddings, dance clubs, etc.) for decades. Listen up for these tunes while you watch the show—and don’t be afraid to sing or dance along if the actors encourage you to.

Choreographer Sergio Trujillo wanted the moves in On Your Feet! to feel as authentically Cuban as possible. He even went to Havana to study native Afro- Cuban dances. Keep an eye out for these intricate steps during the show, especially ones that involve two people partnering up and moving together, which is an essential component in Latin dance. Pick up a few steps… Sergio Trujillo talks about his career and his process for getting On Your Feet!... well...on its feet.

This story includes many flashbacks to different time periods and different countries. Watch out for the ways in which the lighting, costumes, and set designs give you clues about where and when the characters are (hint: pay special attention to the different colors used in each scene).

Lots of the music in On Your Feet! will be sung in Spanish. For those audience members who don’t speak the language, pay close attention to the singers’ voices and facial expressions. You’ll most likely pick up the meaning of each song based on the energy and emotion the performers convey.

Think About This…

On Your Feet! is a combination of big, bold musical numbers and smaller, more intimate scenes between two or three people. Which moments do you prefer? Which scenes are more successful at moving the story along? Which are best at making you feel for the characters?

Most stories have an antagonist, but in On Your Feet!, the villain isn’t always easily identified. Who or what do you think operates as the “bad guy” in the show? What forces are most responsible for the troubles the characters endure?

The Estefans and the Fajardos are affected by stereotyping throughout the show. In what ways do you observe the non-Latino characters making incorrect or misinformed assumptions about Latino immigrants?

On Your Feet! is an immigrant story, but it’s also a human story. Can you think of similar tales in film, TV, or theater where the main characters fight for their dreams in the face of adversity? In what ways are these stories similar to the biography of the Estefans?

Go Behind-the-Scenes

To learn more about the making of On Your Feet!, check out this video series:

Episode 1: “Here We Are”

Episode 2: “Writing the Show”

Episode 3: “Casting the Story”

Episode 4: “Directing the Musical”

“Stand Up and Take Some Action”

One of the major themes of On Your Feet!—and the message of its title song—is to challenge yourself to take action in your daily life and claim control of your future. Both Gloria and Emilio come up against impossible odds, but they insist on forging their own personal and professional triumphs through hard work and determination.

Why not use their efforts to motivate yourself to reach for your own life goals? Choose a friend or family member and decide on a cause or achievement you can work toward together (this can be a joint plan or two individual projects; one for each of you). Next, make a pact that you’ll hit a specific milestone on the road to your end goal by a specific date.

For example: Want to apply for a dream summer job? Make a promise to your chosen buddy that you’ll have your forms filled out and ready by next month. Ask them to make a similar promise to you and make sure you both hold each other accountable for having completed your tasks.

Need another example? Say you’re hoping to give back to your community on a regular basis. Consider creating a shelter, soup kitchen, or local government volunteering schedule for you and your friend. Once that’s done, be certain to check in on each other’s progress every week.

If you feel comfortable with social media, keep track of all your accomplishments on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or any platform you prefer and use the hashtag #standupandtakesomeaction. Remember to ask your friend’s permission before posting about them.

Explore More

Go even deeper with the On Your Feet! Extras.

An important final note:

This past December, Gloria Estefan and four other artists received the prestigious 2017 Kennedy Center Honors. When told she was being awarded this honor, Ms. Estefan made the following comment:

“Little did I imagine when my parents brought me as a toddler to the United States from Cuba, in order to be able to raise me in freedom, that I would be receiving one of this nation’s greatest honors. I feel privileged to be included in the galaxy of stars that have received the Kennedy Center Honors and I am grateful to be considered among the many talents in this great country that have been bestowed this exceptional accolade.”

The ceremony was broadcast on December 26, 2017. You can see footage from the annual event at www.kennedy-center.org.

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All photos by Matthew Murphy.

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