Reflection: Being Black in Latin America

By: Renita States, George Westinghouse College Prep '20

Over the summer I attended a workshop led by Scholar Coach Karina Quintana called "Being Black in Latin America." The workshop included the documentary of the same name that showcased the struggles of being black in societies outside the United States and it allowed me to see that racism isn't just in America, it is all over the world. Through this workshop, I gained a feeling that it is also important for those that are minorities in the United States to know that they aren't the only people being treated a certain way because of their skin and that there are other people out there that are just like them going through the same exact problems.

Both the documentary and the workshop allowed for me to know that I'm not the only one that is experiencing racism and observing the difference in social standings of black and white people. One country profiled in the documentary was the Dominican Republic, a country I did not know much about except that they had a dictator named Trujillo. Trujillo had the idea that "Blackness" was a negative thing and perpetuated racism by introducing the idea that the "whiter" you are, the better in social standing you were. Because he was of mixed-race Trujillo did not want to be seen as black, which is why he put powder on his face to seem whiter. The idea of racism in the Dominican Republic caused people who were of darker skin color to feel very different.

If there is one thing that I would take away from the whole workshop experience is that not everything is as it seems. You don't know a person's struggles until you have specifically heard from them. Everyone has a story to tell, but it's up to you if you will listen and help make a difference.