WOW, Mona, you outdid yourself! The season premiere of ‘Love & Hip Hop: Miami’ was really entertaining!
I won’t lie, Love and Hip Hop usually disappoints me. The New York Franchise has been super boring since Cardi B left, Atlanta died, and Hollywood’s drama is always petty and stupid. However, Miami might be the savior of them ALL! Adding the conversation of colorism in the Latinx Community, something that rarely gets spoken about, was an amazing idea.
Colorism in the Black Community is something the Black Diaspora has always dealt with. Unfortunately, because of slavery and colonialism, communities all over the world adopted a complex that made them want to look like and pass for the European Master. Being that more African Slaves were brought to the Carribean and South America than the US, Latinos and Latinas cannot escape colorism.
Enter Amara La Negra, the break out star. Yes, I’m calling it early! This beautiful and proud Afro-Latina woman reached out to a Latin Trap Producer, Young Hollywood hoping to work on music. Unfortunately, Young Hollywood was more focused on her look, rather than her budding singing career. He referred to her Afro as not ”elegant” and questioned her “blackness”. While viewers were offended, I was not surprised. Young Hollywood is a clear example of how Blackness is thought of in the Latin Community. It is questioned and sometimes suppressed by others. Are you Latin or are you Black? Many Hispanic people struggle with this identity crisis every day. How will the world see me and will they understand me? Yes my skin is brown and my hair is curly, but my culture is Latin.
This conversation made me so mad. It’s sad that people actually think like this. pic.twitter.com/bWofupXgdc
— I Luh God ✨ (@aVeryRichBish) January 2, 2018
However, Miss Amara La Negra did something that so many Afro-Latina girls needed to see. She said proudly that she is both Latin and Black because she is (period). Latin people and Latin culture are mixed because African slaves were brought to Spanish American and Carribean Territories and the various people mixed. Amara is born to Dominican parents and native to an island where many people look and sound just like her. She is 100% Latina and proud.
So, Thank you, Mona, for adding the storyline of Amara Le Negra. She is so likable and sweet. Her storyline is also very real to Afro-Latinas like myself.
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