"Reimagining Améfrica Ladina: Afro-Diasporic and Indigenous Solidarity in Post-Colonial Education and Racial Justice

• In Event: Reclaiming Narratives: Confronting the Erasure of Black Knowledge Systems

Abstract

To reimagine and rebuild a world affected by disaster, it is essential to heal from the destruction of belief systems and the exploitation of labor and soul. This work intertwines Afro-diasporic and Indigenous knowledge systems in Latin America, referred to as “Améfrica Ladina.” This concept, envisioned by Afro-Brazilian scholar and activist Lélia Gonzalez, advocates for solidarity among descendants of Africans and Indigenous peoples to achieve self-determination and recognize their contributions to Latin American societies (Vinuto, 2022). The work incorporates the notion of the “Black Atlantic” (Gilroy, 1993), which explores the cultural coalescence among the African diaspora shaped by the transatlantic slave trade. It also examines how mestiçagem/mestizaje perpetuates the racial status quo in Latin America, specifically through the lens of educational systems in Brazil and Mexico, which often mitigate and exculpate the impact of white settler colonialism. Furthermore, the work underscores how solidarity has been a crucial strategy for creating pathways to escape the lingering effects of colonialism within educational contexts.

Author

• Washington Galvao, University of Minnesota