Unforgetting Anti-Blackness: Latinx Pedagogy and Strategies for Inclusive Classrooms

• In Event: “Asian and Latinx Anti-Blackness in Schools and Communities: Complicity and Resistance” Book Discussion Symposium 2

Abstract

This presentation will examine how educators can address anti-Blackness within Latinx pedagogy, curriculum, and classroom practices, offering actionable strategies for creating inclusive learning environments. Drawing on my forthcoming book chapter, "Anti-Blackness in Latinx Teaching, Pedagogy, and Curriculum: Teaching About Anti-Blackness," the author discusses the historical erasure of Afro-Latinx identities and provides strategies to incorporate these narratives into K–12 and higher education classrooms. Grounded in critical pedagogy and intersectionality frameworks, the presentation highlights practical strategies that affirm Afro-Latinx students and challenge color-evasive ideologies. Participants will gain concrete tools for creating inclusive learning environments and engage in dialogue about the political and structural barriers to implementing anti-racist and anti-Black pedagogies.

Learning Objectives:
Analyze how anti-Blackness manifests in Latinx teaching, curriculum, and educational practices.
Identify actionable strategies for centering Afro-Latinx voices in K–12 and higher education classrooms.
Apply critical pedagogy and intersectional frameworks to develop inclusive teaching practices that promote equity and social justice.

This presentation aims to analyze the manifestations of anti-Blackness within Latinx teaching, curriculum, and pedagogy. It also proposes actionable strategies for educators to center the voices of Afro-Latinx individuals. Furthermore, the presentation seeks to link the erasure of Black Latinx identities throughout history to current educational inequities and provide frameworks for inclusive, race-conscious teaching.

This work is grounded in Critical Pedagogy (Blackwell, 2010; Phillips et al., 2019) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995). It focuses on race-consciousness and anti-Blackness scholarship (Love, 2019; Hernández, 2018). These frameworks highlight how structural racism and colorism operate in Latinx contexts, providing pathways to disrupt these patterns through curriculum design and reflective practice.

This presentation is based on a conceptual analysis and autoethnographic reflection, drawing from the author's experiences as a Black Haitian immigrant educator in higher education. The presentation also draws from a synthesis of existing literature on Afro-Latinx identity, anti-Blackness in education, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

This presentation draws on the presenter's book chapter manuscript and peer-reviewed scholarship on anti-Blackness. It also draws on classroom-based observations of undergraduate and graduate students engaging in critical identity and racial literacy activities, such as social identity wheels, reflective journaling, and discussions on Afro-Latino identity.

The analysis reveals that Afro-Latinx histories and narratives are often omitted from mainstream curricula, which perpetuates racial erasure and identity confusion among students. Through critical pedagogical approaches, such as centering Afro-Latinx voices in the curriculum, integrating reflective identity exercises, and applying intersectionality, educators can disrupt color-evasive practices and cultivate inclusive and affirming learning spaces. Participants will leave with concrete tools to challenge anti-Blackness in K–12 and higher education settings.

This presentation contributes to the growing body of scholarship on anti-Blackness in Latinx education. Despite its significant implications for racial equity, this topic remains underexplored. By integrating research, personal narratives, and classroom strategies, this work advances theory and practice by offering a framework through which educators and researchers can engage with the intersectional realities of Latinx and Afro-Latinx students.

Author

• Myrlene Jean-Venant, Bridgewater State University