Understanding and Fighting Colorism and Anti-Blackness Amongst Latinxs

• In Event: 1445 - Doing Social Justice Research in Latina/o/x Sociology

Abstract

This paper puts forth innovative and creative strategies to use the classroom to incorporate social justice into research. I was honored to be given the task of teaching the first Afro-Latino course at UCLA for the Chicano/a Studies Department, where over 70 students (mostly Latino, mostly Mexican and Central American) enrolled. My goal was to survey how Latinos on the west coast perceived and talked about the African ancestry most Latinos have and to challenge notions of anti-blackness. Many scholars study social justice usually among the dominant group and a minority group or multiple minority groups. It is equally important to interrogate specifically in this case the colorism that it very prevalent in a Latino communities and how that impeded solidarity across the group an in turn social justice.

Author

• Celia Olivia Lacayo, UCLA