Latinidad, long celebrated as a unifying identity, has deep roots in anti-Blackness and erasure. From the myth of mestizaje to modern-day media exclusion, Afro-Latinos have been systematically pushed to the margins. This critique explores the harms of Latinidad’s whitewashed foundations, citing voices like Janel Martinez, Rosa Clemente, Alan Pelaez Lopez, and Zahira Kelly who demand accountability and visibility for Black Latinxs.
J Balvin accepting an Afro-Latino award as a white Colombian artist sparked widespread backlash, highlighting the ongoing erasure of Black Latinx artists in the music industry. The controversy reveals deeper issues of racism, cultural appropriation, and the need for accountability in Latin music.
In Colombiana, Zoë Saldaña shines as Cataleya, a fierce assassin on a mission of revenge, making it one of the most gripping action thrillers of the 2010s. Her powerful performance, alongside standout roles by Amandla Stenberg and a dynamic supporting cast, proves that Afro-Latina leads belong at the center of high-stakes cinema.
The casting of Zoë Saldaña as Nina Simone in the 2016 biopic sparked widespread backlash for perpetuating colorism and erasing Simone’s unapologetically dark-skinned identity. From the use of blackface to a prosthetic nose, the film failed to honor the legacy of a woman whose artistry was rooted in her experience as a proud, dark-skinned Black woman.
In her editor’s note for Enlatinidad, Katelina “Gata” Eccleston lays the foundation for a bold new media space centering comedy, culture, and commentary through a Latine lens. With her signature voice as a reggaetón historian and cultural critic, Gata challenges stereotypes, uplifts Afro-Latinx narratives, and invites readers to rethink what Latinidad truly looks and sounds like today.
