How to Combat Anti-Blackness in Central American Communities

Photo by Maria Oswalt

Central Americans are a marginalized group. As victims of xenophobic attacks, it’s easy to see how our communities have suffered. But this doesn’t mean we aren’t capable of bigotry.

 Non-Black Central Americans are complicit in anti-blackness. Just as other non-Black Latinx groups uphold white supremacy, so does the isthmus. If you are a white Central American, you’ve likely heard compliments for being chele. Or perhaps, you’ve witnessed how some disparage textured hair. Regardless of how it appears, anti-blackness is ingrained in Central American communities. And it's our duty to snuff it out.

 As we continue to have necessary conversations about anti-blackness worldwide, here are a few ways we can fight racism in our communities: 

 1. Stop thinking Black Central Americans are rare

 While some Central American countries have bigger Black populations than others, they are all home to Black Central Americans. El Salvador, the only Central American country without a Caribbean coast, is often believed to not have a Black population. This is untrue.

 Costa Rica, sometimes seen as a white and mestizo country, also has a Black population. As a matter of fact, Costa Rica’s vice president is a Black woman. But Epsy Campbell Barr, the country’s first vice president of African descent, is hardly the only Black Central American making a mark.

 2. Learn Central American history

 From the Afro-Caribbeans who built the Panama Canal to Zee Edgell writing the first Belizean novel published, Afro Central Americans have shaped our countries. Some of it is ugly and representative of the racism prevalent across the region, while other parts are inspiring. But they are all Central American history.

 As you delve into our histories, question why Afro Central Americans are often erased or why they are routinely marginalized. We're often told the real issue in Central America, as in other parts of Latin America, is classism. But when we look at who is poorest and most disadvantaged, a clear pattern emerges.

 3. Don’t erase Afro Central Americans from our narratives

 Punta is not Honduran. Punta is Garifuna. The dance comes to us from the Afro-Indigenous group. This means its impossible to talk about punta without mentioning the Garinagu (the plural form of Garifuna). This also goes for so many of the foods, music, and parts of culture that cannot exist without Afro Central Americans.

4. Center Black Central Americans on immigration

For years, Central American asylum seekers have amplified the United States’ broken immigration system. However, we don’t often see Black Central Americans centered in these discussions. This needs to be rectified because as it stands, the face of the movement is usually mestizo. However, Black immigrants face the biggest hardships. Black immigrants are criminalized both because of their immigrant status and their race. Both the carceral and the immigration systems feed into each other.

5. Don’t police language

 No one version of Spanish is better than another. Dropping letters or using slang does not mean someone speaks an inferior form of Spanish. These comments are usually directed at Afro Latinxs, and it is unacceptable. The way we all speak Spanish (or any language, really) is a reflection of our upbringing and our communities. It’s passed down to us, and you should respect everyone’s unique way of speaking.

 6. Remove “Latinxs for Black Lives Matter” from your vocabulary

 While it may not be intentional, this phrase essentially states that Latinxs are non-Black, which is false. While not every Latinx is Black and not every Black person is Latinx, Latinx and Black are not two separate things. There are so many folks who inhabit both these experiences. If you want to show support to Black folks, stick to “Black Lives Matter.” It keeps the focus on the plight of Black folks, which is the point of the movement in the first place.

 7. Show up for Afro Central Americans

 Whether this is by supporting social movements, such as #LasVidasGarifunaImportan, uplifting Afro Central American creatives or challenging your family’s racist views, show up for the folks that make up a large part of Central America.