About US

It began with an idea, a vision and deep conversations among Afro Latino historians and cultural advocates, dedicated to celebrating and safeguarding our rich legacy as an essential part of the African Diaspora. Concurrently, we observed unsettling events in 2022: pervasive racial incidents spanning from west coast to east coast, and even reaching Caribbean nations and territories.

Dr. Marta Moreno Vega

Founder and President
Creative Justice Initiative

Guesnerth Josue Perea

Executive Director
afrolatin@ forum

These events included attempts to erase our history, prohibit our expressions, our words, enact laws displacing our communities, and intentionally instigate “cultural wars” to foster division and dominance. From Puerto Rico, where an Afro Boricua family faced constant racist harassment due to their skin tone, to other parts of the nation, we witnessed similar racially motivated actions and biased legislations that limited our human and women’s rights.

Motivated by these occurrences, in-depth conversations arose between Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, Guesnerth Josué Perea, and a diverse, multigenerational group of scholars, cultural advocates, and communicators. These discussions culminated in the formation of an Advisory Board, consisting of over 20 dedicated members.

Out of these exchanges, a nationwide collaboration among the Afro-Latino/a/e/x community blossomed. This joint effort engaged the Creative Justice Initiative, the afrolatin@ forum, and our Advisory Board. Armed with the wisdom imparted by our peers and communities, we’ve curated and disseminated a cultural educational series. Our profound aspiration is to nurture solidarity, unity, and mutual understanding within the Afro-Latino/a/e/x community and the broader African diaspora, aiming to shape a brighter, inclusive and equitable future for the upcoming generations.

Our Advisory Board

Abel Lopez, Director GALA Hispanic Theater; Ani Rivera, Executive Director Galería de la Raza; Ariana Curtis, Curator, Latinx Studies Smithsonian, National Museum of African American History & Culture; Billy Ocasio, Chief Executive Officer National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture; Dr. Nelson I. Colón Tarrats, President Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico; Hiram Williams, Director

Racial Equity Building Institute for the Americas (“REBIA”) Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico; Humberto R. Brown, Director, New Constituency Development and Health Disparities Initiatives, SUNY Downstate Medical Center Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health; Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, CEO Latino Community Foundation; Joe Scantlebury, President and CEO Living Cities: Advancing Racial and Economic Justice; Jose Calderon, President/CEO, Calderon Solutions, Former President & CEO, Hispanic Federation; Jossianna Arroyo Martinez, Professor of Latin American and Caribbean Literatures and Cultures,The University of Texas, Austin; Joy Bivins, Director, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; Katea Stitt WPFW/Pacifica Radio Founder, Anyanwu Management; Maricruz Rivera Clemente, CEO Founder COPI Cultural Environmentally Organization, Puerto Rico; Mayra Santos Febres, Professor of Literature, Author, Poet, Novelist Founder of Cumbre Afro; Neyda Martinez, MPA, Associate Professor and Director, School of Media Studies, Co-director, Impact Entrepreneurship Initiative, The New School; Olga Chapman-Rivera, Founder and Chief Go-Getter BRAAVE Tribe Collab; Omar Eaton-Martinez, Senior Vice President Historic Sites at the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Roland Roebuck, Director, Afro Latin Institute; Rosa A. Clemente, Founder of Black Latinx Media Collective; Sandra A. Garcia-Betancourt, MFA Co-coordinator,The Practice of Freedom Conversation Series; Solimar Salas, Vice President of Content, Innovation & Outreach Museum of Latin American Art; Sonia BasSheva Mañjon, PhD, Co-Executive Director LeaderSpring Center, Faculty, University of San Francisco & California State University East Bay; Ximena Minotta Martin, Director of Public Programs and Culinary Arts LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes; Yomaira C. Figueroa-Vásquez, Ph.D. Directora Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) CUNY Hunter College; Zenaida Mendez, Director MNN El Barrio Firehouse

AfroLatin

Unapologetically Black, Uniquely Latino

We are the heartbeat of two worlds, echoing from the Atlantic coast to major East Coast cities, a fusion of African ancestry with a Latin cultural tapestry from over 20 countries. As we bridge ‘Latinidad’ and ‘Blackness,’ our Afro Latino/a/e/x narrative unfolds, rich in heritage and laden with challenges. In the face of erasure, misinformation, and systemic inequalities, we stand united, championing a story resonating with global history, proudly representing our Afro Latino/a/e/x identity, and striving for a brighter future for the next generations.

The Conversations

Critical Conversations showcasing collaborating organizations, institutions, scholars and cultural workers in locations across the nation, Latin America and the Caribbean.

November 19, 2023 , 2PM

AFRO LATINIDAD AND BLACK INSTITUTION BUILDING

The Oprah Winfrey Theater at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C.

* The public program, Black Institutions and Afro-Latine Community Building, scheduled for Sunday November 19th is postponed.
The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is a federal entity currently operating under a continuing resolution. We look forward to rescheduling this important program when NMAAHC has an approved fiscal year budget.
Feel free to reach out to NMAAHC curator Dr. Ariana Curtis at CurtisA@si.edu if you have additional questions.