“I started to do music for my Black people so that Blacks can feel proud of being Black..I want to stay Black because this color is beautiful..” The issue of colorism & defining one’s Blackness amongst Latinos cuts perhaps even deeper than their American Diasporan counterparts. Artists like Tego Calderon are bringing this history to the forefront once again as Latinos recognize & reconcile with their African Roots. My personal experience in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico spoke to the fact that the African roots of Puerto Ricans in the old country will never be forgotten historically or in the souls of the people. As Tego says: “Africa Me Llama -Africa is Calling Me“!

“To many Dominicans, to be black is to be Haitian. So dark-skinned Dominicans tend to describe themselves as any of the dozen or so racial categories that date back hundreds of years — Indian, burned Indian, dirty Indian, washed Indian, dark Indian, cinnamon, moreno or mulatto, but rarely negro.The Cuban black was told he was black. The Dominican black was told he was Indian,” said Dominican historian Celsa Albert, who is black. “I am not Indian. That color does not exist. People used to tell me, ‘You are not black.’ If I am not black, then I guess there are no blacks anywhere, because I have curly hair and dark skin.” READ MORE