What Does It Mean To Be “Afro Latina?” 5 Latinx Women Discuss Embracing Their Black Identity

As we all know, blackness is global. With a diaspora that resides in every part of the world, people of all shades, and experiences that manifest in many different forms, there is no “one way” to be black. That being said, there are often black experiences that go underrepresented when it comes to how blackness is framed in our societal discourse and pop culture. Highlighting how they became aware of their Afro-Latina identities and what the term means to them, Madame Noire got the chance to hear from five powerful women about their Afro-Latina heritage.

Angelica “Angie” Ogando

Afro-Latina means being exactly who I was called to be! Every day I get up I look in the mirror and I see a woman who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the City of Newark, NJ with black skin, beautiful curly hair, and a fabulous accent. I see a woman who desires to eat plantains and fried cheese in the morning because it is an inherent part of her culture.

I am the result of strength and struggle combined with the possibilities of a brighter future. My heritage is from a mix of people that came “without being asked” and people that came “because they wanted to,” both of which are the forces that constantly propel me forward. The blood that runs through my veins is that of my ancestors who did not conform and instead became fighters willing to stand up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves. I found my Afro-Latinidad heritage the moment I decided to break-up with people’s expectations of who I should be and accepted myself exactly as I am… a beacon of light, resilience, strength, and an agent of change.