“Black Latinos are not respected in Latin America”

“When I check into hotels and use my American Express they call the credit card company in front of me saying the machine is broken. This happens a lot in U.S. cities but it’s not because there is more racism there, it’s because they don’t know me. When I’m in Latin America, I am known, so it’s different. That is not to say that there is less racism. The reality for blacks in Latin America is severe, in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Honduras …”

While some white Latin Americans understand the racial complexities of their countries, others are blinded by white privilege. But it’s not only white Hispanics who can be blinded to this racism. Darker Latin American can become accustomed to their daily moments of prejudice. And this feeling of “getting used” to racism is dangerous as it does not give room for accurate observation, representation, and improvement. Calderon describes this accustoming in Puerto Rico: “In Puerto Rico you get used it and don’t see it everyday. It takes a visitor to point out that all the dark skin sisters and brothers are in the service industry.”