Black SD Magazine September Issue 2021

Inside

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Featured Story Interview with Rose Sanchez

In This Issue

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Words From The Publisher

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Emerald Arguelles’ Isn’t It Beautiful

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Surveying Afro-Latinos

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Finding an Identity with Kayla Farle

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Travel with Bri: Mexico

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Interview with Chef Santana

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Latin Dance

Tapped In With Chris Williams

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History of Capoeira

WHAT’S 20

September Issue 2021

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What’s Inside

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Inside WHAT’S

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30 Featured Story

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In This Issue

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Melania Luisa Marte

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On Poetry and Justice: with Activist Gabriel Ramirez

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Lola: Slow Down For Healing

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Where Music and Politics Collide with Brisa Lauren

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Interview with Chef Sullen

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Virgen: Come Through Creative

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Latin Foods Inspired by Africa

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A Tale of Two Siblings: Bianca and Mike

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Feature: Chef German

Creating Safe Spaces in the Food World for All with Casandra Rosario

Words

From the Publisher

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ow more than ever, people are evaluating their experiences through the intersectionality of their identity in areas of race, identity, gender, sexuality, and more. Many times, the problems people face arise because we, as a society, don’t work hard enough to attempt to see where an individual’s identity intersects. Comparing in these instances is to serve as a tool for better understanding and higher enlightenment— not for the sake of comparing and contrasting. That would lead to debates on old fashion ways of labeling things as right and wrong, which ultimately sections individuals in boxes they do not fit.

So why an Afro-Latinx issue for Black SD Magazine?

Because narratives from the African Diaspora aren’t just rooted in the traditional African American narrative. Ignoring the multifaceted parts of our community and subdividing them simply by race or identity doesn’t advance our ability as a society to better understand each other. I believe it is even harder at times when you have to battle a society telling you that you can only be one thing; so you choose something more familiar based on levels of comfort instead of accepting and exploring your own “intersectionality.” So this issue is dedicated to not just the Afro-Latinx community but those who are also at an intersection with their own identity.

“Similarities connect us and focusing on what makes us different divides us!”

You won’t just be impressed with stories of struggles and triumphs of individuals who had issues identifying themselves, but rather you will be encompassed in stories of people who you can relate to. The most important aspect of the human experience is relationships. Intersectionality, as I use this word multiple times, gives us an opportunity to understand how race and identity in African descent and Latino culture shares a myriad of similarities. Going back to the days of early colonialism and slavery from Africa through the Atlantic slave trade, you will learn how this moment in the history of our civilization has influenced the culture of food, music, dance, and fashion.

September Issue 2021

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Words From The Publisher

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CEO & Publisher Chief Operating Officer

Michael Cox Anthony Perry

Executive Assistant

Margaret White

Art & Style Director

Lady Maximo

Head of Digital Lead Graphic Designer

Anthony Casillas Branden Carter

Editorial Department Design Departmet Adilene Delgado Calvin Brown Cheyenne Simpson Ciara Hendrix CM Lucas Davonne Evans Gloria Peebles James Quinn Katherine Fernandez Lorraine Jones Margaret White Rashawn Raysor Rasheeda Campbell Sabrina Giles Timothy Black Donohoo Victor Sledge

Wade Ramsamooj Billy Martinez Jaylon Kraus Marlo Calderon Mikhaella Walden Nathan Clark Nyłes Møøre Shelbi-Kaye Alves Elijah Richardson

Photographers Isiah Jones Studio Luniste Ron Ramos Terry Kathleen Scheffer Thomas Kuoh Hanna Van Wagner Dionne McDonald Kenesse Rivera Mark Clennon Alejandro Pérez Artemis Cloud Emerald Arguelles

R.S Vids Written by Editorial Team

Who is Rose Sanchez?

I

am an entrepreneur and video production business owner here in San Diego. I moved to California from New Jersey when I was 18 years old with dreams of becoming a success-

ful filmmaker. I have always had a passion for making films since a young age. I grew up watching movies as an escape from reality. However, the older I grew, the more skewed I realized the film world and industry was. The stories that were told via film were very limited and very white. After I realized the lack of representation of people of color in cinema, I decided to pursue a career in film.

What does being AfroLatinx mean to you?

To me, being AfroLatinx means to have an undeniable pride in both your race and your culture. We in the AfroLatinx community often grow up split between a Latino culture and an African descent. Most of us live in a society that forces us to choose to embrace one or the other. However, in my opinion, being AfroLatinx means to choose to embrace both. To have the strength to love and appreciate both is what truly makes us AfroLatinx.

If you had unlimited funding and could film your dream project, what would it be?

If I had unlimited funding and could film my dream project,

You moved from New Jersey to California. What was that experience like? What are some things you miss about New Jersey?

Moving from New Jersey to California has been a roller coaster. I moved across the country to a place where I had no family or friends. I literally left everything I knew and started my life from scratch. There have been many roadblocks on my way to becoming who I am today, but I would not trade those experiences for the world. The struggles that I have overcome have given me the strength and persistence that I have used to create my own business. The main thing that I miss about New Jersey is the Dominican food. I miss eating my mother’s home

it would be a feature length film that follows my mother’s journey of immigrating to the United States from the Dominican Republic.

What do you think about the diversity and/or representation of AfroLatinx in films? What can Hollywood, and we as consumers, do to support more diversity?

In my opinion, there is a tremendous lack of AfroLatinx representation in the film industry. The Latino representation itself is lacking, but the AfroLatinx representation is close to nonexistent. There are many reasons behind this, but one of the

cooked meals on a daily basis.

biggest reasons is lack of education/knowledge. Not enough

What was it like growing up Afro-Latina?

where we come from, and where we fit in. I would encourage

Growing up Afro-Latina has been challenging. My Blackness, being accompanied by Dominican colloquialisms, was confusing for many including myself. My dissimilarphysical features like my thick coily hair, full lips, and brown skin immediately prompted questions of my nationality, status, language, and overall being. I was stuck in between, not enough of either identity. I was nothing close to the typical Central American Hispanics I grew up around, and too immersed in the Hispanic culture and ideals to identify as Black. This forced me into a position of “other”, and brought discrimination from both communities. Stuck between the lines of this cross-culture mix, it was up to me to educate myself on both rich cultures and use this to overcome the challenges I would be presented with moving forward.

people understand what we as the AfroLatinx community are, the consumers to support local AfroLatinx artists in your community and seek to better understand their cultural/ethnic backgrounds.

What is your favorite part about being a videographer and director? What has been your favorite project you have worked on?

My favorite part about being a filmmaker is being able to take an idea written on a sheet of paper and transform it into a piece of art. Seeing the completion of a project from beginning to end is the most satisfying and rewarding part. My favorite project that I have worked on is a poetry film by Arielle Estoria called “What A Miracle.” The film celebrates Black women and women empowerment.

September Issue 2021

R.S Vids

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Emerald Arguelles’ Isn’t It

Beautiful Artist and editor, Emerald Arguelles captures the complexities of Black beauty salons and barbershops in Isn’t It Beautiful.

Written by: Victor Sledge

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he feeling of walking into a Black beauty or barbershop is unlike any other. The smell is unmistakable, and it hits you with the buzz of clippers and the hum of hair dryers that sings below the clamor of conversation all around the shop.

Emerald Arguelles, a visual artist and Editor-in-Chief of Aint-bad Magazine based in Savannah, GA, captures that experience and its significance in her photography series, Isn’t It Beautiful.

As the child of a Black mother who was also a long-time cosmetologist, and a Cuban father who wasn’t always sure about how to handle her hair, her personal hair journey started on the Afro-Latina tightrope of two different cultures’ beauty standards.

Arguelles’ work has been recognized internationally, most recently, in Vogue Italia. As an artist, she creates a space in contemporary photography for Black people and culture to be honored loudly and unabatingly.

In Isn’t It Beautiful specifically, she does that through exploring and celebrating the culture, beauty, and layered experience of southern Black beauty salons and barbershops and the people who service them.

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Isn’t It Beautiful

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What is the significance in a beauty shop experience for a Black woman, and how did you try to bring that out in your art?

The community is what makes a Black beauty salon or barbershop different from any other. It is a safe place for many men and women in a world where we are often marginalized and portrayed as being something we are not. In that space, we can be ourselves. The togetherness of the salon was how I wanted to convey that. The candid moments, the smiles and the persistence.

Working with Black hair is often such an intricate, precise process, and you capture that in Isn’t It Beautiful. Why was it so important for you to highlight the process behind the scenes of Black hair care?

I think the highlight of men and women behind the chair was necessary. The sacrifice and hours they put into transforming men and women are aspects of their artistry that should be acknowledged. I have learned so much from them; they have been my therapists and a great support system. They are genuinely superheroes in my mind, and I’m intentional in portraying them as such.

Black hair has always been political. What power can be found in art that celebrates it so unapologetically?

I think the freedom to be whoever you are and aspire to be is that power. Live your life the way you want to, and regardless of the many roadblocks, political or social, being who you are is the most excellent activism.

Hair and beauty can be a bonding experience for Black kids and their mothers in a trans-generational way. What role did your mother or other Black elders play in your journey with Black hair and beauty?

My mother gave me the freedom to experiment with my hair (shaving my head, shaving one side, and coloring), which wasn’t always the best decision. Still, she supported me in all my choices, which gave me the confidence to try anything that I ever wanted.

finding an Identity with Kayla Farley Written: Margaret White

“ Becauses she defied the odds, I know I can too.”

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ilton Smith was a baseball star. He first played for the Negro Leagues, then Padres in 1952, and then the Cincinnati Red Legs in 1955. During one of his games abroad in Mexico, he met Manuela. They both bonded over the love for baseball and fell in love. When Milton left Mexico, he invited Manuela to a life in the United State’s with him. That is Kayla Farley’s story of how her great grandparents met.

Growing up, Kayla says that she experienced a struggle with identity and fitting in. She felt as if “she wasn’t black enough for the black girls…not Mexican enough for the Latina girls.” Kayla has dealt with racism and prejudices from both the Black and the Latino community. It’s not uncommon for her to overhear people speaking badly about her perceived race in their language not knowing that she too spoke Spanish.

Her grandmother, Manuela’s daughter, taught and instilled little aspects of Mexican culture in Kayla. Kayla spoke fondly of her grandmother, a black woman with an afro who left people in shock when she spoke in Spanish. While Kayla has always known her grandmother as black and Mexican, at the time she didn’t know her as Afro-Latina. .

It’s not until Love and Hip Hop and seeing Amara that Kayla finally knew the term Afro-Latina. She finally found a word to describe her grandmother. Kayla describes herself as bawling when seeing Amara, someone she could finally relate to. To some, the relief Kayla felt when seeing Afro-Latina representation might seem silly. But when you grow up feeling othered, seeing just a bit of representation that mirrors you is empowering.

And Kayla wants to see more empowerment— genuine empowerment. As a make-up artist, Kayla feels like the push with diversity in the make-up industry is long overdue. “These brands should have taken the time to care [about us] a long time ago.” And even though we can be a bit bitter about the late diversity, Kayla says that we should push for more. Afro-Latinx encompasses a lot of different identities. And while we root for the representation we already have, there is still so much more to see.

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Finding an Identity

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As a proud Afro-Puerto Rican

Written by: Michael Cox

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had the opportunity to interview the amazing Santana Caress Benitez-- you might know her from the hit show She’s Gotta Have It or as a chef and contestant on Chopped. I initially reached out to her for this Afro-Latinx edition to ask her about food and culture, but the conversation took a different but just as important turn. Santana speaks passionately about her love and pride for Puerto Rico.

“Afro-Latina is a label I will accept, but for me I prefer Afro-Puerto Rican.”

My original question for Santana was: what does being Afro-Latina mean to you? I expected an answer about having pride for one’s identity or an answer that spoke to the culture. But Santana informed me of the broad and blanketing of the Afro-Latinx label. It’s a label that doesn’t do enough.

It’s a label that doesn’t actually show people where they are from or where their family comes from.

And Santana wants you to know she is Afro-Puerto Rican and a black girl. Her dad is Afro-Puerto Rican

and grew up in St. Croix of the US Virgin Islands, but he is originally from Puerto Rico. Her mother is black American from California. When I asked if she ever experienced an identity struggle like some others do, Santana shared that blackness comes from both sides of her family. That she understands the complex issue of identity, but having blackness on either side of her family meant she never “[felt] very othered.”

It’s probably why Santana feels a deep connection to Puerto Rico and a need to protect it. She first moved to the island back in January of 2017.

She had only spent six months there originally before heading back to New York. But then she finally moved permanently in 2018. She calls the changes in Puerto Rico within that short period of time “out of control.

“Outside people [are] buying up shit and changing the game,” Santana says. The Puerto Rico she knew in 2017 was not the same in 2018. She noted how a lot of outsiders are buying up the homes in Puerto

d o

“Afro-Latina is a label I will accept, but for me I prefer Afro-Puerto Rican.”

Rico and turning them into Airbnbs. She even points out that this gentrification is eliminating the traditional food of Puerto Rico and essentially the cultural food.

“So much of culture is food. Even growing up, my dad never let me call food nasty because he said ‘that’s the best type of people cultures and you could really insult them.’”

She talks about making Pasteles during the holidays, a dish similar to tamales but uses root vegetables and plantains for the dough instead of corn. Or even the drink Coquito, the Puerto Rican version of eggnog that doesn’t use eggs. It’s a mix of coconut milks and spices. It’s food that the family enjoys together. It’s food that their ancestors have made.

It’s food that shows the rich history and mixing of cultures in Puerto Rico. You’ll find the Spanish influences from when Spain colonized Puerto Rico, the African influences from the slave trade, and the Taino influence from the indigenous people of Puerto Rico.

Gentrification is eliminating the culture in Puerto Rico. And Santana has a deep disdain for it.. She does what she can to protest against it. If she can support, donate, or show up, she will. She wants to preserve Puerto Rico and takes directions from her friends and people of the island. Her main concern is if she is “giving too much away.” When I asked her to elaborate on what she meant, Santana said that she worries that in her efforts to genuinely represent Puerto Rico, she might be inviting more outsiders to come and pick apart the vulnerable island.

“It’s about preserving the rich culture, traditions and history of the People and Island.”

September Issue 2021

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Interview with Chef Santana

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Surveying Afro-Latinos Conversations with Ana Gonzalez-Barrera on the complexity of Surveying Latinos and their identification with African descent!

Written by: Michael Cox

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he identification as Afro-Latino is fairly new for individuals and some are just learning about it this year even in 2021. As I had gone on a quest to learn more about this term for the sake of this issue dedicated to the Afro-Latino experience, I had come across a research study that was performed by Ana-Gonzales-Barrer and former research analyst Gustavo Lopez of the Pew Research Center in 2016. The article is titled “Afro Latino: A deeply rooted identity among U.S Hispanics.

With much eagerness I reached out to Pew Research Center to request an interview with Ana to discuss her findings then and how they compare to now. “ The identification process for U.S Hispanics and Latinos in Latin America is multidimensional,” said Gonzalez-Barrera when I asked her what was the conclusion from the data collected for the study. Hispanics and Latinos both are at an intersection when it comes to race and identity which makes it difficult when the US agencies and others try to survey them.

It’s because many people don’t understand that when they say Hispanic or Latino when referring to an individual they are speaking on their identity and not their race. Ana said this is the same issue that she has found to be present even in today’s surveying methods.

When you look at her research only a quarter of Latinos will identify as having African descent and four percent decline to answer when they had been surveyed.

Gonzalez-Barrer says, “ It’s because they either don’t understand the question or feel comfortable answering it.” Because of this issue agencies who are focused on surveying demographics have to draw wider nets to discover how people self identify so they include Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Mexican, Afro-Puerto Rican, and the list can go on. This wide net tactic demonstrates how difficult it becomes for individuals to identify themselves outside of race alone. It becomes more complex when you look at Latin American countries who still hold strong ties to the dominant culture of putting more preference for European standards of beauty.

September Issue 2021

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Surveying Afro-Latinos

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onzalez-Barrera said, “When it came to the 24% of Hispanics and Latinos who classified themselves as Afro-Latino, only 80% of those actually classified their race as Black.” After speaking with her it became apparent you can’t ask simple black and white questions for Hispanics and Latinos on if they identify as Black, White, Asian, or Other.

“They actually probably get more confused by trying to answer that question,” said Gonzalez Barrera. It shows that when serving an ethic group that is as multicultural, multifaceted, and multidimensional as them you have to take into account who they are.

Who they aren’t can’t be just a box checked off on a long list of people utilized to statistical analysis.

Ana Gonzalez-Barrera is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center. She is an expert on U.S. immigration, particularly on Mexican immigration to the U.S. and border apprehensions and deportations. She also has extensive experience analyzing and surveying the Hispanic population in the U.S. Before joining Pew Research Center in 2011, she served as director of population distribution at the Mexican Population Council (CONAPO). Prior to that, she worked for over four years at CIDE in Mexico, where she coordinated two rounds of the Mexico and the Americas public opinion survey in 2004 and 2010. She received a MPP from the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago, where she was a Fulbright-Garcia Robles scholar. to the U.S., among others.

tAPPED IN WITH cHRIS WILLIAMS Words by: Ciara Hendrix

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lack is not a monolith. Nor is it always a clear identity.

Comparable to many experiences in this world, the Black experience exists within a spectrum. It allows for a varied and beautiful expression of color and culture. To gain perspective on said experiences, Black SD Magazine will be highlighting Afro-Latinos in SD and beyond who are changing narratives and using creativity as a vessel for change. To continue the conversation, we sat down with Chris Williams - a Brand Manager with Nike.

WHAT HAS YOUR JOURNEY WITH NIKE BEEN LIKE SO FAR?

[CW] I’ve been with Nike going on 14 years, so I am familiar with the landscape of our environment. Currently, I’m adjusting to a career shift from employee development to marketing. For now, I’m taking it one step one at a time, and being intentional about movement and meditation when I’m not present here.

HOW INVOLVED ARE YOU WITH YOUR PROJECTS IN PURPOSE MARKETING?

[CW] Well, I’m still technically learning the scope of my role.

Senior level leadership contrives the moments that we wanna get after, everything else is up to me. From idea conception to execution with creative agencies; I manage that entire process.

AS A CREATIVE, HOW DO YOU SET & MAINTAIN HEALTHY BOUNDARIES?

[CW] In all my creative outlets, I believe in being upfront about what I can offer and maintaining that throughout the process; I let my team know out the gate what I have the capacity for. If it’s not something that aligns with me, I’m not going to be able to generate the great work I’m capable of. When you try to tap into culture and community, you need someone who has healthy boundaries like that.

CAN YOU SPEAK ON YOUR EXPERIENCE BEING VISIBLE AS AN AFRO-LATINO AT SUCH A LARGE BRAND? [CW] At this level, it’s energizing to work with such a diverse group. There are people from all walks of life on my team - a lot of people of color, folks in the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, our team represents almost all intersections of life. I’m definitely enjoying it. Once I get my legs under me, I’ll feel more sturdy after this transition. It’s tough, but I don’t know that I would trade it.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ENSURE REPRESENTATION AND EQUITY FOR YOUR COMMUNITY?

[CW] There’s a great deal of intersectionality when it comes to my identity - I’m half Black and half Mexican. I also grew up Catholic with Military parents so when I think about community, all of those are connected for me. When you’re mixed, it can often feel like you don’t belong to any specific group. It wasn’t until I started to accept my individuality and forge my own path that I gained more confidence and understanding. So in my personal life, creative life, and approach with my team I try to reflect on my experiences. The focus then shifts to a lens of ‘Who is the most marginalized? Who’s left out of this picture?’ and doing what I can to bring them in.

Chris knows that Purpose Marketing is where he’s supposed to be right now. As a creative, he understands the importance of representing and engaging with the communities being marketed to.

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Tapped In With Chris Williams

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TRAVEL with bri: mexico Written By: Brianna Rice

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taying at a four or five star resort is a must when traveling solo. During my trip to Mexico, I stayed at the Westin Resort and Spa. It was a beautiful beachfront property that was very spacious and clean.

I went during the pandemic and the staff here made sure to sanitize and clean areas regularly. In my experience traveling, four or five star resorts offer tour bookings, services, and much more that make the trip even more luxurious. The Westin Resort and Spa had a car rental service on site which I used for my trip to Tulum.

The Resort also booked my tour for Chichén Itzá.

Tulum

Like most people, I was tired of seeing all the wonderful pictures on Instagram but I wasn’t in them. I needed to experience Tulum for myself. Tulum is a two hour drive from Cancun International Airport. I drove a rental car from the resort into Tulum. This was my first time driving in another country. I definitely got pulled over for “speeding” and instead of a ticket my mans let me go with a nice little payment for his troubles. Never again!!

I will hire a driver; I am not built for international jail or confrontation. Would. Not. Recommend. Despite the anxieties of driving, Tulum was beautiful and magical.

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Travel with Bri

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Chichén Itzá:

Chichén Itzá is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Chichén Itzá are the remnants of the ancient Mayan Empire. The resort had several tour packages. I chose the full day guided tour that included a charter bus with limited wifi to Yucatan, a lunch buffet, and a swim in a beautiful cenote. The spot was iconic and felt very powerful. It is definitely worth a trip the next time you are in the area!

How’s the Food:

I’m sure most of it was delicious; however, traveling as a vegan in Mexico was no bueno. When touring Chichén Itzá and the Mayan Ruins, the tour package included a lunch buffet. But there were few vegan options in the buffet. I took calculated risks to avoid meat. Make sure to plan your food in advance if you are avoiding meat. Otherwise, I’m sure the food is amazing.

Photo Hack:

Say hello and hand your phone to strangers! When traveling solo, offer to take photos for other travelers in exchange for dope photos of yourself. Have the photo and angle in mind to direct your friendly photographer to the best shot.

Safety Tips:

The most important tip is to not let anyone know where you are staying. This means keeping your accommodations a secret. But also, pay attention to your surroundings and make sure that no one is following you back to your room. If you think someone might be following you, go to the front desk or hotel bar. Do not lead anyone back to your room!

Latin Dance Inspired by Africa

The movement, styles, and rhythm of Latin dances is heavily influenced by African culture. When the Spanish and Portuguese colonized the Americas and Caribbean, they brought along their enslaved Africans. While most of African culture was banned, drumming and dance were one of the few ways Africans could practice their culture. African drumming and dance have definitely shaped Latin Dance into what it is.

Bomba The enslaved Africans worked the sugarcane fields of Puerto Rico; however, they couldn’t speak to each other because they were from different regions of Africa. They found commonality within music and often used Bomba as an act of rebellion.

Merengue Some believe that closeness of Merengue comes from enslaved Africans being chained together by the ankles while they worked on the sugarcane farms. However, it is more likely that Merengue comes from enslaved Africans imitating the dances of their European masters.

Tango Tango music doesn’t use percussion instruments and drumming of typical African music. However, the string instruments are played with percussion tactics that still carry African influences.

Salsa Salsa adapts it’s percussion beats and rhythm from African Talking-Drums. West Africans used an hourglass shaped drum to relay messages to farther distances.

Thus, Salsa becomes a type of music and dance that imitates the call and response of communication within it’s rhythm.

Rumba Rumbo is traditionally performed by the working class of African descendents in the courtyards and streets of urban Cuba.

The African drumming is often replicated by the people drumming on stools and dominoes tables of Havana.

Samba Samba comes from the Bahia region of Brazil, also known as Little Africa. Samba was originally performed to honor Angola gods, which is where most of the enslaved of the area came from.

Latin Dance Inspired by Africa

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“Its a martial art of dance, music and aerobics”

The History of Capoeira

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n estimated four million slaves were brought from West Africa to work on dugarcane farms in Brazil under the Portuguese Crown. At the time, Brazil was one of the biggest colonies under the Portuguese and sustained itself through slave labor.

And like every other colonization, Brazil prohibted the enslaved West Africans from practicing their culture, including their style of martial arts.

It is from this bam of Wesr African culture in Brazil that Capoeira is developed. The enslaved people disguised their martial arts in dance and music. The kicks and sweeping movements blended in with dance moves, the colonist could not distinguish the martial arts from dance. Thus, Capoeira is born.

Capoeira is a martial arts from that mixes dance, music and aerobics. This style of martial arts focuses on creating an uninterrumpted flow of movement. One of the main movements is the “Ginga” or the rocking back and forth motion of your body. For the Capoeirista, this movement is essential in creating the consisten flow of motion which makes them harder to target.

The “Ginga” is also used by the Capoeirista to trick and fake out their opponent. It focuses on using the lower body in kicking and sweeping motions. This form of martial arts is useful to those who are outnumbered or at a disadvantage.

The enslaved people of Brazil used Capoeira to escape slavery. Capoeira was a means for the enslaved people to hold on to the culture and traditions of which was stolen from them. it also was a way for enslaved people to protect themselves when they escaped their farms and were hunted by colonists.

September Issue 2021

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History of Capoeira

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a

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n 1888, slavery is abolished in Brazil. However, these freed slaves were not given any means to support themselves. There were no job prospects for them and a lot of them suffered from hemlessness. This led to an icnreas in criminal activity as the freed slaves struggled to survive. The Brazilian government also feared a freed slaves revolt. The Brazilian government banned the practice Capoeira. The penalty from practicing included imprisonment, beatings and having your achilles tendon sliced.

Today, Capoeira is part of Brazilian culture. By 1920’s, the suppression of Capoeira was dying out. People begun using Capoeira as means of physical education and fitness. Capoeira has become an attraction and export for Brazil.

Skilled Talent

More than anything else, San Diego companies depend on talent.

From software engineers to machinists, and everything in between, innovation companies are always looking to recruit, retain, and develop the best and the brightest. Despite rapid growth and average wages of nearly $155,000 per year, many employers report difficulty filling positions. Rapid technological and demographic changes are likely to grow existing talent shortages. Hispanics are the region’s fastest growing population and statistically the least prepared for high-skilled, high-wage jobs; they represent only 16 percent of current degree holders and almost half of today’s seventh graders. The proportion of jobs requiring some form of post-secondary education is only expected to rise.

An increasingly high cost of living had made talent attraction and retention more difficult. The pandemic has made the region even more unaffordable even as more than 106,000 people have lost their job (as of June 2021). Demand for skilled talent has rebounded while the surge of unemployed are primarily concentrated in lowerskill occupations. Solving for this heightened mismatch of skills between employers’ needs and available workers will be vital in the short term. In the long run, to meet the demands of San Diego’s future economy, we will need to double the local production of skilled workers.

Quality Jobs Small businesses (those with fewer than 100 employees) play a critical role in our economy. They represent 98 percent of all firms, employ nearly 60 percent of the total workforce – double the national average – and are responsible for nearly half of all job growth in the last five years. Despite their outsized importance to the region’s economy, many small businesses report struggling to attract customers and generate new sales and have a lower concentration of quality jobs (those that pay middle-income wages) compared to their larger peers. The pandemic has hit small businesses especially hard. More than half of San Diego’s small businesses are currently not operating, pushing revenues down 40 percent compared to February 2020. This comes after years of slowing new business formation.

As we move into recovery, stabilizing small businesses and increasing their resilience is critical to the long-term health of the economy. We must expand and diversify small businesses’ access to customers. That can be connecting them to international markets and large institutional buyers. For more locally-serving businesses, providing them big business tools such as digital storefronts and electronic payments processing will help them to recover in the short term and insulate them from future shocks. There is also newfound interest in employee ownership, which serves to boost employee retention and wealth creation while preserving the business itself after the retirement of its owner. This can be especially impactful for women and people of color, where rates of ownership remain low. All these strategies will help to grow the number of quality jobs in small businesses.

Thriving Households Ensuring San Diego is an attractive and affordable place for talent and business is critical to maintaining its regional competitiveness. However, a majority of households in the region are not thriving, meaning their incomes do not meet the typical costs of living. San Diego is roughly 43 percent more expensive than the average metro area, as of 2020. This is driven in large part by the cost of housing, due to housing production not keeping pace with employment growth. As a result, San Diego has the second highest median home price among the 25 largest metros.

However, a lack of transportation options and severe shortages in childcare are also major contributors. We must grow household incomes through the development of more skilled workers and the creation of more quality jobs, but we must also invest the infrastructure to meet the demands of our region.

The pandemic impacted every facet of life, from the needs of working families to how businesses operate. Companies in every industry are rapidly evaluating and changing the way they interact with customers, manage supply chains, and where their employees are physically located.

This has massive immediate and long-term implications for San Diego’s workforce, as well as regional land use decisions and infrastructure investment. Nearly the entire urban core of San Diego is being reimagined over the next decade, with multiple large development projects throughout the region concurrently being planned alongside a new regional transportation plan. Due to their size and timing, these developments have the potential to transform communities and create thousands of newly thriving households, should they provide more housing, better connect people and jobs, and promote transit.

Looking Ahead The innovation cluster will lead us out of this pandemic-driven economic downturn—just like it has from each past downturn—but it is not currently accessible to everyone. In fact, high-wage jobs have already more than recovered from the recession. Meanwhile, low-wage jobs ended 2020 down nearly 30 percent. The stakes could not be higher that we get this recovery right. We must rebuild an economy that is more resilient than before, so prosperity reaches more people. It means ensuring that small businesses not only recover but thrive. It means that everyone—no matter the zip code they were born in—has access to opportunities and the education that enables them. It means designing a region where owning a car is not a requirement to access those opportunities. For the region to fully recover and remain competitive, an inclusive economic development strategy is needed.

Learn more and get involved at inclusiveSD.org

Melania Luisa Marte

Q&A “ I Write Colorful Poems and live a color-full life ”

1

Who is Melania Luisa Marte?

Melania Luisa Marte is a Black writer, poet, and speaker from New York living in the Dominican Republic. Marte’s poetry explores many subjects including her Caribbean roots, Black feminism, and self-love. You can follow her journey on Instagram at @melatocatierra.

completely useless and unbothered by the small violent acts of these entities.

6

You have worked on other projects besides poetry, like narrating for the audio book of Clap When You Land. Are there other avenues you have not yet explored but want to?

2

I do not like to limit myself so I want to do it all. Anything that brings me joy, I explore it.

I am a Black woman who was born in New York and comes from parents who are from the Dominican Republic. Culturally, I am Black American and Black Dominican American. I identify most with Black Diaspora culture and media. I believe in the celebration of Black culture no matter geography, so it is not so much a blending of cultures and more so a reclamation of all that is afro-descendant and beautifully ours.

7

What is your ethnic background? What does being Afro-Latina mean to you and how do both cultures blend?

3

Your poem “Afro-Latina” went viral. What was the inspiration behind the poem? What did it feel like to have the poem go viral?

I was upset about the erasure of Black women in the Americas and I had something to say about it so I decided to say it with my whole chest. My inspiration was and is Black womanhood/girlhood. I believe we are the most beautiful creatures on this planet and yet we are the most undervalued and disrespected.

4

What inspires your poetry overall? How do you get into a creative headspace for it?

I’m inspired by Mother Earth and all that she creates. I can literally sit in my backyard and stare at the trees and mountains for hours. There is always something new to observe. It amazes me.

5

You’ve petitioned for Afro-Latina to be included in the dictionary. Why was that so important to you? As of 8/24/21, I checked the Merriam-Webster dictionary online, and Afro-Latina is still not included. Does that frustrate you?

I’m disappointed, but I am not surprised or bothered. I’ve learned to no longer expect for racist institutions to ever see my humanity. That is not my job to teach them about me, nor is it my job to make myself smaller in order to be granted a seat at their table. My job is to exist simply in the same way plants exist, or insects exist, or the earth

Are there future projects on the horizon that you can share with us?

I am currently working on my full-length debut collection of poetry called Plantains and Our Becoming that will be published by a lovely Publishing House within the next few years and I am so excited for what I have been writing and the impact it will have!

8

You have been very open about using your poetry to discuss things like Black feminism, intersectionality, as well as social and political issues. What are your thoughts on using art like poetry as protest and the blend of politics in art?

Poetry is a lovely way to influence culture and when we influence culture we influence people. So if you want to change people’s minds and evolve society you must invest in the arts.

9

Diversity in literature has been a big topic recently.

What is it like to be Afro-Latina in the poetry/literature industry? How can we bridge the gap and push for more diversity and minority representation?

I am just helping to expand the narrative for Black descendents who were stolen from Africa. I hope that my work is giving room for more Black folks across the diaspora to be brave and speak their truths globally. We are not a monolith and we are all worthy of a mic to express and celebrate all that we are.

10

Do you Whave advice for young, Black creatives?

My advice to young, Black creatives is to remember that there is no wrong way to exist and survive. You must allow yourself the freedom to find your path and follow it. It won’t always be easy to listen to that voice, but you owe it to yourself to find your truth and live it.

exists. We exist just because, not to service or suffer for folks who will never see our true value unless we are deemed as useful to them. I render myself September Issue 2021

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“Without community, there is no liberation” - Audre Lorde

ON POETRY & JUSTICE WITH AcTIVIST GABRIEL RAMIREZ

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n some of his early works, Ramirez elegizes his ancestors through prose. He meditates and flows freely between forlorn and triumphant tones. His poem Fathers? Flowers? Funerals? Moons? illustrates the myriad ways grief and loss touch our lives. Gabriel’s poetry strives to aid his audience in navigating life with a lighter heart and reminding us to always give ourselves the permission and space to feel deeply. “There are many doors the reader can use to enter a poem and I try to make sure the poem is always a wide open door” Ramirez says.

WHAT ARE YOUR MUSINGS ON DIVERSITY AND EQUITY IN POETIC SPACES? IN ACADEMIC SETTINGS? [GR] There are some spaces that aren’t as equitable as they can be. More intentional efforts are needed to create safer communities for writers of color. Black and Brown folks should never be made to feel like they have a responsibility to silence themselves. In my workshops, I welcome people from all walks of life, but my work will always be centered around community for my people. Our emotions are ancestral, they’re sacred.

Words by Ciara Hendrix

P

oetry can touch every intersection of our lives if only we allow it. When performed or shared, it becomes part of the tapestry of oral tradition. Black SD Magazine had the privilege of holding a conversation with artivist, educator, and poet Gabriel Ramirez about the ripple effects of sharing language. Ramirez uses his artistry to facilitate healing and bring attention to mental wellness through a poetic lens. He is currently based in Miami, Florida as the recipient for the 2021 Miami Book Fair Poetry & Emerging Writers Fellowship.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE SOME ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF STORYTELLING? [GR] Honesty, it can take on many forms depending on what’s being written. But I’m also into lies - the imagination exaggerating things to a larger subject or object in the work. Most love poems are full of exaggerations and lies as a means to hyperbolize desire, love and admiration. It’s a means to get the reader’s mind to expand to help them understand the gravitas of what the writer is trying to convey.

HOW DOES SUSPENSION OF BELIEF TIE INTO YOUR WORK? [GR] The reader has to accept the impossible, the hyperbole. In my work, I use imagery more so than metaphor in an almost mythical way. Over the years, I’ve been focused on how communication works and what I seek to convey with my writing & performances. That abstract image is more rare as a way to follow the poem with clarity throughout.

The poem always has energy, it maintains your attention.

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Where Music and Politics Collide with Brisa Lauren

Written by: Margaret White

B

risa Lauren is an Afro-Latina: Black, Mexican, and a woman. It is with this identity that Brisa views the world and does everything through Intersectionality. She can’t separate one aspect of herself from the other. She can’t fight the fight for equity as only Black or only a Latina or only a woman.

When talking about Brisa’s ethnic identity, it’s easier to say Black. With the social construct that is race, one would identify Brisa as Black. She has lived more of a Black experience being surrounded by a society that sees her as a Black woman. But that does not diminish her connection to her mother and being Latina.

Spanish is Brisa’s first language. Spanish is how Brisa connects with her Mexican side. She uses Spanish when in Mexican and Hispanic spaces. She uses Spanish in her own advocacy work to understand and communicate the plight of brown and Black people. “We talk a lot about police brutality in the Black community. And we ignore the fact that not only do Black and brown folks deal with police brutality, but brown folks also deal with border brutality.

And growing up in San Diego, we do live in a border town. So Border Patrol and ICE agents, they are just as much of a threat to communities of color as the police.” As a Civil Engagement Manager, she fights for equity and voters’ rights - a fight that is only won through educating communities of color.

Brisa’s social justice bleeds into her art and music. Brisa has been performing since a young age. When she was four, she recorded a song with her father called Colorblind - which isn’t the socially correct sentiment for today, but Brisa says it was “cute for 1992.” Being exposed to music and songwriting through her father, Brisa developed her own passion for songwriting and music.

While still a part of local band, Lyrical Grove with Kendrick Dial, Brisa released her debut album In Her Stillness in 2020. The album is vulnerable and genuine and does not shy away from social justice. Her song “Us vs Them” is dedicated to Black men, telling them that they’ve “got to stop fighting against us, as Black women.” And while Brisa dedicates the song to Black men who tend to leave Black women behind in the fight towards equity, the song can be interpreted for any minority community. “Us vs Them” simply reminds us that the enemy is the foundational white supremacy and capitalism rather than each other.

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Her Mother, who’s Chicana, was very aware she was raising a Black woman despite having Mexican roots.

“She knew the world would see me as Black and so she exposed me to the beauty of Black culture and made sure I saw myself in all of it.

From buying Black Barbie Dolls to introducing me to Black mentors, my Latina mother is the reason I am so proud of who I am.”

Her lyrics begin as words in a general meaning, before manifesting into a song. For Brisa, making her music is therapy and healing. For us, listening to her music is therapy and healing.

This debut album won’t be her last. She hopes that one day you’ll find her on the credits of another musician’s song. She wants to be a songwriter; she wants to take other people’s experiences and turn them into poetic lyrics.

She wants people to use music in order to bond over shared experiences and feel a little less lonely in this world.

Besides striving to become a songwriter, Brisa also wants to create cultural hubs and spaces for people of color. She wants art and politics, and social justice to collide. She wants a safe space for POC creatives to express themselves and fight human rights. She wants a space for POC because there aren’t many where we can safely and simply exist.

“So I guess pain inspires me.

Yeah, pain inspires me.”

Photographer & Creative Director: Isiah Jones Set Design by Ayanna Arms, Lead Designer For Natalie Blooms Production Manager: Dauché Bates Hair Coloring: Skylar De Long Co-Creative Director, Makeup & Styling: Brisa Lauren

A Creative Community with virgen!

Written by: Editorial Team Who is Virgen?

I

like to consider myself a Creative and Visual Storytelling guidance counselor. I have over 10 years of experience in the Graphic and Web design space and more recently

as a Creative Director and Community Organizer for Come Through Media, LLC. I’ve helped businesses, artists, and startups craft visual brands and experiences to engage and cultivate community on and off the world wide web.

What is your ethnic background?

Cuban What does being Afro-Latina mean to you? How do cultures blend with you?

Being an Afro-Latina, specifically an Afro-Cuban, means that I benefit from a culture that truly celebrates it’s ancestral ties to West African cultural practices. I have a deep sense of pride to be part of a lineage that represents such a vibrant, lively, and uniquely spiritual community.

The way that cultures blend is highly visible in our foods, music and religious practices. You see direct ties to Spanish dishes, punchy colors and flamboyant flare in art and West African drumming influences in our music and folkloric dances.

Being Afro-Latina, do you ever feel a disconnect with either culture or do you always feel like you belong?

I’ve grown to relish in the ways that I don’t necessarily belong to either “side”. It afforded me a very expansive perspective on the Black experience as a Black woman in the United States.There are definitely times when I feel left out of certain narratives on both sides, Latinx and Black, but I’m more concerned with inclusion rather than a sense of belonging. We’re not all the same and that is ok. It’s important for me that that’s recognized and that our communities find ways to be in solidarity with each other.

Tell us a bit about Come Through Cre-

What are some struggles you have expe-

When you are not working at Come Through,

ative. How did it start and where do you

rienced as a POC professional and how

what are you doing? Do you have any hobbies?

hope for it to go?

have you overcomed or worked through

It started as a means to gather and work

them?

I have two children who keep me pretty busy.

I have a deep love for art and other forms of

collaboratively with non-white Creatives

I struggled with being tokenized and

storytelling, like music, reading, films and food!

and Community Organizers. We were

being underestimated in leadership roles.

I’m generally enjoying a mix of those things

collectively unimpressed by the ways in

Oftentimes, my ideas or contributions to

outside of working and spending time with my

which certain media channels inauthenti-

projects or teams were perceived as sup-

family or friends. In the last year I’ve really en-

cally represented our cultural experiences

portive but not leading, whereas others

joyed listening to and collecting vinyl records.

and wanted to have our own platform for

contributing excited to take advantage of

telling our stories.

them. or saying less were celebrated and

What is in the future for Virgen? Do you have

We hope for it to continue to grow into a

offered other growth opportunities. Over

any goals you want to accomplish?

resource hub for creating authentic cultur-

time, and with the support of mentors, I

My future will always be full of fun projects

al stories through design, film and other

became more confident in my ideas, in

and ideas I want to see made into real life ex-

digital media made by our respective com-

taking up space, and creating my own

periences. Ultimately, the goal is always to find

munity members. This Fall we’ll be launch-

metrics for validation. When I understood

ways to streamline abundance. Health, well-

ing an “invite-only” stock media platform

the value in my voice, opportunities for

ness and financial abundance for myself, com-

for sourcing BIPOC images.

growth seemed more accessible and I felt

munity, and especially my children.

more excited to take advantage of them.

You created Come Through as a safe place for POC professionals and creatives. Do you have any advice for POC professionals on creating their own safe space or supportive community?

Lean into collaboration and be a good listener. Always listen and be open to feedback so you can be flexible and grow or slow where and when you need to.

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Come Through Creative

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A Tale of Two Siblings

“We know who we are it’s just that identifying as Afro-Latino doesn’t suit us” Written By: Michael Cox

T

he age old question that constantly comes up is if it’s nature versus nurture in the development of children growing up in the same household.

It’s a multifaceted question andsubject when you add extra layers of race and identity. For the dynamic brother and sister duoMichael and Bianca it proves to show that nurture (environment) was the biggest factor in their own acceptance of identifying as African American, Black, Afro-Latino, or AfroMexican. Otherlife experiences also influenced them from issues of colorism to language barriers, which ultimately demonstrates how the intersectionality of race and identity is unique for each individual like a snowflake, no one is ever alike.

“It’s difficult when both sides of the family has stereotypes that we don’t fit in”

“Because I couldn’t speak the language I never felt connected to my Mexican side and I always wanted to”

Mike and Bianca grew up in a household with an African American father and Mexican American mother. “Our mother never wanted to force us to learn spanish because she wanted us to focus on english,” said Mike. This eventually led Mike to feeling that he couldn’t connect with his Mexican side of the family because at family gatherings they would speak in Spanish, which caused him to feel left out. Biance on the other hand actually sought out to learn Spanish so she could connect with her other heritage. “ I embraced my Mexican heritage by learning the language because I actually faced a lot of colorism challenges from the black community being more fair skinned,” said Bianca as she spoke about experiences being shunned and even to the degree of bullying Beyond race and identity issues they also had to deal with both sides of the family projected unwarranted stereotypes on them. “ You don’t understand how it feels when your Mexican side uses negative Black stereotypes against and vice versa for our Black side, “ said Bianca. This common recurring experience made them feel even more isolated and not having a place. “ This was typical for us growing up so we formed friendship with a more eccentric group of individuals that made us feel more accepted,” said Mike. This was a common thread they both had when it came to why they ultimately had to create their own space for acceptance because the current ones weren’t healthy for them. These struggles did teach them that ultimately they had control over how they identified themselves and who they aligned themselves with..

Until recently this year they never heard of the term Afro-Latino, they just considered themselves half black and half mexican. “ I actually like that we have this term to use because we embrace both sides of our culture to the best of our ability, “ said Bianca.

Mike keeps up with news in Mexican and as a new father he wants his child to also know Spanish growing up. Because of this sense of pride and love for Mexican culture equally with that for Black culture, they actually like to say Afro-Mexican. “ Yes I will say I’m black if you ask me because I’ve been taught that, but I will with pride say Afro-Mexican when I get the opportunity,” said Mike. Though they racially identify as Black when it comes to them socially and culturally they will tell you proudly they are “Afro-Latino.”

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Creating Safe Spaces in the Food World for All with Casandra Rosario Written by: Margaret White

“Food Before Love is more than just your average food blog. It’s an experience, a guide, and a tool. Food Before Love is all about creating safe places and accessibility in the dining experience to you.”

C

asandra Rosario founded Food Before Love in 2012 because she found that the food industry lacked representation and spaces for people who look like her: an Afro Latina, Puerto Rican to be more precise, that grew up in Spanish Harlem. At the time of Food Before Love’s founding, Casandra was working at JP Morgan — not exactly her dream job. She had finished her hospitality degree a year before and always thought she would own a restuarant. Her job at JP Morgan wasn’t exactly fulfilling to her — not when she missed food.

At first, Casandra considered a TV show — a cooking show that would break the monolith of black southern cooking. While the show may not have happened, Casandra started blogging about the places she ate in New York. She had already eaten at a lot of places and had a lot of pictures. Her blog took off and Food Before Love became a barrier-breaking dining guide.

Fine dining and food events strategically and purposefully leave people out. When she would attend these events she would ask herself questions like: “are these companies being intentional about inviting people like me, that look like me, that have similar backgrounds.”

She recognized a classist element to these events that allowed them to exclude people of color. Not only were these events not marketed towards people of color, but they tended to not be affordable for them either.

And even if you were able to find an event and buy a ticket, you might not have felt safe and welcomed in that space due to a lack of knowledge.

Food Before Love doesn’t “[price] out their audience” like others tend to do. They host events that are affordable, sometimes even free, so that all can enjoy. They also work on educating people on the nuances of the food industry so that when they do find an event they can participate and carve out their own safe space.

There aren’t many spaces for people like us in the fine dining experience. Casandra Rosario is not only creating those spaces, she’s also equipping us with the tools to navigate the dining experience.

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September Issue 2021

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Slow Down for Healing

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LOLA

SLOW DOWN FOR HEALING

Written: DaVonne Evans

AFRO-LATINO FREELANCE MODEL, CERTIFIED MASSAGE THERAPIST, AND REIKI PRACTITIONER, PAOLA “LOLA” PUJOLS KNOWS THE POWER AND FREEDOM OF LIVING OUT LOUD. SHE UNDERSTANDS HOW BEING BOOKED, BUSY, AND BLESSED IS THE MISSION OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. HOWEVER, LOLA ALSO UNDERSTANDS THE DAMAGE THAT BURNOUT CAN CAUSE THE BODY AND MIND, WHICH IS WHY SHE ADVOCATES SLOWING DOWN AND HEALING.

S

pend some time with entrepreneurs and what you’ll likely hear on repeat are goals of being booked and busy.

They want endless emails, phone calls, and text messages requesting their services. But the sad and often toxic reality is that we live in a society where technology and the pace of living have caused many lifestyles of overstimulation.

The vicious cycle has created generations of people who don’t have proper coping mechanisms. Lola sat down with Black SD Magazine to discuss how she uses her intuitive nature and training to teach people to slow down for healing.

Tell me about your experience growing up AfroLatino?

Growing up in the Bronx, New York, there was a rich culture of Dominican pride. We didn’t get into the background of the differences between us. I left New York at 17 and went to Washington, which was a time of self-discovery and reflection. That is when I experienced culture shock and questioned society. I saw discrimination and racism first hand. In 2012 I moved to California, and again, there was a culture shock. Unlike Washington, California was different because there was such a variety of nationalities represented, but there was also a lot of microaggression and classism.

Was it challenging to get modeling jobs as AfroLatino?

Work for anyone in the modeling industry, the challenges they face mostly depend on the brand’s look. As an Afro-Latino model, that equates to how racially ambiguous they want to be. We represent a broad range of colors, so naturally, we encounter brands that don’t find our beauty in line with the direction they are looking to go in.

What is the difference between massage therapy and Reiki?

Massage therapy is hands-on. It is where I use my limbs to manipulate my client’s joints, muscles, and soft tissue. It gets used to relieve stress and aids in soothing pain. Reiki is more about energy, and although also for pain relief, reducing stress and tension, the goal is pure relaxation for my clients.

How did you get into the practice of Reiki?

I always knew that I would do something involving healing and service to others. Nursing was a childhood dream, but I didn’t want all that schooling. Holistic healing and Reiki came naturally to me. I approach customers positively, whole-heartedly, and with the passion for giving them exactly what they need.

Sometimes that means a combination of a massage and Reiki.

What do you want people to know about healing and Reiki?

I want Black and Brown people to understand that we cannot continue to let the generational issues that have plagued us damage our hearts and souls. We can work through them for restoration, healing, and recalibration. We deserve it and must stop allowing ourselves to feel off, but to push through because we project that energy onto others and, sadly, the next generation. We need to know it is OK to slow down, heal, and seek peace. Reiki offers that - it helps unlock the flow of energy for mental clarity and physical healing.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years, I want to be in Costa Rica, hosting spa retreats, making an impact on how people relax. It sounds simple, but we need to learn how to slow down and relax for healing. I want to teach different coping mechanisms for our overly stimulated society, as well as how people can refocus by clearing their minds to create and enjoy the life that they desire.

Paola “Lola” Pujols can be found at: https:// lolaxheals-living-openly-loving-always. business.site/, Instagram: https://www. instagram.com/lolaxheals/?hl=en, and https://www.instagram.com/lolaxlachiva/?hl=en.

DaVonne Evans is a writer and entrepreneur based in Maryland.

FAVELA BONITA: A LITTLE TASTE OF BRAZILLIAN HEAVEn Written By: Gloria Peebles

S

uellen Drummond is no stranger to hard times. Raised in the favelas, slums on the outskirts of a large city, in Brazil, she always dreamed of having her own bakery one day. She was quickly introduced to the culinary industry after moving to the United States by observing her parents as they worked in local Boston restaurants.

When the opportunity came for her to further explore her passion through culinary classes in high school, she quickly accepted the challenge. She competed in the 2009 Future Chefs competition and was granted a full scholarship to the New England Culinary Institute. Following her graduation, she completed an internship at one of Chef Barbara Lynch’s establishments in Boston before traveling throughout Brazil to study Brazilian cuisine.

In October of 2020, she opened an online store named “Favela Bonita”, inspired by the beauty and resilience of Brazilian Favelas, their people, and their culture. Suellen feels very privileged to have the opportunity to share her experience of living in the United States and Brazil as she reflects on how life was not easy for her. “When people see the favelas, they see only the ugliness,” she says.

“Favela Bonita is an online chocolate shop and micro-bakery located in San Diego, California. .”

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This was one of the reasons Suellen started her online store - to show people the beauty of the slums. Suellen states, “I only saw the beauty of living in the slums while other people were looking at the houses stacked on top of each other, the dirty streets, and trying to stay far away from the city. I saw the beauty of the peoples’ hearts and the love they showed to each other. I felt safe there.” It was home for her. She remembers watching her grandmother cook in the kitchen when she was a child and the smell of chocolates and jams coming out of a kitchen filled with love.

Today, Suellen specializes in handcrafted “Brigadeiros” which is a small bite-size creamy, sweet chocolate confection that comes in four flavors: Bonita, a bittersweet milk chocolate; Odete, which is Doce de Leite and toasted coconut; Madam Harris, which consists of dark chocolate, rose, and pistachios; and last but not least is Margie, consisting of smoked bittersweet chocolate, makers whiskey, and cocoa nibs. She also sells assorted jams and cakes. I suggest you go online and place an order at www.favelabonita.com and have a taste of Brazilian heaven.

Success with Founders First Capital Partners “Being gay, I felt that I had to keep it from people. I was afraid of not being successful or work not coming

to me because of being gay. I even kept it from my own employees until six to seven years into starting my company. Having your own company and not being able to be honest about that to your own employees was a huge thing for me. And it was based in fear, fear of being looked at differently, fear of being judged. It

was my responsibility to have the company succeed. And the last thing I wanted was something like that to prevent the company from succeeding. So, for a while, I thought that the best way was just to hide being gay. That's how I justified it in my head. Now, it's amazing how much has changed in the last five years.

It's night and day from when I was growing up.

“I’m female, Hispanic, and gay. I didn't want to be judged for those things and not myself. It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized I have the power to uplift and help others through what I went through. And it's my obligation to tell my story and speak up so that others can benefit from what I went through and learn from that.

“I was working in the industry of home entertainment and then, the Blu-ray format was coming around in 2005 and that was replacing DVD. I saw an opportunity for a blue ocean strategy; there weren’t any quality control companies that focused on Blu-ray technology. And so I decided to leave my job at Panasonic where I was

overseeing production and my bosses tried to get me to stay. I remember going into my boss's office and I

said, ‘if I don't do this, I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life.’ I did not want to be that person looking back saying, ‘what if, what if, what if.’ So I decided to leave Panasonic and I started my own business.

“We were profitable since year one, that was 14 years ago. I owned a hundred percent of the company until December 31st of last year, when we closed our Series A round. I still own a majority share of the company; we have two

major investors and we're in growth mode right now. As the times change and consumers are consuming content in different ways, we are changing with them.

“I’ve grown a lot through the Founders First FastPath Program, and I

actually won the Founders First pitch competition. Sometimes as a business owner, you just push important things aside because you're dealing with daily fires. The Founders First programs allowed me to focus on my

business again. I ended up using the pitch deck I created for Founders First to get two investments in the following five months.”

To Learn more about Founders First Capital Partners and their programs please visit www.foundersfirstcapitalpartners.com

Paulette Pantoja, founder of Blu Digital Group: #1839 on the Inc. 5000 2021, Burbank

THE UNTOLD AFRO-LATINX HISTORY OF MEXICO It is no secret that Mexico has a complicated history between the Indigenous and Spaniards, but it is not common knowledge that Afro-Mexicans are included. As a matter of fact, many African descendants still reside throughout Mexico. The Mexican government only acknowledged them as recently as 2015, and they were puzzled at the results (qtd. in Gaitors). The surprise surrounding the census results reflects the narrative that is being ignored. There is even an annual carnival that takes place in Coyolillo, a town in the state of Veracruz (Qtd. in Reed). Although they embrace their lineage, anti-Blackness can still be a problem for them in a predominantly mestizo country, where light skin is highly favored. Because of this, celebrating their identities is all the more important. Since anti-Blackness has been rampant in Latinx communities for centuries, it is likely that due to self-erasure, as well as denial, that the census count may actually be higher than recorded.

Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña was born to an Afro-Mexican father and an Indigenous Mexican mother on August 9, 1783. They lived a humble and rural life in Tixtla, now known as the state of Guerrero in Mexico (Qtd. in Rivera). Guerrero crossed paths with José Maria Morelos y Paron, who happened to be involved in the rebellion against Spanish rule. Guerrero joined the military in 1810, then Morelos was executed and Guerrero would step up as the new Commander in Chief. (qtd. in “Vicente Guerrero”).

Many victories later, on April 1, 1829, Guerrero became the second president of Mexico, later abolishing slavery on September 16, 1829. Sadly, he was executed not long after. (Qtd. in Rivera). Although it may not be talked about much, it is without a doubt that Guerrero met some resistance when he gave rights to Indigenous Mexicans and abolished slavery, given economic benefits from exploiting these groups. As a result of the abolishment of slavery, “countless African Americans in the southern U.S. took advantage of this new law and participated in the southern route of the Underground Railroad fleeing to their neighbor, Mexico...” (Qtd. in Gaitors). For marginalized groups, it is important to do individual research on their own, because the government or institutions will only tell a biased version of history. Those biased narratives are harmful because they enable anti-Blackness and xenophobia to be normalized.

Today in Latin America, ironically, there is xenophobia surrounding not only South American immigrants, but especially Haitian immigrants. This behavior can range from border patrols lassoing Haitian immigrants to casually racist and/or colorist jokes about a family member's tan or skin tone. Although the relatives or friends might not mean any harm, the jokes and policies all stem from the same xenophobia that harms other immigrants physically, separates families, and confines children to cages. With that mindset, this issue can not or ever begin to be resolved. This Latinx Heritage month, we do not need to just celebrate, but we need to contemplate how we behave and think like the oppressors and begin to put an end to this vicious cycle of internalized racism.

Sources Gaitors, Beau D.J. “Afro-Mexicans: Illuminating the Invisible from Past to Present, School of Liberal Arts at Tulane University.” School of Liberal Arts at Tulane University, Tulane University, School of Liberal Arts, 15 June 2021, liberalarts.tulane.edu/newsletter/afro-mexicans.

NA. “Vicente Guerrero.” History and Biography, 28 May 2020, history-biography.com/vicente-guerrero/.

Reed, Rachel, director. Coyolillo’s Carnival Is a Celebration of Afro-Mexican Culture. YouTube, Atlasobscura, 8 May 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOdzYNrLu14.

Rivera, Alicia. “Vicente Guerrero (1783-1831) •.” Black Past, 9 Sept. 2019, www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/guerrero-vicente-17831831/.

Written By: Adilene Deldago

LATIN FOODS INSPIRED BY AFRICA The Transatlantic Slave Trade has left an indelible blight upon the continent of Africa. In a testament to the tenacity of the people enslaved however, their spirit lives on in the culture of the places they were taken too. This shows up in the music, religion, and especially in the food of Latin America today.

Archeologists believe that the plantain was first domesticated in the Kuk Valley of New Guinea during 8,000 BCE. From Kuk Valley, the plantain traveled to the Philippines and the tropics. Asian traders likely introduced the plantain to Madagascar in 1000 BCE. From Madagascar, the plantain traveled to mainland Africa and became a staple among West and Central Africa. The Plantain then traveled from Africa to Brazil and the rest of Latin America via the slave trade.

Plantains were kept as provisions for enslaved Africans on ships and plantations. Plantains required little labor from the slaves who worked the sugarcane farms. Plantains also were a good source of calories.

This meant the enslaved population could sustain themselves off of the plantains.

You can now find plantain is not only African dishes, but also Central and South American cuisine.

Plantains are very versatile and can be prepared as sweet or savory. Green plantains are great for a savory dish or frying. Yellow and black plantains are perfect for softer and sweeter dishes.

SANCHOCO, TACU TACU, MORE....

PLANTAINS

TACU TACU

COUNTRIY: PERU

HISTORY OF TACU TACU Tacu Tacu is a Peruvian dish created by Afro-descended women. It is essentially a mix of fried leftover rice, canary beans, and lard, cooked into a paddy and served with either salsa or as a side to another dish. The name of the dish is taken from the indigenous Quechua word, taku, which means mixed.

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil ⅓ cup of chopped red onion 3 minced garlic cloves 1 tablespoon of chopped aji amarillo ½ teaspoon of dried oregano 2 cups of lima beans 1 cup of cooked white rice

Instructions 1 Heat oil in a pan. Add onion, garlic, aji amarillo, and dried oregano to the pan. Cook until onions are translucent.

2 Add in beans and mash them in with a spoon or potato masher. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3 Fold the cooked rice into the mixture. Use spatula to press down and compact the rice and bean mixture into a cake that covers the surface of the skillet.

4 Reduce heat and cover the skillet with a lid.

The tacu tacu will be ready when the underside is golden brown.

MONDONGO

COUNTRIES: THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND PUERTO RICO

HISTORY OF MONDONGO Mondongo is a soup dish with different regional variations depending on the ingredients available. It is made from diced tripe, the stomach lining of either a pig or a cow, slow cooked with vegetables and served over rice or plantains.

Like the other dishes listed, Mondongo shows the ingenuity of the enslaved Africans using whatever food materials were available to them, in this case pig intestine, and mixing it with the local ingredients to create a delicious cuisine.

Ingredients 2 ½ pounds beef tripe Juice of 2 limes plus more for serving 1 ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 small onion, cubed 5 cloves of garlic, minced ½ medium bell pepper, cubed ⅓ cup tomato sauce 1 oz pack sazon with culantro and achiote ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 carrot sliced 1 medium potato, cubed 5 cups of water 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon fresh scallion, sliced

Instructions: 1 In a large pot over medium heat, boil the tripe covered with water, lime juice, salt and pepper until tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

2 Remove the tripe from the pot and cut into cubes.

3 In a large pot, heat the oil and add onion and garlic. Let cook until onions cook through and become translucent.

4 Add the pepper, tomato sauce, sazon and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and let cook for about 1 minute.

5 Add carrots, potatoes, and tripe.

Stir once more and let cook for about 1 minute.

6 Add water and stir. Cover and let cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots and potatoes become tender.

7 Add cilantro and scallions. Season with salt to taste.

Serve warm with white rice, hot sauce, and lime on the side.

MOFONGO

COUNTRIES: PUERTO RICO, CUBA, AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

HISTORY OF MOFONGO Another popular dish involving plantains is Mofongo, from the island of Puerto Rico. Like the Puerto Ricans themselves, this dish is a mix of the African, Spanish and Taíno influences that create Boricua identity of the island.

Mofongo is tight ball of fried plantains usually served with a soup of some sort, with the Mofongo acting as a sponge to absorb the liquid.

Ingredients: 3 Green Plantains ¼ cup pork rinds 3 garlic cloves 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

Instructions: 1 Peel plaintains and cut them into inch pieces.

2 Deep fry the pieces of plantain until they are tender and easily pierced through by a fork. Once fried, remove them from oil and dab off excess oil with paper towel 3 Peel and mash the garlic into a paste.

4 While the plantains are still hot, use a pestle to pound the plantains with the garlic paste, pork rinds, and olive oil.

Pound the mixture until the plantains are mashed and the ingredients are well combined. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can use a food processor.

5. Form the mixture into balls or half domes and serve.

MANGÚ

COUNTRY: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

HISTORY OF MANGÚ Mangú, translated as Mashed Plantains are a popular breakfast dish in the Dominican Republic. The plantains necessary for the dish arrived by way of the Canary Islands about a decade after the first Africans were brought to the island. Plantains were already a staple crop in West Africa as part of dishes like Fufu and Matoke and the tradition survived the Middle Passage in dishes like Mangú.

Ingredients: 4 green plantains 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup of reserved water from the pot Salt Instructions: 1. Peel the plantains and cut them into half inch thick pieces.

2. Boil in salted water for approximately 20 minutes or until pieces are easily pierced by a fork.

3. Reserve 1 cup of salted water from the pot. Drain the remaining water.

4. In a large bowl, mash the plantains with the butter. Add the 1 cup salted water in increments. Mash to desired consistency.

Season with salt.

FEJIODA

COUNTRIES: BRAZIL, ANGOLA, MOZAMBIQUE, AND CAPE VERDE

HISTORY OF FEJIODA Feijoada is a traditional Brazilian dish with many different regional variations. It is essentially a black bean stew served with either pork or fish over rice. The dish was created by enslaved Africans in Brazil, who would take the leftovers from feasts held by their enslavers and mix it with black beans and rice to create a meal. In a testament to this history all parts of the animal are used in preparation, including pig ears and feet.

Ingredients 8 oz dried black beans 2 pounds boneless trimmed pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes 1 ½ pounds of bone in beef short ribs 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled 1 ¼ cup diced onion 4 minced garlic cloves 1 bay leaf 1 ½ cup of chicken broth 1 cup of water ½ cup of beef broth 8oz smoked sausage, cut into inch pieces Orange sections to garnish

Instructions: 1 Sort, Rinse, and Soak beans according to package 2. Place pork shoulder, beef short ribs, and bacon in a 6qt slow cooker.

3. Add in onion, garlic, and bay leaf.

Pour in chicken broth, beef broth, and water. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cover and cook on high for two hours.

5. Stir in beans and sausage. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

6. Remove short rib from the slow cooker. Remove the meat from the bone and shred the meat. Add meat back to slowcooker.

7. Serve with rice and garnish with orange.

SANCHOCO

COUNTRIES: COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, PANAMA, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, AND PUERTO RICO

HISTORY OF SANCHOCO Another dish from the island of Puerto Rico, Sancocho is a stew with a few different regional variations. It typically involves either beef or pork, cooked with plantains and vegetables, to create a broth. This broth is served over rice, with a side of tostones (fried plantains) or bread.

Ingredients: 1lbs beef chuck or flank chopped into inch cubes 1lbs goat meet chopped into inch cubes 1lbs of pork belly or chump chopped into inch cubes 2 limes, juiced 2 teaspoons of chopped cilantro 1 teaspoons oregano 3 crushed garlic cloves 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons oil 1lbs chicken, chopped into inch cubes 1lb pork ribs cut into inch cubes 1lb pork sausage cut into inch pieces 2 corn cobs cut into ½ inch slices ½ lbs west indian pumpkin 2 green plantains, peeled and cut into inch pieces 1 green plantain grated ½ lb yams cut into pieces ½ lb malanga cut into pieces ½ lb cassava cut into pieces

Instructions: 1 Marinate beef, pork, and goat meat with lime juice, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and salt. Marinate for at least an hour.

2 In a large pot, heat oil over high heat. Add in seasoned meat and cook until browned.

3 Add remaining meat and corn. Stir occasionally.

4 Lower heat to medium. Pour in 8 cups of water. Simmer until it begins to boil.

5 When water begins to boil, add in remaining vegetables.

6 Cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked through and broth has thickened.

Dinner with Chef German

I

had the amazing opportunity to have an informal interview with Chef Nelson German while he was filming in Los Angeles for a major network. Though the setting was casual, the conversation was multi-layered as I spoke with him about his Dominican-American upbringing in Washington Heights, New York. For those of you who aren’t familiar with that neighborhood, it has one of the largest Dominican communities in the US that dates back to the 1960s. Roughly 74% of the Latino population who reside in the neighborhood identifies as Dominican and they are proud of their heritage.

“This is why the stereotype that darker skinned Dominicans don’t accept their African ancestry needs to stop,” said Chef German. They just aren’t taught to proclaim it with pride like African Americans. Chef German also said, “We know we are and we don’t deny it and that is something people need to understand.” This is a problem with stereotypes that aren’t fully understood.

“I mean when this is all you are taught how else do you expect them to think different”

Because Washington Heights has an enormous population of Dominicans, Chef German wasn’t exposed to much culture outside of it. It wasn’t until he moved to the Bay Area, where his wife May German is originally from.

Chef German stated, “Mike, there is so much black culture and history in the Bay Area, you don’t understand.”

This pride is one sided as I learned from Chef German.

“We are taught early on to identify as Dominican or Latino, but not Afro-Latino,” said Chef German when I asked him if he always identifies as Afro-Latino. He said this is something well known to be an issue in many Latin American countries. Because of colonialism, people are taught that identifying as something other than African in origin represents something high in class. He doesn’t agree with this idea, but, being raised in a complete Dominican household, he understands.

“Now it wasn’t until I got to the Bay until I knew what the culture was”

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N

ow coming from a New York native, you know that was surprising to me.

It was the sense of community and pride in blackness for him. He experienced the best parts of the black community and fell in love with it. The things he experienced aligned with his own values that he grew up with such as family, community, and assisting your fellow person. “I put in my work to get to where I am from the bottom to the top, but the Bay Area helped me grow,” Chef German stated. It was also the diversity in the Bay Area outside of just his black experience. “I mean you just have everyone there from Samoans to Tongans which is completely opposite to my upbringing that was purely Dominican,” said Chef German as he smiled and spoke highly of his affinity for the Bay Area.

“I want to give back as much as I can” Nearing the end of our dinner conversation Chef German mentioned why he likes to give back and support causes: “It is because that’s what I’m taught and what I know to be the way for us to create change for the next generation.”

Though he has been on television and is the owner of two restaurants, he wants to make sure he is a role model and example for people. “It’s amazing how much you can inspire others when you are giving back and they see someone who looks like them or has the same upbringing,” said Chef German. One thing I will say, he is very intentional in making sure he continues to give back. It’s probably on his calendar as a monthly reminder to give back. That is how serious he is about it.

Dominican Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado) Courtesy of Chef Nelson German, (Chef/owner alaMar and Sobre Mesa)

Main Ingredients: 8 chicken thigh meat (Boneless & skin on preferred) 1/2 cup soy sauce, Maggi or Tamari (Use tamari to keep it gluten free) 3 pints chicken stock/ broth (vegetable stock is okay) 1 cup chopped garlic 3 small red onion (sliced) 4 Tablespoon ground cumin

Dominican style Sofrito Ingredients: 1 bunch cilantro (use leaves and stem) 12 cloves garlic 1 Red Onion (chopped) 1 green bell pepper (chopped) 2 Tablespoons kosher salt 1 Tablespoon crushed black pepper 1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Add all ingredients in a food processor and blend until mix is smooth.

3 Tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika 10 green olives chopped 3/4 cup tomato paste 3/4 cup sofrito (recipe below) 2 oranges (zest & juice) 1/2 cup canola oil 1/4 stick butter

Main Preparation: 1. Combine sofrito ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend well. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the sofrito for marinating the chicken thighs and set the last half cup aside.

5. Add the cumin, smoked paprika & lemon pepper and stock. Bring liquid to a boil and add tomato paste then sofrito, stir both well until dissolved. Add orange zest plus the juice then the olives.

2. In a large ziplock bag, place the quartered chicken and sofrito. Marinate for 3 hours or 6. Lower the heat to low and cover with lid (if overnight. there is no lid for pan then use aluminum foil).

Braise chicken for 90 minutes or until prefer3. Preheat a medium aluminum or stainless ence of tenderness. steel pan with ¼ cup oil for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. This will allow pan to heat 7. Make some rice and pan fry some delicious up evenly so the chicken will not stick to pan. sweet yellow plantains. Plate your rice, planAdd the chicken pieces and cook for 2 minutes tains & some of your favorite greens or cabbage until golden brown then turn. (chopped cabbage with your favorite dressing) like mom use to make. Plate the chicken on top 4. Lower the heat to low then add the onions of rice without sauce. Then add butter to sauce and garlic to the pan. Sweat down the onion and stir until dissolved. and garlic until soft. Now turn up the heat to high and deglaze with the soy, tamari or maggi, 8. Add your delicious sauce on the chicken and turn chicken twice so it can absorb the season- enjoy! ing.

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