A Connection Between African and Mexican Races

Myra Prado, Staff Reporter

Myra_Prado@csumb.edu

Feb.28, 2008

Black Student Union (BSU) conducted,

“The 3rd Root Forum,” Wednesday Feb. 13

regarding the African third root in the history

of Mexico with a goal of informing students

about the close connection between Black

and Latino races.

Samira Perry from BSU spoke about a

need for mutual trust and an open dialogue

between Latino and Black students to build

alliances and appreciate one another. Perry

explained Mexico only recognizes two roots

in their history, European and indigenous,

but facts show the existence of a third

African root.

The forum began with a panel of professor

Amalia Mesa-Basins sharing her insight

about the third root. Mesa- Basins is the

director of the Visual and Performing Arts

department, and gave a brief history of

Casta paintings showing mix race families

from the 17 and 18 centuries in Mexico.

Dr. Umi Vaughan, assistant professor of

African Studies spoke about the combination

of African, Meztizo and European blood in

the indigenous people of Mexico. Dr Vaughan

said he at times has felt like an outsider with

Latinos in the U.S. but when in Mexico has

felt true connection with the people.

Professor Ruben Mendoza spoke of his

interest in wanting to know more about the

contributions to the Latino communitys.

Blacks, Latinos and Mexicans are more

genetically similar than different species

of penguins can be said Mendoza. He

referred to commonalities between cultures,

including indigenous food like Maize in

Mexico and Africa.

Sandra Pacheco, coordinator of

Introduction to Service Learning, shared a

personal experience about becoming aware of

the disconnection between Black and Latino

people. Pacheco grew up in Los Angeles

unaware of the prejudice until she fell in love

with her husband. When discussing their

relatioship her parents became outraged by

the interracial relationship.

Pacheco concluded her explanation by

posing questions to the audience. “What is

keeping us apart? We have the love, humanity

and the history so why do we continue to

deny each other?” she asked.

The forum ended with participants talking

about the idea of the third root and the dynamic

between Black and Latino people both on the

CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) campus and

in society. Kathleena Ramirez added to the

discussion and explained her experiences

with the relationship between Latinos and

African Americans in the U.S.

Ramirez and Mesa each expressed

the correlation of these cultures on the

CSUMB campus.