BLACK PRIDE
LATIN AMERICA NEEDS ITS OWN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT SAYS
THE WORLD-FAMOUS RAPPER
By TEGO CALDERON

February 15, 2007 -- Just this morning, I was
listening to radio host Luisito Vigeroux talking about
a movie project that I am working on which co-stars
Mayra Santos Febres and he was saying, "Her? She's
starring in it?"

Questioning her Black beauty.

I remember, too, when Celia Cruz died, a newscaster,
thinking she was being smart, said Celia Cruz wasn't
black, she was Cuban. She was pretty even though she's
black.

As if there is something wrong with being black, like
the two things can't exist simultaneously and be a
majestic thing. There is ignorance and stupidity in
Puerto Rico and Latin America when it comes to
blackness.

In Puerto Rico, Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" was only shown
in one theater and unlike all the other movies shown
here, there were no subtitles. It's as if they don't
want the masses to learn.

But it's not just here - in Puerto Rico - where I
experience racism. When I lived in Miami, I was often
treated like a second class Boricua. I felt like I was
in the middle - Latino kids did not embrace me and
African American kids were confused because here I was
a black boy who spoke Spanish. But after a while, I
felt more embraced by black Americans - as a brother
who happens to speak Spanish - than other Latino kids
did.

Because I am well known, sometimes I forget the racist
ways of the world. But then I travel to places where
no one knows Tego Calderón I am reminded.

For instance, when I travel first class, the
stewardess will say, "Sir, this is first class," and
ask to see ticket. I take my time, put my bags in the
overhead, sit, and gingerly give them my ticket,
smiling at them. I try not to get stressed anymore,
let them stress themselves.

And the thing is that many white Puerto Ricans and
Latinos don't get it. They are immune to the subtle
ways in which we are demeaned, disrespected. They have
white privilege. And I've heard it said that we are on
the defensive about race.

Those things happen and it's not because of color,
Tego, but because of how you look, how you walk, what
you wear, what credit card you have. Then, they spend
a couple of days with me, sort of walk in my shoes,
and say "Damn negro, you are right."

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

Puerto Rican (and Latin American) blacks are confused
because we grow up side by side with non-blacks and we
are lulled into believing that things are the same.
But we are treated differently.

My parents always celebrated our history. My dad
always pointed things out to me. He even left the PIP
(Pro-Independence Party) because he always said that
los negros and our struggle was never acknowledged.

Maelo (Ismael Rivera) and Tite Curet did their part in
educating and calling out the issues. Today, I do my
part but I attack the subject of racism directly.

It makes me so happy to see Don Omar call himself el
negro and La Sister celebrate her blackness. Now it's
in fashion to be black and to be from Loiza. And that
is awesome, it makes me so happy. Even if they don't
give me credit for starting the pride movement, I know
what I did to get it out there.

Young black Latinos have to learn their story. We also
need to start our own media, and forums and
universities. We are treated like second class
citizens. They tell blacks in Latin America that we
are better off than U.S. blacks or Africans and that
we have it better here, but it's a false sense of
being. Because here, it's worse.

We are definitely treated like second class citizens
and we are not part of the government or institutions.
Take for instance, Jamaica - whites control a Black
country.

They have raised us to be ashamed of our blackness.
It's in the language too. Take the word denigrate -
denigrar - which is to be less than a negro.

In Puerto Rico you get used it and don't see it
everyday. It takes a visitor to point out that all the
dark skin sisters and brothers are in the service
industry.

It's hard in Puerto Rico. There was this Spaniard
woman in the elevator of the building where I lived
who asked me if I lived there. And poor thing - not
only is there one black brother living in the
penthouse, but also in the other, lives Tito Trinidad.
It gets interesting when we both have our tribes over.

Black Latinos are not respected in Latin America and
we will have to get it by defending our rights, much
like African Americans struggled in the U.S.

It's hard to find information about our people and
history but just like kids research the newest
Nintendo game or CD they have to take interest in
their story. Be hungry for it.

We need to educate people close to us. I do it one
person at a time when language is used and I am
offended by it. Sometimes you educate with tenderness,
as in the case of my wife, who is not black.

She's learned a lot and is offended when she sees
injustices. She gets it. Our children are mixed, but
they understand that they are black and what that
means. My wife has taught her parents, and siblings,
and they, in turn, educate the nephews and nieces.
That is how everyone learns.

This is not about rejecting whiteness rather; it's
about learning to love our blackness - to love
ourselves. We have to say basta ya, it's enough, and
find a way to love our blackness. They have confused
us - and taught us to hate each other - to self-hate
and create divisions on shades and features.

Remember that during slavery, they took the light
blacks to work the home, and left the dark ones to
work the fields. There is a lot residue of
self-hatred.

And each of us has to put a grain in the sand to make
it into a movement where we get respect, where we can
celebrate our blackness without shame.

It will be difficult but not impossible.

As told to Sandra Guzman


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Interesting that reggaton artist choose to "write" this. It could have been edited and structured better and improved overall. But I think I got the point..although I already knew it