INTERSECTIONS OF IDENTITY AND MENTAL HEALTH IN AFRO-LATINO COMMUNITIES

Abstract

This study addresses a significant gap in the existing literature, examining the phenomenon of racial traversing among Afro-Latinx individuals in the United States, with a specific focus on self-perception and mental wellness. While finding validation within one's own cultural group can serve as a buffer against negative experiences and their impact on mental health, it does not entirely negate the broader societal dismissal of one's racial identity and its profound effects on self-perception and overall mental well-being. The Latinx community is a rich tapestry of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, where in Latin American nations, individuals primarily identify with their nationality, irrespective of race. In stark contrast, the U.S. employs labels that can create divisions, categorizing all Latinx individuals under broader terms like "Latinos," "brown people," or "Hispanics." This classification further fragments the group into sub-categories based on race, including the distinct classification of Afro-Latinx, encompassing individuals with African heritage originating from Latin American countries, as well as those with mixed African and mestizo ancestry. Here, mestizo refers to individuals with mixed Native American Indian and white European lineage.

In the United States, these identity markers not only serve as labels, but also function as tools of oppression, historically manifested through practices like slavery, segregation, and racialized policing. Such patterns of oppression are also evident in the experiences of Latinx individuals, manifesting in racial profiling, racialized policing, and mass deportations. Given that Afro-Latinx individuals in the U.S. hold connections, whether racial or cultural, to both groups, it is conceivable that they may share the burdens of oppression from both. Moreover, due to their intricate interplay of racial, ethnic, and cultural identities, they may also undergo a distinct form of oppression that is tailored to their multifaceted backgrounds.