Afro-Mexicans May Finally Get Recognition in the Mexican Constitution, But Many Say That’s Not Enough

Credit: Ebony Bailey for Remezcla

Several months ago, we reported on the critical fallout from the film La Negrada, which attempted to depict a storyline about Afro-Mexicans only to be accused by Afro-Mexican civil society of perpetuating the same stereotypes. At the time, we noted the film work of a young Afro-Mexican film maker named Ebony Bailey who presented a different narrative from within the community. In this article she shares the journey for recognition currently happening for Afro-Mexicans

“We are talking about 450 years of invisibilization.” With these words, Gina Diédhiou echoes the sentiments of many Afro-Mexicans in the Latin American country. And after centuries of erasure (and because of the work of this community), Mexico is taking its first step in recognizing its Black population. Earlier this week, the Senate unanimously voted to approve recognition of Afro-Mexicans in the national constitution. Although full approval is still pending – the lower house of Mexican Congress still needs to vote on it – the Senate’s action has made history.

Read more: https://remezcla.com/features/culture/afro-mexicans-constitution-recognition/

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