Six million people in the United States identify as Afro Latino, according to Pew Research. In Greater Boston, the Afro-Latino population has doubled in the last 20 years according to information from Boston Indicators. Their influence is woven into the fabric of America, notably in music. You can hear that influence in the beats and rhythms of salsa, merengue, reggaetón and Latin jazz. However, Afro-Latino identity is complex, both within and outside of the group due to colorism.

A revision of the United States Census’ new standards for collecting data on race and ethnicity recently announced by the Office of Management and Budget with the goal of being more inclusive of the rise in the country’s growing diversity of people. Advocates are concerned and raised issues, saying the new standards will be exclusionary to Afro-Latinos and will not accurately reflect the experience of racism and disparities they encounter.

The panelists joining host, Phillip Martin:

José Massó III, host and producer of ¡Con Salsa! with Jose Masso on WBUR. His name is one of 69 inscribed on the 1965 Freedom Plaza that encircles the Embrace Boston sculpture. He was also the host of the GBH program, “La Plaza.”

Naheem Garcia is an actor and the founder of theater education program, NG Edutainment. He recently finished performing in, “August Wilson’s King Hedley II” at Hibernian Hall in Boston.

Dr. Petra R. Rivera-Rideau, Chair and Associate Professor of American Studies at Wellesley College. She the author of, “Remixing Reggaetón: The Cultural Politics of Race in Puerto Rico.”

Yvette Modestin, Founder/Director, Encuentro Diáspora Afro, a Boston organization to provide a space for Afro-Latinos and all people of African descent – exploring and embracing our complex and multiple socio-political identities across the US, and throughout the world. She is also a writer, activist, poet, abstract artist, storyteller and playwright, born and raised in Colon, Panama.

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