After
watching the premiere showing of the film Garífuna in Peril, about black communitiesin Honduras as well as those in Belize, Guatemala, and Nicaragua losing their
land, it is a strong reminder of what black communities face here in the US. My
friend and fellow member of a 5000+-member black owned travel group, NomadnessTravel Tribe, is a community leader in San Francisco, California, whom I
invited to express her views regarding the challenges of black communities in the USA and in Central America.
Guest Post
by
Veronica (Shepard)
Tetteh-Quaye
Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to see a movie
titled Garífuna in Peril, about black
community in Honduras, as well as Beliz Guatemala, and Nicaragua, losing their
land to tourism. It was a remarkable
story of a teacher in Los Angeles and his journey to open a school in his home
in Honduras. Even though I was born and
raised in the Bayview Hunter’s Point, a historically black community in San
Francisco, California, this story touched on so many experiences my community
faced and faces each day. The story was funny, moving, historical and most of
all powerful. The similarities of trying
to retain a rich Garífuna culture and gentrification in the Bayview Hunters
Point struck a powerful cord in me. A
people (Garífuna & African American’s in the Bayview and elsewhere) whose
desire to be treated with respect and dignity resonated on the film and in my
heart as I watched each scene.
I personally could relate to the main character, Ricardo
whose desire is to teach his community the importance of knowing their history
and language. Not to lose their identity
or the rich customs that he grew up with in Honduras. It literally “Takes A Village” to grow, heal
and prosper and when we depart or assimilate to other ideologies our customs
become convoluted and lost. Watching
Ricardo’s brother Miguel being deceived to sell his land for $5000 as a huge resort
plans their own expansion is the same as watching residents today in my
community of Bayview Hunters Point seeing homes being built on a toxic old shipyard
site while developer’s try to get the
community to believe it’s for our best interest was disheartening. Listening to Ricardo’s son learn the
importance of speaking the Garíuna’s language and staying connected reminded me
of a summer program I just finished with youth in my own community as they were
amazed how connected all the families were when I grew up in the same community
over 50 years ago. I could see how
traditions have been lost in my community and the trade-off of school busing,
technology and displacement destroys a neighborhood that is not allowed access
in the global workplace. Now this same community is plagued with the highest
rates of violence, poverty, unemployment, and chronic illness than any other
neighborhood in San Francisco.
Even though this movie was based in a land 2,800 miles
away from San Francisco, I felt this same story could have been made in the Bayview
Hunters Point neighborhood with just different names and language. It is clear that black people universally
must both solve their own problems and structure a local, national and universal
plan of actions that put our priorities first and foremost. Self-empowerment is
the only road to economic justice. Knowing “Our
History” keep us connected as a people. Freedom is never Free, but we must
learn to stop hating ourselves because of our heritage and mobilize ourselves
to fight the inherited legacy of permanent poverty and powerlessness. We need
to be showing this in classrooms everywhere and teach our African America,
Latino, and other community members the richness of our heritage. I
recommend everyone of African descent to see this movie.
If you are in the Oakland, California area
you are invited to see a second showing of this film on Friday, September 17, 7:00 pm at East Side Cultural Center, 2277 International Blvd (23rd
Avenue).
Presented by Cine+Mas San Francisco Latino Film Festival
(415) 754-9580
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