Women's History Month: BLACK LATIN AMERICA

Women's History Month is an annual declared month celebrated during March in the United States, corresponding with International Women's Day on March 8. However, on this blog, I will spend the month of March celebrating the black women I admire in Latin America. In March 2011, in my post Celebrating Latinas I celebrated the likes of the following:

Monica Carrillo of Perú, head of a black Peruvian civil rights organization Lundú.

Piedad Cordoba, Colombia's first black senator.

María Chinquiquirá, a slave women who won her freedom by outsmarting her slave master in an Ecuadorian courtroom.

Adelina Ballumbrosio, Perú, mother of the late great master of Afro-Peruvian music Amador Ballumbrosio.

Toña Negra, México, singer known for her interpretation of boleros, sones, and rumbas.

Victoria Santa Cruz, Perú, composer, choreographer and daughter of the greatest exponent of Afro-Peruvian culture Nicomedes Santa Cruz. 

Lucresia, Spain (by way of Cuba), singer who mixes of traditional Cuban music with, salsa, jazz, and boleros.

María Elena Moyano, Perú, community organizer and activist who courageously stood up in the face of death to protest violence and abuse against women.
 
 

My Interactions with Latin American Women

Above is Pieadad Cordoba, Colombia's first Black senator

Below id Cuban jazz singer Lucresia 

Being a single male, I always like the female energy around me, even if it is nothing more than a platonic friendship. In fact, throughout my life, an overwhelming majority of my closest friends have been females. As I interact with Spanish-speaking people through my work, social activities, and travel while using my Spanish, I get to meet many women. I generally find Latin American women, particularly those not born in the US, much friendlier and more approachable. Seldom do I encounter the paranoia and defensiveness that I encounter among so many US women, especially here in the Oakland, California area where I live. When I am speaking Spanish to monolingual Spanish-speakers, it is almost as if they consider me one of them, and they generally ask where I am from.

Although, I relate well to Latin American women of all colors, my greatest preference is for Afro-Latin Americans. I find it ironic, however, that it is usually the non-Black Latin Americans who show the most interest. I remember while in Mexico City, I was rushing to catch my next flight to Havana, and how a very attractive Mestizo women gave me the “the hottest” eye contact and smile I have seen in my entire life. Maybe she thought I was Denzel Washington—HA! Even on my Spanish-speaking Facebook account where all my friends are in Latin American countries, two Black women and four Mestizo women have been throwing cute lines at me, giving me the impression that they want more than just an online friendship. They could be attracted to me in particular or they could be attracted to the US and see me as a way in, or both; I do not know. What I do know is that when it comes to settling down, I would much more prefer to be with a woman who is already in the US (legally). My purpose for establishing a Spanish Facebook account in the first place was so I can have warm contacts in the event of my arrival in their respective countries. Latin American travel is a major hobby of mine right now.

While visiting Cuba, Ecuador, Perú, and Venezuela, I had good company and from sisters (Black women) who showed me around and went out of their way to make me feel at home. When I was in Venezuela, I found the women of all colors to be extremely warm and conversational. Almost every time I would smile at a woman she'd give me a warm, enthusiastic smile in return. My only problem with Venezolanas (Venezuelan women) is that had I stayed long enough, I would have defeated my whole purpose for being there. See my post Fond Memories of Venezuelan Women.

As in every Latin American country that I visit, my purpose is, 1) to improve my Spanish, 2) to explore and experience Black cultures, and 3) to have a fun and relaxing vacation. The folks I meet during my travels have become lifetime friends. You might ask, if I connect so well with Latin American women, why I am not married to one? The answer to that question is in another post: Why I’m Not With a Latina.

She Died in Her Struggle Against Violence and Abuse Against Women

María Elena Moyano

Perú

November 29^, 1958 – February 15, 1992

I commemoration of women's history month, María Elena certainly deserves to go down in history as a martyr who made her mark in this world. She was a community organizer and activist of Afro-Peruvian descent. Moyano was born in the Barranco district of Lima. Her activism began in her teens, as a member of the Movimiento de Jóvenes Pobladores (Young Population Movement), in a vast shantytown on the outskirts of the capital, largely populated by migrants from the interior of the country. At age 24, she was elected president of the Federación Popular de Mujeres de Villa El Salvador (Popular Federation of Women of El Salvador Village).

At this time, The terrorist group, Shining Path, was trying to consolidate its hold on the poorer neighborhoods of Lima. They were suspicious of all social organizations in Peru, such as the one led by María Moyano.The fear, and terror pushed impoverished women to speak up, and get involved in organized groups. The war between the Shining Path and the military affected women for most of them were raped excessively by the military group. Maria Elena went on to confront the Shining Path by calling them terrorist, and the Peruvian National Police accusing them of violence, and murder.

Maria Elena Moyano soon began to contemplate her death, as she had good reason since many women activists in Peru were murdered. Shining Path guerrillas assassinated Maria Elena Moyano on February 15, 1992 in front of her son: Gustavo and her husband David Pineki at a fund-raising meal for a group of women.

The assassination of Moyano was one of the last major atrocities carried out by Shining Path before their downfall. Moyano has been honored through a film after her death: Coraje (Courage). The film was written and directed by Alberto Durant. A country filled with violence, inequality and danger; Maria Elena Moyano proved to be a signal of hope when approximately 3,000,000 people accompanied her coffin.  a statue honoring Moyano was erected, and her autobiography was published.

Celebrating Latinas: Women's History Month

Monica Carrillo (Perú)
Multi-talented singer, educator, hip-hop artists, leader of the Peruvian civil rights organization, Lundú, serving as advocate for young Black youth.

 

Piedad Cordoba (Colombia)
Colombia's first Black senator has been a strong legislative advocate against discrimination based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. Córdoba evolved into one of the most notorious figures of the Latin American feminist movement in Colombia.

María Chinquiquirá (Ecuador) 

Enslaved in Guayaquil, Ecuador in the 1700’s and was the first slave in Ecuador to win her freedom. She was enslaved by Presbyter Afonso Cepeda de Arizcum Elizondo. Maria Chiquinquira “entered a legal battle” for her and her daughter’s freedom in May 1794 and changed the course of her history and for thousands of black women in Ecuador. 

Adelina Ballumbrosio (Perú)

This is the widow of the late, great godfather of Afro-Peruvian music and dance, Amador Ballumbrosio. It's with her family where I stay when I'm in Perú. She is like a mother to me and refers to me as hijo (son). My money is no good in her house as I also get two square meals per day.

 Dolores Huerta (California)

Co-founded the United Farm Workers Union with César Chávez. She (Mexican ancestry) worked to improve social and economic conditions for farm workers and to fight discrimination. To further her cause, she created the Agricultural Workers Association (AWA) in 1960.

 Sonia Sotomayor (New York)
The first Latina Supreme Court Justice (Puerto Rican ancestry) grew up in a South Bronx housing project, across the Harlem River from where I grew up.

Victoria Santa Cruz (Perú)

Composer, choreographer and daughter of the greatest exponent of Afro-Peruvian culture Nicomedes Santa Cruz.

Toña Negra (México)

Afro-Mexican singer known for her interpretation of boleros, sones, rumbas and songs. She also sang for the Sonora Matancera. The alley where she was born in the old barrio of "La Huaca" in the city of Veracruz, México, carries her name. After her death the municipality of Veracruz has erected a statue of Toña la Negra.

Lucila Campos (Perú)

One of the original members of the world's famous dance troupe, Perú Negro (Black Peru) also became a solo artist of Afro-Peruvian music. She is one of my favorite singers.

  

 

 

Lucresia (Spain)

 This Cuban born Jazz singer now living in Barcelona, Spain has included a mix of traditional Cuban music with, salsa, and boleros. She has recorded nine CDs and has had phenomenal success in Spain and throughout Europe,

 María Elena Moyano (Perú)

Community organizer and activist who was assassinated by the maoist Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) insurgent movement. She courageously stood up in the face of death to protest violence and abuse against women.

Strong, Gifted, Black Peruvian Woman

Mónica Carrillo Zegarra

With the month of March being Women's History Month, and with all of my trips  to Perú and explorations into Black Peruvian history and culture, I think of several women whom I admire and respect:

1. Adelina Ballumbrosio, wife of the late great Amador Ballumbrosio, the godfather of Afro-Peruvian music and dance who always gives me food and a place to stay every time I'm in Perú. 
2. Victoria Santa Cruz, composer, choreographer and daughter of the greatest exponent of Afro-Peruvian culture Nicomedes Santa Cruz.
3. Susana Baca, the internationally acclaimed singer of Afro-Peruvian music who is also Perú's Minister of Culture.

However, the woman I want to highlight will certainly go down in history as one of Perú's greatest civil rights leaders as her work, while still in her 30s, has given her international recognition. She is Monica “Oru” Carrillo, who has become a role model and an advocate working to empower Perú's Black community, particularly the young, and is striving for Perú's rich African heritage to be included as part of the Peruvian national identity. I first learned of Monica from watching the Documentary Series, Black in Latin America, which was aired on PBS. 

Oru, as she is also known, is the leader of Lundú. The name, Lundú, originates from a traditional African dance in the Kongo region of Western Africa, which means “successor.”  This organization helps young Afro-Peruvians overcome racism and sexism using the arts, advocacy, education, civic engagement, and economic and educational opportunities. It's outreach to black youth involves life skills, sexual education, black pride workshops, and empowerment against violence, abuse, forced sex, and unwanted pregnancies. I personally have a10-year-old goddaughter in Perú, and often try to  say and do things to contribute to her self esteem. I've been trying to get her involved in Lundú because the girls who are involved have developed a healthy dose of self esteem, which is one of the greatest gifts anyone can receive.
 
Monica's parents are from El Carmen in Chincha, Perú, which is the hub of Afro-Peruvian culture. She grew up living a hard life in Lima, the nation's capital, and being Afro-Peruvian of female persuasion, made life even harder. She was only 11 years old when her and her sister, age 12,  were riding a bus when someone spit on them shouting, Negras conchetumadre (f... you nig...). No one on the bus attempted to defend those children, and no offered to help them get cleaned up. As an adult she spoke of a day when she left her house and counted12 insults that she received in just 20 minutes. The people who make these insults, she says, don't run away because they feel that they are in the right. It's machísimo thing.

Instead of her breaking down and letting her self worth deteriorate, she grew into an activist, feminist, college graduate, having also studied at Oxford. She is a hip-hop artist, writer, poet, singer, musician, journalist, and educator. She mixes poetry, Afro-beat, soul, hip-hop, and Afro Peruvian music to highlight contributions made by black Peruvians to combat racism and sexism. Her music has been featured internationally, particularly on Europe's MTV.

I was so thrilled when Moncia, whom I've been in communication with on social media for two years, called me from 148th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem, NY, just three blocks from where I lived when I was in the second and third grades. She was visiting Harlem to do a presentation at the Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Center for Research and Black Culture, which is right across the street from where I went to elementary school. She and I plan to meet in person upon my return to Perú later this year. 

I won't say to you Happy Women's History Month, because in reality, Women's History Month is every month!