Image Credit: Shidume Lozada — *Image Credit:* *Shidume Lozada*

For many Latinas, defining identity can be complex. The mainstream media pushes the likes of Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Lopez, and Salma Hayek as the Latina ideal. However, Latinas are very complex, multi-dimensional, and multi-faceted women and we come in a tapestry of colors, shapes, and backgrounds.

According to a 2016 Pew Research study, one-quarter of all U.S. Latinos self-identify as Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean or of African descent with roots in Latin America. Identity and race among Latinos has a history of being complicated. This stems from the “long colonial history of Latin America, during which mixing occurred among indigenous Americans, white Europeans, Asians, and slaves from Africa.”

The concept of being black and Latino is hard for many people to understand, mostly due to the lack of representation in the media and other visible platforms. This is where Janel Martinez comes in. She’s the founder of Ain’t I Latina?, a website dedicated to illuminating the beauty of the Afro-Latina community. Inspired by Sojourner Truth’s poem Ain’t I A Woman? Martinez — a journalist and New York native — wanted to create a space where Latinas can celebrate their diversity.

Martinez was motivated to create the site due to the lack of acceptance of black identity within the Latino community. “Unfortunately within our [Latino] communities, being black is seen as a negative thing,” Martinez tells MBG. “It’s not embraced by our media; we somehow fail to acknowledge that part of our collective identity.”

The most blatant example of this is from Dominican-born former Chicago Cubs player Sammy Sosa. Back in 2009, he made headlines when he appeared on ESPN looking dramatically different. In the interview, his complexion appeared to be much whiter than his naturally darker, mocha skin.

Sosa addressed his lighter appearance by saying, "It's a bleaching cream that I apply before going to bed and whitens my skin some. It's a cream that I have, that I use to soften [my skin], but has bleached me some. I'm not a racist, I live my life happily."

This problematic mentality around Afro-Latinx identity is why platforms like Ain't I Latina? is so vital. This resonates deeply with Martinez and is why she shares her journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and love.

“I didn’t see myself represented. I didn’t see that intersectional conversation happen. So I’m making it happen.”

Janel Martinez - Ain’t I Latina - Modern Brown Girl

Martinez tells MBG, “The need to create this site came out a lived experience. Every question surrounding my identity growing up led me to create this site. Who gets to decide the actual creation of content in magazines like Vogue, Glamour, and Essence? Who gets to decide what to print? The main decision-makers come from a different point of view. The stories of black and brown people are often left out, and if/when they are included, it’s often in a one-dimensional view. I didn’t see myself represented. I didn’t see that intersectional conversation happen. So I’m making it happen.”

Martinez’s work on the site has helped Latinas of all ages rediscover, learn, and embrace just how deep their Afro-Latina culture is ingrained in the Latino community. Ain’t I Latina? successfully encourages Afro-Latinas to embrace and acknowledge their complete identity.

As our acceptance grows, so is Martinez’s site. She and her team have been putting out amazing quality content for the past six years, and they are now taking things to the next level by raising funds through a GoFundMe campaign. The site is raising funds to expand their visual storytelling and to continue working to amplify the voices of Black Latinx women.

Visit the site’s GoFundMe page to donate and help spread the word!

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